Local Axe-Throwing Biz Hosts ESPN-Covered World Championship

ARIZONA – This weekend isn’t just any old weekend for the worldwide axe throwing community. This weekend, only one of 64 top international competitors will be crowned World Champion at the ESPN-covered 2019 Signarama World Axe Throwing Championship at Splitting Timber Axe Range in Tucson. Not to be overshadowed (too much) by the World Championship, Splitting Timber’s Phoenix location is additionally hosting its intensive “The Gauntlet” competition Thursday.

But First: What’s The Real Deal With Axe Throwing?

Although the skill of top competitors in this weekend’s world championship — and depictions in “The Patriot” or on the “Vikings” TV show — make axe throwing seem untouchable to most people, that’s not the case, says Evan Walters, World Axe Throwing League commissioner and ESPN sportscaster. Axe throwing is, in fact, “very impractical for combat,” he said. “Also, due to that popular media outlet, it’s often seen as something that big, strong men do, with great force. If you watch these [World Championship] competitors and the level of accuracy they have, you’ll soon see it’s all about the technique, which anyone can learn. No beard or flannel required!”

AJ Hughes, who owns the Tucson and Phoenix locales of Splitting Timber Axe Range with her daughter Bee Buckmaster, agrees. “Strength does not matter in this sport. It’s not about how hard you can throw the axe. It’s about finesse,” she said. Hughes added that too much force behind an axe will cause too much rotation and result in missing the target completely, or an axe can actually be broken if too much force is used and it does hit the wooden target.

“We often joke that women do better than men because men try to throw the axe like a baseball, and women throw more gently,” Hughes said.

So how does one get started in axe throwing? Walters and Hughes agree that heading to your local axe throwing range is the best way. Splitting Timber works with anyone age 10 and older who wants to learn the sport or hone their skill. For those worried about safety, Hughes says, “It’s not as dangerous as you think, and there’s always staff with you at all times at Splitting Timber. It’s much like darts, but with an axe.” And those wanting to learn the sport aren’t limited by disability or gender either, Walters said.

Walters says establishing and building skills is important when starting out in axe throwing. “For training, there’s a lot that can go into it depending on how competitive you would like to be," he said. "But in the end, it’s about practicing. Not just being repetitive and throwing a lot, but really analyzing your throw and technique and adjusting it over time.”

As for the sort of axe you might use, Walters says the types are almost limitless. He says many throwers favor vintage axes such as Plumb, but newer offerings also are often used including Ace Hardware hatchets. Walters most recently opted for a vintage Walters Axe Co. camping hatchet. For those new to the sport and getting training at a range such as Splitting Timber, they will be matched with the most appropriate axe for them.

The motivation for getting into the sport of axe throwing is different for everyone, but both Walters and Hughes cite the camaraderie and community of the sport as one of the major perks. “For me, it’s astonishing to watch," Hughes said. "I’ve competed in sports from a very young age and through college, and I never experienced the camaraderie, sportsmanship and support that’s in the axe throwing community. It’s inspiring.”

And another thing: “The adrenaline rush when you hit the bullseye is incredible,” Hughes added.

What’s Happening This Weekend At The World Championship In Tucson?

Splitting Timber, at 6401 Marana Center Blvd., Suite 125A, in Tucson may well burst with loads more of that bullseye-hitting adrenaline this weekend as axe throwing competitors from countries such as the U.S., Canada, Ireland, Venezuela and Bosnia gather for the World Championship Friday through Sunday. The public is invited to attend the family-friendly games at no charge, but spectators must be age 10 or older and everyone must wear close-toed shoes.

To qualify for the World Championship, competitors had to win their local league and be seeded in the top 12 scores on the World Axe Throwing League’s global leaderboard. Or World Championship competitors can qualify by winning a major tournament such as the U.S. Open or the Canadian Open, for example, or next year’s first European Open. Two Splitting Timber competitors were among the top 64 qualifiers for this year’s World Championship.

The championship additionally has a Wildcard qualifier. The Wildcard is used when any spot opens at the last minute if a competitor can’t make it to the match.

This weekend’s World Championship schedule unfolds like this:

Friday’s competition includes the Wildcard qualifiers, which gives competitors one last chance to earn the opportunity to compete in the World Championship.

On Saturday is the “Championship proper” up until the final six. Next is the Duals competition to the final two teams.

Sunday is when ESPN sportscasters including Walters, Evan Lepler and Melanie Newman start broadcasting from Splitting Timber in Tucson, covering both of the day’s final competitions in the Championship and the Duals. For the weekend's complete schedule including times for each event, go to the World Axe Throwing League's tournament webpage.

This is ESPN’s second year covering the World Axe Throwing League’s World Championship, and the winner takes home a $15,000 prize. An additional $7,000 in other prizes will be awarded, too.

A beer garden and six local food trucks will be on-site at the event.

“The Gauntlet” Tournament Challenges Axe Throwers In Phoenix Thursday

Splitting Timbers’ Phoenix locale, 2005 W. Deer Valley Dr., No. 104, holds its “The Gauntlet” axe-throwing skills tournament tonight at 6 p.m. The public is also invited to attend this event free of charge, but again, spectators must be age 10 and older and wear close-toed shoes, Hughes says. The Gauntlet competitors will compete at five stations:

• Ambi Axe, where contestants are given one axe for each hand, and both axes are thrown simultaneously at the target.
• Double Rotation requires contestants to throw one axe at a time, but the axe must complete two full rotations before striking a target. (A typical axe throw only includes one rotation.)
• Around the World, where competitors’ axe throws have to hit a series of rings, one at a time, from left to right. The contest is timed.
• The Trickshot round is where axe throwers showcase their own practiced trickshots. Trickshots might include behind the back or sideways throws, for example, plus more.
• The Crown is the final event at The Gauntlet, where throwers try to get their axe to hit a tiny bullseye of only 1.5 inches. (A typical bullseye measures 3.5 inches.)

Splitting Timber Axe Range serves thousands of customers annually, Hughes reported. The company joined the World Axe Throwing League in 2018, and hosts birthday parties, team-building events, fun for family and friends, baby gender reveal events and bachelor/bachelorette parties. For more information or to book a session or event online, go to www.SplittingTimber.com.

The World Axe Throwing League was created in early 2017 as 12 companies united to spread the axe throwing love. The league has now expanded to 20 countries, and has membership of more than 150 companies.

About 12,000 axe throwers compete annually to qualify for the World Championship.