Glen to chop on the world stage
Glen, who now lives in Toongabbie but grew up and works in Warragul, won his place on the Australian “Chopperoos” team at the Australian championships in Melbourne last weekend.
The five-man team is aiming to win its fourth straight world championship at the event in Lillehammer, Norway on November 4 and 5.
Glen said he started competing in woodchop sports when he was “knee high to a grasshopper”, following in his father’s footsteps.
“I had an axe in hand and progressed from there,” he said.
His early competitions were at country shows throughout Australia.
“The Warragul Show has always been a great ambassador,” added Glen.
He has competed in the Stihl Timbersports series over the past two years.
After setting an Australian record of 17.25 seconds in the underhand chop and smashing a personal best in the springboard at the Australian championships, Glen finished fourth of 16 athletes to book his place to Norway.
The 34-year-old leaves in less than two weeks. He will spend 10 days at training camps, acclimatising and competing in Norway.
The five-man team includes three Victorians, one from NSW and one from Queensland.
The team event will see four different disciplines – stock saw with a chainsaw, underhand chop where the participant stands on a log and cuts with an axe, single buck with a cross cut saw, and standing block chop with an axe.
Glen expects the Chopperoos will face the toughest competition from Canada.
Acknowledging that the sport is “expensive”, Glen praised the local community for its support.
Amongst those supporters is Steve Edney of Profyle Engineering in Warragul.
Steve, together with Dave from Two Stroke Performance of Warragul, designed Glen’s 30kg hot saw. Dean Addison from VC Traders is another supporter.
With a background in the timber industry and developing race cars and motorbikes, Steve said the hot saw was developed over 18 months.
The hot saw has a two-stroke motorbike engine – an KTM 300.
“He (Glen) got the engine and we just went from there,” said Steve. “I’ve known Glen all my life. I come from the timber industry, so I’ve been around it a lot. I’ve since built another one and have another on the go.”
Steve said Glen making the Chopperoos was a great achievement.
“That’s what he’s been working towards,” he said. “He’s got there, top of the heap. What an honour to go chop for your country.”