Making each swing count: Kalispell woman breaks world record in women’s standing chop block

Growing up, every time her family went camping, Lauren Bergman would wander into the woods with an ax and happily chop up the firewood.

“I was always a bit of a tomboy,” she said.

Little did she know the experience would come to serve her as a competitive logger athlete, let alone beat a world record by the time she was 32.

Bergman’s competitive logging journey started at Flathead Valley Community College, after her brother encouraged her to join the college’s logging sports team.

“He wanted the team to win, and he knew I could help them win,” Bergman said.

She decided to give it a shot and ended up leading the team to a few victories. She was particularly skilled at the standing block chop, an event she consistently won.

In this competition, a vertical piece of wood sits on a metal