For the first time in 14 years, one of Canada's longest-running lumberjack shows will capture the sawdust flying, wood chip flinging, and sweat inducing action at Squamish Days Loggers Sport.
Since it first aired in 1999, the Sports Network (TSN) series Lumberjacks TV has covered logger sports worldwide, with one exception Squamish.
The August-long weekend event is big, really big, Lumberjacks producer Bill Deba said, noting the show's three-man camera crew were previously warded off by the local event's size. Squamish's logger sports is geared toward a live audience, making it difficult to capture the action for television, Deba added. But this year they decided to give it a go.
We are going to cover what we can, Beda said. It might look a bit different than normal.
Squamish's logger sports will be aired in three, half-hour episodes on TSN and TSN2 in October. The television series focuses heavily on the competition, Beda said.
Having followed logger sports for 30 years Beda noted the activity's followers remain at a consistent level. New Zealand and Australia hold a large fan base, with pockets of viewers around north east and west United States.
It is a fringe sport, Beda said. You can compare it a little bit to the rodeo business.
Over the years, Beda's seen his share of skilled lumberjacks. Karl Bischoff, from Celista, B.C., epitomises a true logger sports competitor and up-and-comer world-record speed climber Hart Sterling is someone to watch for, Beda said. Both men will compete at Squamish's loggers sports.
Experience and hard work shape a good lumberjack, he said. You got to do it a lot and learn from experience.
News of TSN's involvement in this year's Squamish logger posts spread quickly, attracting sponsors and top-flight competitors, Bryan Couture, president of the Squamish event, told The Chief when the TV series signed on.
Right now we have more competitors coming from outside of Canada than from within Canada, he noted. We hope to fill the stands to show the world that this is where it all happens. It's getting known out there that Squamish is the best.
To catch the show visit LumberjacksOnline on YouTube.
