Ally Briscoe has an impressive resume at just 22-years-old.
This past June, the logger sports athlete placed second at the World STIHL TIMBERSPORTS International Women Cup 2023 in Rotterdam, breaking the world record in the single buck, along with setting national records for both underhand chop and stock saw.
Briscoe was the youngest person to finish in the top 10. She says that this was her first time flying overseas to compete, but not her first time competing out of the country, as she has competed in southern Washington.
“Competing overseas was super exciting and tons of fun,” she said.
“The lady that came first was Erin LaVoy, and I’ve been competing against her for quite a few years now, so I’ve always kind of looked up to her. It was cool to be up on the podium with her.”
READ MORE: Logger Sports action returns to Port McNeill
Travelling is something that Briscoe wants to continue to do while competing in logger sports.
“I wanna travel the world and just do as much of it as I can everywhere. I think it’d be cool to go over and compete in Europe more often, there’s great shows in Italy, there’s one that I’ve got my eye on down there. Australia and New Zealand are absolutely phenomenal for wood shopping, and I think going down there would be a great experience.”
Briscoe was born in Campbell River, but resides in Port McNeill.
On Aug. 13, Briscoe will be defending her Canadian Champion title in Chilliwack, after being crowned the Canadian women’s champion in 2022, winning the title in national competition held in PEI.
She says that she has nothing to lose going into the event.
“It’s definitely a different level of nervousness coming into it, I’d say. I mean, not that there’s anything to lose, but there’s that pressure of being the reigning Canadian champion behind it.”
Briscoe first gained interest in logger sports from her dad. He competed on the collegiate circuit for the UBC Thunderbirds, and later transitioned into the pro circuit.
Her mom would also compete at shows, causing interest for both her and her sister while they went to go watch.
“It’s just something that I grew up around and I just kind of nagged him enough to let me try it.”
Briscoe has been going up to Squamish to train with amazing people and do gym work over the summer to help prepare for the competition.
The fourth-year marketing student at St. Francis Xavier University says that she isn’t sure on what will happen after she graduates, but she does know that she still wants to continue competing. Briscoe is currently an intern at Western Forest Products for sales and marketing in Vancouver.
“I graduate in May, so everything will kind of be up in the air with that. With timber sports and logger sports, I wanna keep doing it as long as I can, honestly, as long as my body will let me, I wanna keep doing it.”
With the Canadian Championships Pro and Women’s Division coming up, you will be able to buy tickets on the STIHL website, and watch live streams on the STIHL Timbersports Facebook page.
