Unstoppable … World champion Matthew Gurr powers through the wood block in the championship combination event. 60457 Picture: SARAH MATRAY
NO-ONE was surprised when Matthew Gurr and Laurence O’Toole won the championship combination – the feature woodchopping event – at the Keilor Gift Saturday night.
O’Toole, who comes from Australia’s most famous woodchopping family (his father Laurence Senior won 276 world titles) was far too strong in the underhand section, while world tree-felling champion Gurr, of Tasmania, was simply awesome on the standing block.
Clayton Draper won the other main event, the open standing block final, ahead of Braydon Meyer, a young star who won several events throughout the day.
Broadford resident Meyer, 15, won the treefelling final and junior championship standing block final.
Maddison Kirley proved that woodchopping wasn’t just for the guys – she finished second in the under-18 chop, behind another boy from the Meyer clan, Kyle Meyer.
John Holmes claimed victory in one of the most popular spectator events, the hot chainsaw race, while Jake Lowe won the novice block.
