North-West Coast woodchopping has retained bragging rights as the best association in the state after their third consecutive win in the inter-association teams relay at the Launceston Show on Thursday.
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The teams race was a highlight of a massive woodchopping and sawing program, with the North-West winning from 2016 winners North.
The South finished third in the seven-person event, which featured two standing block chops, two underhand legs, one single sawing and one double-handed sawing event.
Thursday's program also included two show championships in the 325mm underhand and 350mm standing blocks, with reigning Tasmanian champion of champions Kody Steers, from Gowrie Park, claiming both sashes.
ELSEWHERE IN SPORT
Steers also came from behind to win the 300mm standing handicap final, despite giving up 34 seconds to the front marker.
Deloraine's Daniel Gurr was also in good early season form, finishing second to Steers in both show championship finals, while reigning Tasmanian Thousands champion Josh Bakes, of Gowrie Park, finished third in the underhand final.
Winkleigh veteran Dale Beams placed third in the standing event.
It was a fairly successful day for the Gurr family, with Daniel Gurr also showing his versatility by also winning the Dudley Eaves Memorial 375mm single-handed sawing handicap, while his father Matthew won the Launceston Show Hotsaw Championship, in a very quick 5.79 seconds.
The day was even more fruitful for the Lovell family, or more specifically, teenage Huon Valley axeman Owen Lovell, who won four finals.
TIME TO DECIDE:
Still eligible to compete as a junior, Lovell led home a family trifecta to win both the 250mm junior standing and 250mm junior underhand handicaps, with Will Lovell second and Lawson Lovell third in both finals.
Owen Lovell stepped up in open company, to also win the 275mm underhand and 300mm underhand handicap finals as well against older and more experienced rivals.
New Norfolk veteran Barry Muskett took out both veteran's events in the 250mm standing and 275mm underhand handicaps, while Winkleigh's Amanda Beams was prominent in women's events, either winning or placing in all four finals.
Beams, the reigning world 275mm underhand champion, won her pet event and was also victorious in the women's 300mm single-handed sawing handicap.
She also shared the win in an exciting dead heat in the women's 375mm double-handed sawing handicap, partnering with Burnie's Bec Maine, to tie with Meg Dare and Kris Brown.
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