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Faculty of Agriculture student Geoff Larkin is a four-year veteran of the Dalhousie Agricultural Campus Ram’s Woodmen’s Team and is hoping to end his university career on a high note as they host the final Canadian Intercollegiate Lumberjacking Association (CILA) competition of the season this Saturday at the MacMillan Show Centre.

More than 20 teams from Canada and the northeastern United States will compete for one of the most prestigious titles in Canadian University Lumberjacking.

“It would be pretty special to win the competition on Saturday and remain undefeated for the second year in a row,” he said.  This is the last year for three of the male athletes including Geoff, Kyle Gallant and Sam MacDonnell and they are looking for one last win.

Larkin specializes in Single Buck and Standing Block Chop.  “You’ve got to be hard working and put your time in,” he added.  “It has a lot to do with technique but if you are determined you can go a long way.”

A native of Musquodoboit, Larkin also competes in a semi-professional circuit in the summer with Woodsmen coach Scott Read.

"I competed in a professional competition this past summer in Sennetaire, Quebec," said Larkin.  “It was a chance for me to cut my teeth and see how I stacked up against some of the best in the sport from Canada and the USA.” Larkin snagged a second place finish in Single Buck and a 5^th place finish in Cross Cut.

Coach Scott Read has been a fixture of the Woodsmen Team for over a decade. Heavily involved with the sport while a student, Scott now uses his passion for lumberjacking to train and mentor student athletes to the best of their ability. And his work is paying off.

The DAL AC Woodsmen competed in the Macdonald College CILA competition this past weekend with excellent results.  The men cleaned up with a 1-2 finish.  Men’s 1 Team won and the Men’s 2 Team finished second.  It is a rare feat in CILA competition, to have both teams from one institution finish first and second. The Women’s Team 1 also won with the Women’s Team 2 finishing 8th.

The Men’s Team 1 has a substantial lead heading into this final CILA competition of the year.

The teams, consisting of 14 girls and 14 guys, practice five nights a week for two hours on the Woodsmen lot on campus. Spending that much time together has its advantages.

“We are a really close-knit group,” he explained.  This is one of the reasons he suggests they are doing so well this season.  “It’s really good for team-building.  You know each other’s strengths and weaknesses and who complements the other best for team events.

Larkin plans on continuing to compete after his university careers ends.  “I plan to keep on competing, it keeps me in shape and keeps me connected,” he said.  “I would highly recommend this sport to anyone.  I’ve met so many people in the sport at other schools and venues and the networking has been invaluable.”

Competition begins at the Show Centre this Saturday morning at 8:00 a.m. as Faculty of Agriculture Dean Harold Cook and Rhodes Scholar Paul Manning complete the opening cut.  An ECHO film crew will also capture the day’s events for a program to air on Outdoor Life Network profiling intercollegiate competition.

Competition begins at 8:30 with a variety of events including: Axe Throw, Chainsaw, Dry Land Log Burling, Log Decking, Pole Climb, Pulp Throw, Quarter Split, Single Buck, Super Swede Saw, Swede Saw, Crosscut Saw, Underhand Chop, Standing Block Chop and Water Boil.

Please visit their site for a complete schedule of events this weekend.