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Woodsmen Collegiate Team Includes Local

Addison County graduate Courtney Morin competes in the Single buck saw competition. One helper uses a wedge from the top of the log as Morin saws through. This event, like all, are timed.
photo by Jennifer Morin Grant
Addison County graduate Courtney Morin competes in the Single buck saw competition. One helper uses a wedge from the top of the log as Morin saws through. This event, like all, are timed.
No stranger to the woods and working in them, Courtney grew up hunting, fishing and gathering maple syrup here in Addison County.
photo by provided
No stranger to the woods and working in them, Courtney grew up hunting, fishing and gathering maple syrup here in Addison County.
Morin and her teammate compete in the log rolling competition. This timed contest involves rolling the log off the landing and over to two posts. The log must touch the posts and then be rolled bac and up the ramp to the top of the landing. Three teams of two compete with a log. Once the last log hits the top of the landing the time stops.
photo by Jennifer Morin Grant
Morin and her teammate compete in the log rolling competition. This timed contest involves rolling the log off the landing and over to two posts. The log must touch the posts and then be rolled bac and up the ramp to the top of the landing. Three teams of two compete with a log. Once the last log hits the top of the landing the time stops.
The Paul Smith Collegiate Woodsman Team takes the age old Lumber Jack contests to a new level. Paul Smith is one of several competitive collegiate level teams comprised of men and women. Joining in this year is freshman Courtney Morin.
photo by provided
The Paul Smith Collegiate Woodsman Team takes the age old Lumber Jack contests to a new level. Paul Smith is one of several competitive collegiate level teams comprised of men and women. Joining in this year is freshman Courtney Morin.
Paul Smith Woodsmen Teammate made it up this pole in under 9 seconds!
photo by Jennifer Morin Grant
Paul Smith Woodsmen Teammate made it up this pole in under 9 seconds!

Tuesday October 31, 2017

By Cookie Steponaitis

A woodsmen team at a collegiate level is comprised of people who are skilled with saws, logs, and all phases of working in the woods. Members compete in single, double and team events using their physical strength. Addison County graduate Courtney Morin is a freshman at Paul Smith’s College and recently joined this competitive group. The fall 2017 Paul Smith’s College Woodsmen Team consists of two men’s teams, one women’s team, and two Jack and Jill teams consisting of a mixture of male and female competitors. All events are timed and the winner completes it in the fastest time while still meeting the requirements. “I joined the team with little or no idea of what I would be doing exactly,” explained Morin. “My personal goal for the season is to get my underhand chop down to about thirty seconds because it is at a minute on a good day. There are seniors that have a combined time of twenty three seconds and that is simply amazing and also the reason why we usually win. We practice three to four times a week and this gives us time to practice our speed and accuracy for the competitions.” With other collegiate teams in the area including UVM, SUNY Cobleskill, SUNY ESF, Dartmouth, Finger Lakes Community College, Penn State, UNH, Unity College and UMaine, the competition schedule is busy and highly competitive.
    Morin was a part of her first competition this past weekend and her family came over from Vermont for the contest. Besides Log Rolling, Pulp Tossing, Cross Sawing, Bow-Sawing and Pack Board Run which are all team events, the most known single event is the Single Buck which Morin participated in. The Single Buck requires sawing through a 14” log with a Single Buck saw which is basically a cross saw with only one handle. Morin emerged victorious from the event also won in a raffle a new $1400.00 chain saw for her efforts. Other events that day included the Pole Climb where the competitor climbs up a large wooden pole with ankle spikes and a balance rope while being belayed, Birling which requires the contestant to run on a log floating in the water to get the most revolutions per minute, Stock Sawing which has the competitor make three cuts in the fastest time possible with a chainsaw and finally Boom where the competitor runs across logs that are strewn together across a body of water. A crowd favorite is the Cross Cut Sawing team event. Three pairs of competitors use a 6’ long, double handled saw and must cut two cookies and slices of logs making a total of six in the shortest time possible. Sandbags, Time Runs and skill are all put to the test at the individual and group level.
    Morin enjoys the competition and getting to meet other people from around New England and the Midwest. “While two thirds of the team are Forestry majors at Paul Smith, even some who are at college for baking, pastry or environmental science joins the team as well. Another plus is the number of women on the team not only at Paul Smith but the other teams as well. There are many women dedicated to what is called the lumberjack sports,” explained Morin. “I am Wildlife Biology major and have plans to return to Vermont to become a Wildlife Biologist. This competition involves people from so many different walks in life and it pushes you to be your own personal best so the team can be successful.” Thanking not only her parents and grandfather for making the trip over to the contest but all those who encouraged her to join in and push her, Morin has plans to be rolling logs, sawing trees and honing her lumberjack skills for the next four years.  The Valley Voice will be checking in over the years with this new Lumberjack athlete to see what new goals and surprises will be a part of her newest find at college, the  Paul Smith Woodsmen Collegiate Team


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