Tasco’s Tracey Hampshire (Sales Coordinator) and Carson Backhouse (National Sales Manager) with recently sponsored Cheyanne Girvan.
From Tasco (Dongwha Timbers)
Tasco has a proud history of supporting various community initiatives in Bombala, and we continue our focus with the recent sponsorship of Cheyanne Girvan, an impressive young Bombala woman.
Cheyanne has been selected to be part of the NSW U21 Woodchopping team for the Royal Melbourne Show in late September/early October.
This makes Cheyanne the first woman in the history of the team to represent the state…and all in her first year of taking up the sport!
In addition to being selected for the state team, Cheyanne will be travelling to Adelaide to compete in the Royal Adelaide Show, with the possibility of being selected for the Australian Women’s Open Team at the Sydney Royal Easter Show, in 2013.
We asked Cheyanne several questions to find out more about her journey so far -
• How did you get into woodchopping?
I started woodchopping because I was getting homesick at university and my brother’s coach (who is now my coach) and his wife took me away for chopping weekends so I didn’t go home and get homesick again. Then I decided I wanted to give it a try and haven’t looked back since!
• What training is required to be a woodchopper?
I train by using a combination of methods. While I’m home I train by actually practising my events which are the underhand and double handed cross cut sawing as much as possible. Also at home I do basic cardio and strength exercises.
While I’m in Canberra at uni, I go to boot camps regularly and the gym as there isn’t anywhere I can do my other training.
You don’t have to be a big strong person to be able to chop. I’ve seen smaller framed people do quite well at high levels of competition.
• Woodchopping is a predominantly male sport. Have fellow male woodchoppers been supportive of you?
Other male woodchoppers have been great in helping me and supporting me. I can’t think of one bad thing that any of them have said to me and have helped or tried to help every time I have asked. It’s something I greatly appreciate.
• Where to from here?
Being selected on the NSW U21 team was a complete surprise as I didn’t expect to be put in a team that previously only boys had been in. My goal from the start was to be selected for the Australian Women’s team and it’s clearly something I still aspire to do.
Traditionally, the Australian Women’s Team compete in an international relay at the Sydney Royal Easter Show and the Royal Adelaide Show against countries such as New Zealand, USA and Canada.
One day I would like to travel to overseas and compete in the Stihl Timbersports Series.