Sawdust flies as Matt Cogar slices a chainsaw through a massive log while an opponent tries to keep pace. Once finished with the cut, Cogar races to grab an ax and stands atop another log, swinging the tool below his feet. Chunks of wood fly away until the log is split, and he hops off. Racing to that original site of the chainsaw effort – this time, the lumberjack uses a long single buck saw to slice away another piece by hand in seconds. The final leg in this race takes Cogar to another log, standing up like the trunk of a tree. He remains focused, striking the ax horizontally several times before shifting to the other side to finish the piece of wood off with his opponent well behind him. This site is different from a logging operation, but a Stihl Timbersports competition, and Cogar is one of the sport’s top competitors.
What is Timpersports Exactly?
Stihl Timbersports is an international extreme sports competition series featuring three ax disciplines (underhand chop, standing block chop, and springboard) and three sawing disciplines (stock-saw, single buck, and hot saw). The organization was founded in 1985 and now has competitors and events worldwide. Stihl bills the series as “the original extreme sport” with a history dating back to the late 19th Century when lumberjacks began competing against each other to test their skills. The sport has roots in Australia and New Zealand and later spread to the U.S. and Canada.
Cogar, from Grafton, West Virginia, is one of the best. The 37-year-old is a seven-time national champion, a four-time world championship silver medalist, and winner of the World Trophy in 2019. What does he enjoy about the sport?
“The thing that draws me back to it is just something that’s so rooted in the old way of doing things, like with axes and saws,” he says. “It was hard labor, and you were a working man then. It’s just a way to connect to history and something you have to work hard at no matter what. It doesn’t come easy. It’s the challenge to challenge your body and skills and see what you can do with the logs you draw.”
Matt Cogar, A Cut Above
In the past, Cogar worked in sales, clerical, and other jobs, but now uses his brawn and saw skills as a full-time Timbersports athlete. Along with Stihl, there are competitions worldwide, and Red Bull even sponsors him.
“You spend a lot of time going to competitions and have to win to make money,” he says. “That’s where sponsorships come into play. That helps pay the bills to get to competitions and to a point where you can focus on doing what you love.”
Cogar is part of a family legacy in the sport. His father and several other family members competed after working in the forest and timber industry. They helped pioneer the sport for today’s athletes, and Cogar is a third-generation competitor.
The Stihl season begins each March and ends with the world championships in November. Cogar makes about 20 competitions yearly, many with Stihl and other shows. The life of manning an ax and chainsaw has taken him all across the country, Canada, Europe, and Australia.
“I think it’s growing because we have a lot more exposure through social media, and with the
technology that we have today,” he says.
Sharpening Up for TimberSports
Consider timber sports such as CrossFit or a rodeo for woodsmen with plenty of chainsaws and sharp blades. Cutting those logs takes plenty of strength and athleticism. Showing up and swinging an ax or picking up a chainsaw isn’t a successful strategy.
Matt Cogar puts in plenty of preparation and training. The main part of that is skill set training, working with an ax or saw, and actually doing the disciplines themselves. He also mixes in weight lifting and conditioning.
“I’ll make the cross cuts, I’ll make chain saws, and hot saws, and then also the shopping disciplines – working on my skills and keeping on top of that,” he says. “Then you go to the fitness side to keep in good shape. But to perform at an elite level, you’ve got to put in a little bit of extra.”
These axemen have to be versatile, as some competitions outside of Stihl may have different disciplines. There are also two-person team events, and Cogar’s wife competes on a cross-cut with him on occasion. His favorite discipline is the Champions Trophy or the Stihl Trophy events. These are endurance events in which competitors race from one event to the next against another competitor.
“It’s all based on how fast you can do it and is an elimination format,” he says. “So you’re just like one on one versus the points format.”
The Long Game
As one can imagine, swinging a sharp ax or ripping through wood with a chainsaw can come with occasional injuries. He’s had hand injuries and regular sports injuries like a hurt back and neck. But safety gear like chainmail socks and shin guards have reduced the risks of getting cut.
Cogar has been competing for 20 years. While one might think this is a young man’s game, it often takes time to develop the skill set to really compete. Because of that, some swing an ax well into their 50s. That means this ax-wielding West Vriginian has plenty of time left in his career.
“It’s one of the cool things about the sport, where you can be 45 and still be competitive with the kid that’s in his 20s,” says Cogar. He enjoys the outdoors, including hunting, fishing, and hiking, and spends time with family when not competing.
Prizes vary by event, but competitions may pay from $6,000 to $10,000 for winners on a single weekend. That can be some nice winnings, but not everyone can walk away with cash. Becoming a pro means becoming a consistent winner – and Cogar has undoubtedly found a way to do that.
“It’s pretty nice, but somebody has to lose too,” he says. “It’s one of those things where it’s good for the guy that does win, but then the guy that doesn’t win has to work a little harder.”
For more on Matt Cogar and timbersports, follow him on Instagram at @mattcogar.
