Cosmo Fudge won the log-rolling competition at the Southeast Alaska State Fair again.
The 37-year-old bested the field of 16 competitors who entered, but winning his sixth straight title was not easy.
“I got wet this year,” Fudge laughed.
The logging area next to Harriet Hall at the fairgrounds was overflowing with spectators. There were plenty of competitors in the ax-throwing contest, medium saw bucking, obstacle buck, men’s big saw bucking, Jack and Jill hand bucking, and log rolling at the end of the show.
Fudge lost in the semifinal round to Canadian Frederick “Fred” Chambers-Piper.
“Me and Fred usually end up going against each other at some point,” Fudge said. “He’s usually the toughest guy to go against. That’s the first time he’s ever beat me. Thank God it’s a double elimination tournament.”
Chambers-Piper traveled from Whitehorse to compete. He was responsible for finally rolling Fudge into cold water while the two were competing at birling, or log rolling. The cooler air made it colder.
“Yeah it was surprising but fun for sure. I wasn’t expecting that,” Chambers-Piper said. “He’s usually just like a step above everybody else, including myself.”
Chambers-Piper has been participating in lumberjack competitions for 20 years.
“I grew up watching my dad, my uncle and a bunch of older guys that I knew when I was a kid. So you just kind of want to take part in that when you’re growing up,” he said.
When it comes to preparation, the 39-year-old industrial mechanic took a different approach this time. “This year, I didn’t practice at all. Other years. I’ll practice a little bit here and there. But this year, I was like, ah, I don’t know. Sometimes it doesn’t seem to matter.”
He also tried some new footwear.
“Spiked shoes. Spiked shoes make a world of difference,” he said.
Fudge wore his usual black overalls, sleeveless shirt, boots, and hat with the brim twisted up.
“I had a blast. I was feeling pretty confident in the first few bouts that I had. And I knew that Fred and I were going to run into each other eventually,” he said.
Both competitors are about the same height but Fudge said weight was a factor.
“He’s a tough guy to go against because he’s a little bit heavier than me. So he has better manipulation of the log because he is heavier than me. But he’s getting good, man,” Fudge said.” I’m really glad these Whitehorse guys come down to the fair for this.”