Sports

Three Orangeville axe throwers heading to international competition

August 29, 2024   ·   0 Comments

By Brian Lockhart

Three Orangeville residents will be competing at the World Amateur Axe Throwing Championship in Atlanta, Georgia on Nov. 14.

Steve Hunter, Alex Smyth, and Jason Sharples, who all work as coaches and compete at Far Shot, an axe and knife throwing business in Orangeville, have entered as ‘open’ competitors at the international tournament.

Axe throwing is just like it sounds. Competitors throw an axe at a large wood backdrop that has a bullseye-type target.

Each ring of the target scores different points. Your points total at the end of a match is your score.

Axe throwing doesn’t rely on strength or power, it relies more on technique, knowing how to throw and when to release to give the axe a single rotation so it strikes the target blade first.

During competition, there are no separate divisions for men and women – everyone competes equally.

There are a variety of ways people get involved with axe throwing.

“The three of us work for Far Shot, and we’re all in the League there,” Steve explained. “The way I got into axe throwing, was that my wife was going out and playing darts, and that was too late for me because I have to get up early. I decided I needed to do something and I joined the League in September of 2022.”

During League play, your points totals over the season add up and you receive a rating. This determines who you play in the future to make things competitive.

When playing a match, you are scored on where you hit the target. You have 10 throws in each match. Strategy comes into play if you are trying to hit the centre target.

“Your score is the combined total of all the axes you throw,” Steven explained. “The eights – you can go for twice in a game. You have to call it, and if you miss, you get zero. It’s called going for a kill-shot.”

The called shots are risky, they are the dead centre of the target, but if you are falling behind in the score, you can make the call and hopefully tie it, or go ahead.

The amateur tournament in Georgia is an open tournament, with several hundred players participating. Georgia has hosted a professional tournament in the past.

The tournaments are hosted by the World Axe Throwing League.

“This is the first amateur championship that they’ve had,” Steve said. “It’s an open tournament. You will be ranked on what your points have been throughout the year. There will be around 500 competitors.”

The three Orangeville competitors will be representing Far Shot at the tournament and have several sponsors backing them.

Once competition gets underway, they will rely on their skills, steady nerves, and a good throwing technique to be competitive. 

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