Hayward logrollers to host large tournament

The Namekagon River Rollers logrolling club will host more than 100 amateur and elite logrollers and boom runners for their annual Namekagon River Roll-Off Saturday and Sunday July 27-28 at Lumberjack Bowl in Hayward.

The competition is free and open to the public to watch. Boom runners will compete at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, staring with the pros and followed by the amateurs.

In the boom run, athletes run two at a time from dock to dock across the pond, atop two strings of floating logs attached to each other with ropes. Each participant will get two runs, one on each boom. Best overall time will be used for placement.

There is a new time for the youngest log rollers, U5 and U7, to compete against each other, at 4:30 p.m. Saturday.

Logrollers in the other age divisions will compete all day Sunday, starting at 9 a.m. from the docks on both sides of Lumberjack Bowl.

The Namekagon River Roll-Off is an opportunity for birlers and boom runners to get ready for the world championships at Lumberjack Bowl Aug. 1-3 and compete against the best from other communities.

For the pro rollers, this year’s competition will be a United States Logrolling Association Level Two event, with $5,000 in prize money for the professionals, said event director Carol Lyons. The pros also get higher ranking points for competing in the tournament.

“This year we fundraised with local groups and businesses for $5,000 to be paid to the professional log roll athletes,” Lyons said. “The professional boom run athletes will receive a smaller payout , also from funds donated.”

The following businesses have donated for the athletes: Marketplace Foods, Gatorade; Namekagon Cone, free ice cream; Dressy Log Furniture, wood for awards. Arclin, the cost for athlete T-shirts and drawstring bags; Hidden Bay Graphics, production of tournament T-shirts and drawstring bags; and Annie Lawrence Northwest Wisconsin Realty Team, which has donated the food for the free meal provided for all athletes and families on Sunday.

“A huge thank you to all the sponsors who have helped make this event possible,” Lyons said. “Thank you to the Board of Directors; they have been planning the tournament for months. Thank you to all volunteers, before, during and after the event.“