Three women chop their way into the record books at Lumberjack World Championships

Three new women’s world records have been set at the Lumberjack World Championships competition held in a small Wisconsin community, full of high-powered sawing, chopping, logrolling, speed climbing and cheers of “Yo-Ho!”

This year, 66 men and 40 women attended the three-day competition in Hayward that ended Saturday. They represented 16 states and nine countries.

Competitors take their gear seriously with custom-built chain saws, carefully sharpened axes and single buck saws that can cost upward of $400 just to sharpen.

Karolina Urbanová from the Czech Republic set world records in two events. She earned first place in the Women’s Underhand Chop, cutting through 11 inches (27.9 centimeters) of white pine in 21.28 seconds. She also came in first in the Women’s Standing Chop, cutting through 9 inches (22.8 centimeters) of white pine in 19.38 seconds.

Meredith Ingbretson of Hayward set a world record in the Women’s Boom Run, sprinting across the water and back over eight red cedar logs in 13.78 seconds.

While women have been competing since the inaugural competition in 1960, the events they participate in have expanded signifi...