Missing toes are the result of "a bad day at the office" for a few woodchoppers out there.
Fortunately, newly crowned world champion woodchopper Bradley Pako had a great day at the office in Rotorua on Sunday, when he won his first world championship title — the David Bolstad Memorial 375mm Underhand World Championship.
"Yeah, and I’ve still got all six toes on each foot," he joked.
The 24-year-old Dunedin truck driver said he was proud to have his name spoken in the same sentence as the late great David Bolstad.
"He’s probably the biggest name in woodchopping that we all know."
Bolstad was a New Zealand representative woodchopper who won more than 50 major woodchopping championships worldwide, and was the Stihl Timbersports Series champion five times between 2001 and 2008.
The 42-year-old died suddenly in 2011 after winning a competition at the Waiuku Cosmopolitan Axeman Club championships, and the competition was created as a memorial to him.
The Covid-19 pandemic meant the event did not have the usual competitors from North America and Australia, but Mr Pako said the standard of competition was still very high because it included several members of the New Zealand woodchopping team.
"A few of them are world champions themselves. It was a pretty heated line-up really."
He also won the Rotorua A&P Axemen’s Club 350mm Standing Championship against strong competition the day before, which was a major confidence-booster going into the world championship chop.
He said the wins had not sunk in yet.
"I surprised myself, actually.
"It’s pretty cool.
"It’s a world title and it’s pretty prestigious. I’ve just got to stay humble and consistent, and keep doing it now."
