Andrea Hand

As Andrea Hand’s axe slid all the way through the cottonwood block during the underhand chop competition at the Stihl Timbersports Canadian Championships on Sept. 5, host Ryan McIntyre’s voice rose with anticipation. McIntyre, a logger sport athlete himself, wondered whether Hand had just set a new world record for women’s underhand chop at the competition held in London, Ont. She finished the chop in 21.65 seconds. For those just learning about the sport — that’s good. “I knew that I had never seen that time before,” said Hand. Judges looked over the cut as spectators waited with bated breath. “We have a new world record. It’s a good cut,” the judge announced. Hand’s world record in the women’s championships beat a record set earlier this year by American athlete Erin Lavoie. Hand also took home the Pro Women’s Championship title for the second year in a row.