State Fair audiences entertained at “The Olympics of the Forest”

A few hours into the start of the annual Alaska. State Fair, a fan favorite was already underway as Fred Scheer’s Lumberjack Show was well underway on August 16, a show that pits lumberjacks against each other in competitions dubbed the “Olympics of the Forest,” while also keeping the crowds laughing with comedy routines.

Among the events that spectators can watch are the Power Sawing, as modified chain saws slice through fourteen inches of aspen in seconds; the Pole Climb, in which lumberjacks speed climb a 60-foot pool before dropping to the ground. It is touted as a race against gravity and each other; the Canoe Joust, which is done primarily for laughs, requires balance and coordination.

There are also events that draw in oohs and awes from the crowds as lumberjacks compete in an Axe Throw, trying to reach a 5-inch bullseye from 20 feet away, the Boom Run, which requires both speed and agility to race across nine floating logs, with the goal to stay dry but that almost never happens, and one of the riskiest events, the Springboard Chop requires each competitor to notch a tree with an ax and insert a board to make a platform for chopping off the tree top.

A particular highlight is the logrolling contest. While it sounds easy enough, as lumberjacks compete with each other to see who can stay on the log the longest, it requires an amount of skill. Logrollers bounce and spin on the log, trying to balance themselves while the log spins, often using every trick in the pond to outdo their opponents.

The first day saw hometown participant, A.J. Fletcher of Palmer, sporting a dapper moustache, squaring off against Anchorage’s own Cole Schlenker. Fletcher competed last year, while Schlenker was competing for the first time.

While Fletcher went into the pond first, Schlenker took a drink in Round 2, and the third round saw Fletcher take an unfortunate roll, who took in in stride, telling the audience that he was feeling confident when one leg went west, the other went east, and well, you can figure out the rest.

“It got nuts out there,” Fletcher told the audience.

After braving the log for a final roll, Fletcher ended up in the water again, making Schlenker the winner for that go-round.

Fred Scheer’s Lumberjack Show is held daily at 1:00 pm, 3:00 pm, and 6:00 pm at the SBS Woodlot.