By Michael Esposito
NOT only will the Keilor Gift attract some of Australia’s best runners, it will also host champion axemen.
The Gift, held at Keilor Recreation Reserve on 19 February, will feature Australian and world tree felling champion Matthew Gurr, of Tasmania, and former world champion underhand wood chopper Laurence O’Toole junior, who comes from one of Australia’s most famous wood chopping families.
O’Toole’s dad, Laurence senior, competed in last year’s gift and is a multiple world champion, while his grandfather Jack was a giant in the wood chopping world, claiming 276 world titles.
Doncaster’s O’Toole will team up with Gurr in the two-man combination championship, in which one axeman cuts in underhand and the other cuts standard block.
Co-ordinator of the wood chopping program Garry Stewart said the O’Toole-Gurr combination would be very hard to beat, but the team of Clayton Draper (Gippsland) and David McIntosh (Riddells Creek) would take the challenge up to them.
“They could upset the apple cart but I’ll be surprised if they did. But they’re both in form and they’ll keep the other two on their toes.”
Gurr will be an unbackable favourite to win the tree felling championship.
“Gurr will win that as sure as Makybe Diva won three Melbourne Cups,” Stewart said.
“You won’t get good odds on him. If he loses he’ll have to fall over or break a leg.”
The program will also include a junior (under-18) underhand championship event – one of seven throughout year.
Five members of the Victorian under-21 team will compete on the day, including Victoria’s top under-21 axeman Braden Meyer, of Wallan.
