INTERVIEW

Floren Nazabal: wood-chopper


  Good morning, my name is Amaia and I’m from enjoy English
programme. What’s your name?

Good morning, my name is Floren Nazabal

  Where and when were you born?

I was born in Etxarri-Aranatz in 1969.

  At your age and still practising! And tell me, when did you start
practising this sport?

I was very young when I started practising this sport, 14 or 15 years old. Then I started competing, competitions were very hard at the beginning because all my opponents were very good. In 1990 I won my first championship.

  How many times a week do you have a training session?

It depends on the season. Before the competitions start (it is usually in spring time), I practise twice a week but I also go running and weight lifting so in total I train five times a week.

  How do you practice this sport? 

First you have to wear proper clothes for doing it, it is a matter of security. Then you have to be very careful with the axe, a ridiculous mistake can be a disaster for you. And finally, patience and a good calculus is needed to finish chopping the trunk ass soon as possible.

  What materials do you need to practise this sport?

As I have said you need special clothes, specially to protect you. Then a very sharp axe and a well cut trunk. The trunk has to be fixed to the floor, so it doesn’t move every time you hit.

  I think it is better not to try, just in case (laughs). After so many years competing, how many championships have you won in your career?

I’ve won a total of 18 “txapelas” or berets, which is the same as a cup for this sport. I have won the golden axe championship 5 times: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and also the world championship in 2005 together with Olasagasti.

  The last question but not the least, what do you expect for the next season? Do you think you are going to be the winner?

It is difficult to say because you never know how your body is going to be and also how prepared the rest of the competitors will be. But I promise that I will try and do my best.

  Thank you very much and good luck in the future.



 

BIOGRAPHY

Floren Nazabal


I was born in Etxarri-Aranatz in 1969. I went to the school there. I was like the other boys. I liked playing pelota, handball and football too. Then, When I was 12 years old, I started looking at my father with the axe. It was amazing!

My dad said I was very young but I started practising this sport, I was 14 or 15 years old. My dad taught me how to practise it. “First you have to wear proper clothes for doing it, it is a matter of security. Then you have to be very careful with the axe, a ridiculous mistake can be a disaster for you. And finally, patience and a good calculus is needed to finish chopping the trunk ass soon as possible”
.
After some years, I started competing; competitions were very hard at the beginning because all my opponents were very good. But I tried very hard. I practised three times a week and then I used to go running and weight lifting, so in total I trained everyday. Now, I train five times a week: two woodcutting sessions, one running session and I go twice to the gym, depending on the season.

In 1990 I won my first championship, I was 21. In total I’ve won 18 “txapelas” or berets, which is the same as a cup for this sport. I have won the golden axe championship 5 times: 2004, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009 and also the world championship in 2005 together with Olasagasti.

I hope that in the next competition I will be the winner. It is difficult to say because you never know how your body is going to be and also how prepared the rest of the competitors will be. But I promise that I will try and do my best.

It is not a difficult sport to play. You need special clothes (it is a matter of security), specially to protect you. Then a very sharp axe (very careful with the axe, a ridiculous mistake can be a disaster for you) and a well cut trunk (the trunk has to be fixed to the floor, so it doesn’t move every time you hit), and finally, patience and a good calculus is needed to finish chopping the trunk ass soon as possible.

DESCRIPTION

DEFINITION

Woodcutting is to cut a certain amount of trunks of a given diameter with a hatchet or an axe.

ORIGIN

This sport has its origins in the farmers work. Its origin is found in the wood-cutter's and charcoal burner's daily activity.

STYLES

Normally the aizkolaris, who compete individually or in pairs, stand on the trunk sections but there are variations where they have to chop a vertical tree from the top called zutiko enborra or "upright trunk".

There is another variation combining the chopping competition with a race.

HOW TO PLAY

The trunks that a woodcutter must cut are placed in line. Once he has finished cutting the first trunk he has to go for the second one and in this way he has to continue until all the trunks have been cut.

The competitions are usually an individual race for the finish but occasionally they are done txandetan, in relays, where two aizkolaris form a team and relieve the other once a trunk has been cut.

EQUIPMENT NEEDED

The only materials needed for woodcutting are easy but not simple. You only need trunks and axes.

BASQUE WOODCUTTERS

Angel Arrospide, Joxe Mari Olazagasti, Mindegia, Traditionally a male dominated sport, women have begun to take part in aizkolari competitions Itziar Goenaga, Kristina Saralegi and Maika Ariztegi…

CHAMPIONSHIPS

Urrezko Aizkora, the "golden axe", Donostiako Urrezko Kopako ("gold cup of San Sebastián"), the Euskal Herriko Lehen Maila ("premier league of the Basque Country")…

GENERAL INFORMATION

DEFINITION


Is to cut a certain amount of trunks of a given diameter with a hatchet or an axe. The trunks are usually available on the floor in a horizontal position, so that the attacking aizkolari stands up over them.

  

ORIGIN

This sport has its origins in the farmers work. From the activity of cutting trunks for firewood, comes up on the sport of aizkolaris or cutting of trunks.

Inland, wood-cutting (the wood-cutter is called "aizkolari" in the Basque language because "aizkora" is axe in Basque) is a very popular sport. Its origin is found in the wood-cutter's and charcoal burner's daily activity, while working in the many forest up in the mountains.

TYPES OR VARIATIONS

Normally the aizkolaris, who compete individually or in pairs, stand on the trunk sections but there are variations where they have to chop a vertical tree from the top called zutiko enborra or "upright trunk". This is achieved by chopping notches into the trunk into which the aizkolari inserts a plank. He then stands on the plank to reach higher up, working his way around the trunk in a spiral until he can chop the top section. The trunks are up to 6m tall and usually no safety equipment is used up to that height.
There is another variation combining the chopping competition with a race.

TYPES OF MATERIALS

TRUNKS

The sections of trunk are usually beech without visible knots from the forests of Navarre. For competitions, the trunk sections closest to the roots or branches are used as they are of less value to the wood industry. The trunks are categorised according to their circumference using an old Basque measure called ontza, equivalent to 0.0254m. They commonly are used in the following sizes:
The oinbetekoa, 80 ontza, kanakoa and bigger ones are often used in wagers; the kanaerdikoa, 60 ontza and oinbikoa most commonly in bigger competitions and arranged in a row, each nailed to planks for stability.

AXES

The axes are between 2.4 and 2.8 kg heavy with a rounded blade and each aizkolari uses a number of them in a competition. The logs are between 0.5-0.8m long for competitions where one aizkolari stands on the log and between 0.8-1.2m long for competitions where two stand on it.

WELL KNOWN WOOD-CUTTERS

Donato Larretxea, Floren Nazabal, Angel Arrospide, Joxe Mari Olazagasti, Mindegia…

WOODCUTTING AND WOMEN

Traditionally a male dominated sport, women have begun to take part in aizkolari competitions in recent years as they have in other traditional Basque sports, for example Itziar Goenaga, Kristina Saralegi and Maika Ariztegi

LEARNING HOW TO PLAY

The competitions are usually an individual race for the finish but occasionally they are done txandetan, in relays, where two aizkolaris form a team and relieve the other once a trunk has been cut. The focus is more on stamina than speed compared to other wood-chopping events outside the Basque Country and most competitions last half an hour at the very least but normally more than an hour.

They can be held with each aizkolari having two helpers. The botilero holds the towel and brings new axes. The prestatzaile checks the two halves are fully separated, dictates the rhythm and indicates where best to hit next.

The trunks that a woodcutter must cut are placed in line. Once he has finished cutting the first trunk he has to go for the second one and in this way he has to continue until all the trunks have been cut. Depending on the type of competition he has to finish earlier than his opponent or in the least amount of time.

MATERIALS-EQUIPMENT

The only materials needed for woodcutting are easy but not simple. You only need trunks and axes. However, the trunks have to be set on top of two wooden locks so the woodcutter can find stability on top of the trunk.

Besides the axes must be sharpened and the hit of the axe has to be very exact.


CHAMPIONSHIPS

The most important modern day competition is probably the Urrezko Aizkora, the "golden axe" competition where the best aizkolaris from all over the Basque Country compete against each other individually or in pairs. There are several categories, including two junior competitions for people under the age of 23 and 18. The competitions are held in different places in the Basque Country over a period of two months to establish a winner. Other important competitions are the Donostiako Urrezko Kopako ("gold cup of San Sebastián"), the Euskal Herriko Lehen Maila ("premier league of the Basque Country") and the provincial competitions.