Five records broken at 42nd event
Despite competing in Ohio the day before and driving all night to get to Fryeburg Fair, Nancy Zalewski and Mike Sullivan still managed to set new records at the 42nd annual Saco Valley Woodsmen’s Field Day.
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| Dave Geer won the Master's Axe throw-off against Jim Colbert |
Zalewski, who earned her sixth straight Women’s Championship, set a record in the Women’s Underhand Chop and joined with Sullivan to set a record in the Jack & Jill Crosscut.
“We drove all night to get to Fryeburg because we can’t miss this show,” said an enthusiastic Zalewski Monday morning as the event was about to begin.
“She did the hard part,” Sullivan, who has held the Woodsman’s championship here numerous times. “She started driving about 12:30 and I didn’t come to until we were almost here about quarter of six.” She is from Plymouth, WI and he from Winsted, CT. They often travel together to competitions around the country.
Three other top competitors made the overnight trip from Ohio including Mike Eash of Coatesville PA, Jerry Gingras of Errol NH and his wife, Katy. Jerry went on to become the Champion Woodsman of the day and Eash won the Men’s Underhand while winning the Log Roll Chop and the Men’s Crosscut with Gingras.
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| Master's Champ Jim Colbert, Women's Champ Nancy Zalewski and Champion Woodsman Jerry Gingras |
For the rest of the day’s competition, 110 competed setting a total of five records. The day concluded with drama in the Master’s Axe Throw when longtime competitors and crowd favorites Dave Geer and Jim Colbert, both of Connecticut, tied at 22 out of 25. The standing-room-only crowd of nearly 5,000 hung on every toss with the first throw-off ending in another 22-all tie. After another series of tosses, Geer emerged with a one-point win to the delight of the crowd.
Fittingly, Colbert finished the day as Master’s Champion to join Zalewski, Champion Woodsman Jerry Gingras of Errol, NH, Champion Logger Heath Taylor of Cornish and Champion Trucker Brian Winn of Effingham, NH.
Additional records were set in the Master’s Log Roll, Men’s Bucksaw and Grapple Skidder.
In addition to her record in winning the underhand Chop, Zalewski also won the Women’s Bucksaw, the Women’s Crosscut and tied for second in the Axe Throw. Sullivan finished second in the Men’s Underhand Chop, tied for second in the axe throw, finished third in the Springboard as well as third in the Men’s Crosscut with Rick Geer.
2009 Woodsmen’s Day Results
 Masters Axe Throw
Dave Geer of Jewett City, CT, 22 (throw-off)
Master’s Bucksaw
Don Quigley of Lee NH, 8.41. secs.
Master’s Underhand Chop
Jim Colbert of Winsted CT, 22.17 secs.
Master’s Crosscut
Jim Colbert and Don Quigley, 7.10 secs.
Master’s Log Roll
Gib Engel of Brooklyn CT and George Mattern of Baltic CT, 16.935 secs.
Men’s Bucksawing (Record)
Don Lambert of St. Gilles, Que., 4.83 secs.
Men’s Underhand Chop
Mike Eash of Coatesville PA, 15.59
Men’s Axe Throw
Dave Kilson of Stratford NH, 23
Open Chainsaw
Jerry Gingras of Errol NH, 3.405
Men’s Crosscut
Jerry Gingras and Mike Eash, 5.15 secs
Log Roll
Kerry Gingras and Mike Eash, 13.695 secs,
Springboard
Paul Pfenninger of Scottsville NY, 52.83 secs.
Tree Felling
Mario Bourque of Memramcook, NB, Canada, Direct Hit, 24.60 secs.
Women’s Bucksaw
Nancy Zalewski of Plymouth WI, 10.815 secs.
Women’s Underhand Chop (Record)
Nancy Zalewski, 19.485
Women’s Axe Throw
Laurette Russell of New Gloucester, 17.
Women’s Crosscut
Nancy Zalewski and Mary Beth Dooley of Waterport NY, 9.02 secs
Stock Chainsaw
Jerry Gingras, 4.11 secs
Jack and Jill Crosscut (Record)
Mike Sullivan of Winsted CT and Nancy Zalewski, 5.655 secs.
Water Boiling
Mario Bourque, 3:05.74.
Cable Skidder
Bruce Cox of Peru, 1:02.2
Grapple Skidder (Record)
Brad Taylor of Baldwin, 57.24 secs.
Log Loading
Brian Winn of Effingham NH, 2:28.56
Pulp Loading
Dale Mills of Parsonfield, 4:20.08
Hydraulic Loader
Brian Winn, 5:14.96
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