TEAM CANADA AXE THROWING - PRESS RELEASE

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Team Canada Axe Throwing Announces 31-

Athlete Team for the 2026 World Double Bit

Axe Throwing Championships in Sweden

HALIFAX, NOVA SCOTIA | July 2026 — Team Canada Axe Throwing is proud to announce

its 31-athlete roster for the 2026 World Double Bit Axe Throwing Championships, an official

Global Axe Commission (GAC) event taking place July 30 to August 2, 2026, in Bollnäs,

Sweden.

The championships will bring together approximately 170 competitors from 14 countries,

making it the premier biennial annual event in the sport of competitive double bit axe throwing.

Athletes from Canada, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Ireland,

Italy, Slovenia, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom, and the United States will compete

for individual and team world titles.

Canada will send one of the largest national delegations to the championships, with 31 athletes

representing nearly 20 percent of the entire field. The team also brings exceptional

experience, with 19 athletes (61 percent) having previously represented Canada in international

competition.

Atlantic Canada at the Heart of Team Canada

Perhaps the most remarkable story behind Team Canada Axe Throwing is that the overwhelming

majority of the athletes hail from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, reflecting the tremendous

growth of the sport throughout Atlantic Canada.Many members of Team Canada compete each week in organized leagues hosted at Timber Lounge locations in Dartmouth and Moncton. These thriving league communities have helped create one of the strongest competitive environments in the world, providing athletes with regular high-level competition while fostering a welcoming and supportive culture and a growing number of backyard clubs.

The success of these local leagues and clubs has helped transform Atlantic Canada into one of

the premier regions for competitive double bit axe throwing, producing an impressive number of

athletes capable of competing—and winning—on the international stage.

A Sport Built on Precision

Double bit axe throwing is a precision target sport that combines technical skill, consistency, and

mental composure. Competitors throw a full-sized double bit axe weighing approximately 4 to 5 pounds (1.8–2.3kg) from a regulation distance of 20 feet (6.1 metres) toward a wooden target. At its centre is a

2-inch bullseye, requiring extraordinary accuracy. Every throw demands precise control of

rotation, release angle, timing, and focus, with world championship matches often decided by a

single throw.

Although deceptively simple in appearance, mastering the sport requires years of dedicated

practice and repetition.

Canada’s International Success Continues

Over the past several years, Canadian athletes have established themselves among the world’s

elite. Over the years, Canadian men and women have earned numerous international podium

finishes, international open titles, and team medals across Europe and North America.

The 2026 roster continues that tradition, bringing together experienced veterans alongside rising

competitors ready to represent Canada on the world stage.

Women Driving the Growth of the Sport

Team Canada Axe Throwing’s delegation includes 17 men and 14 women, with women

representing 45 percent of the Canadian team.

This is especially noteworthy given that women are expected to comprise approximately one-

third of the adult championship field. Canada’s 14 female athletes will represent more than

one-quarter of all women competing at the championships, underscoring both the depth of

Canadian talent and the continued growth of women’s participation in the sport.Canadian women have stood on international podiums alongside their male teammates in recent

years, playing a major role in establishing Canada as one of the world’s leading axe throwing

nations.

2026 Team Canada Axe Throwing

Women

Anne Lovitt

Cherie McBride

Darlene Pelley

Felicia Townsend

Jessica Goodland

Lisa Goodwin

Melissa Douglas

Melissa Saucier

Nadine Lirette

Sandy Cranton

Susan MacLean

Suzy Atwood

Tabitha Tillmann

Tina Bews

Men

Brad Goodsell

Brian Nickerson

Craig Nickerson

Daniel Lirette

Eric Robichaud

Frazer Bykowski

George Bews

Jeff McBride

Joey Bridgeo

John Buchanan

Mark Downing

Matt Pushie

Roger MacPhee

Samuel McIsaac

Tim Christopher

Timothy Webster

Tyler Wentzell

Competition begins on Thursday, July 30, with registration, equipment inspections, and official

practice, followed by qualifying, elimination rounds, team events, and championship finals

throughout the weekend.As Team Canada Axe Throwing prepares to compete in Sweden, these athletes will proudly

represent their local clubs, communities, provinces, and country while continuing Canada’s

tradition of excellence in international competition.

The entire Canadian axe throwing community wishes Team Canada Axe Throwing the very best

as they compete for world championship honours.

Media Contact

Team Canada Axe Throwing

General Media Relations – Brad Goodsell

Email: brad@goodsell.ca

Phone: 902-489-5935

About Team Canada Axe Throwing

Team Canada Axe Throwing represents Canada’s top double bit axe throwing athletes.

The 2026 team is made up predominantly of athletes from Nova Scotia and New Brunswick,

highlighting the remarkable growth of the sport throughout Atlantic Canada. Through strong

local clubs and thriving league communities—particularly at Timber Lounge locations in Halifax

and Moncton—the region has become one of the world’s leading centres for developing

international-calibre double bit axe throwers.