How one email turned a dad into an international athlete – BBC

George Spencer is preparing to represent Great Britain at a world championship for the third time
One email changed everything for George Spencer.
Eight years after asking how he could get involved in a sport he had watched as a spectator, the 30-year-old is preparing to represent Great Britain at a world championship for the third time.
This weekend, he will travel to Germany to compete against some of the world's best athletes in a sport that involves chopping and sawing through wood with axes, chainsaws and crosscut saws.
What started with a simple email after watching an event in Liverpool in 2018 soon became what Spencer describes as an "obsession".
"My friend said I should see about getting involved so I emailed them and got invited to a newcomers' taster day," he said.
Within a few years, Spencer had joined the Welsh Axemen club and worked his way into the Great Britain team.
Murder probe into 'remarkable' man's death closed
'Beating Luke Littler will change my daughter's life'
How a duck is putting a town 'back on the map'
Now, he is preparing to take on some of the world's elite competitors at the STIHL TIMBERSPORTS World Championship in Stuttgart.
"The quickest way to explain it, timber sports are lumberjack sports," he said.
"It's basically how quick you can chop through wood with chainsaws and axes."
Spencer, who works in forestry and estate management and lives in Hereford, is set to compete in the team relay event, where four athletes complete a series of chopping and sawing disciplines in succession.
He is also most likely to compete in either the stock saw or standing block events.
The sport involves chopping and sawing through wood using axes, chainsaws and crosscut saws
Great Britain will go head-to-head with six-time defending champions Australia, who Spencer believes remain the team to beat.
"We're not quite at their level yet but we're getting better each year," he said.
"The difference with Australia is they started wood chopping when they were three and they've been doing it for 20-odd years.
"They're one with the axe, let's say."
To many people, the sight of athletes swinging axes and operating chainsaws at speed might seem dangerous.
But Spencer insists the sport is much safer than it appears.
Competitors wear specialist protective equipment, including chain-mail protection around their lower legs and feet.
"With the chopping events you've got to wear chain-mail shin-pads and chain-mail socks underneath your trousers and your shoes," he said.
"It's pretty safe. If anything, you won't cut your toes off, you'll just break them."
Eight years after sending an email asking how to get involved, George Spencer is preparing for another world championship
His unusual sporting passion has also become a talking point at home.
Spencer said his wife, Amber, and six-year-old son have embraced the sport, despite most people having never heard of it.
"It starts with them asking what sort of stuff I do and then it turns into about one hundred questions because no-one's really heard about it," he said.
"It's really good to watch. It's fast, it's pretty crazy."
Asked whether his son might one day follow him into the sport, Spencer laughed.
"I've tried to get him on the axe already and he goes, 'Yeah, let's do it, let's do it', but when it actually comes to it, he chickens out.
"We'll keep it going, we'll keep the pressure on."
Tell us which stories we should cover in Hereford & Worcester
Follow BBC Hereford & Worcester on BBC Sounds, Facebook, external, X, external and Instagram, external.
Scot carves out a place at world wood-chopping championships
'It makes me different': Meet the women breaking world records in lumberjack sports
A cut above: First GB woman at Timbersports champs
STIHL TIMBERSPORTS
All and Sundry set to bring traditional Beauty and the Beast panto to Bromsgrove
Meet the business owner opening her first high street shop
Richard Hammond recalls moment that woke him up from coma after horror crash
Give council powers to seize 'worst' decaying city centre buildings in Worcester
Tunnel Hill 30mph plans unveiled after years of road safety concerns
Redditch children are invited to design MP's Christmas card
Watch our pick of standout clips from across the BBC
Crypto giant Binance hit by $6.3bn hack thought to be largest in history
Sir Ian McKellen leads tributes to 'beloved actor' Sir Patrick Stewart after death aged 86
Mushroom murderer fails to overturn convictions in Australian court challenge
What are the government's options for reducing welfare spending?
The Papers: 'No welfare cuts before election' and 'Police probe Epstein's Balmoral stay'
We went on holiday with our neighbours and swapped families – it tore us apart
Syrians struggle with soaring prices as crisis challenges post-Assad recovery
From workshops to the catwalk – why mended clothes are going mainstream
Weekly quiz: What was wrong with the Spotify listing of Dolly Parton's Jolene?
'Super offensive' – we love how we look but AI tried to 'fix' our visible differences
'The internet's a less whimsical place' – YouTuber Jacksepticeye branches out
I earn £30,000. I'm angry there was no fuel duty cut in the Budget
Martin Lewis explains what the Budget means for your money
First look: A darkly comedic Cold War thriller from the makers of Killing Eve
Why do we love scary movies?
The extraordinary story of the escape of prisoner Daniel Khalife
Hyrox athlete who soiled herself in race tells BBC she put others at risk but says backlash was traumatic
Crypto giant Binance hit by $6.3bn hack suspected to be largest in history
'No welfare cuts before election' and 'Police probe Epstein's Balmoral stay'
'I run a spotless kitchen', says Michelin-star restaurant chef in wake of food hygiene debacle
Bombshell confession in The Traitors as faithfuls finally turn the screw
We went on holiday with our neighbours and swapped families – it tore us apart
Biggest fibre boost could be scraps in your bin, experts say
Mushroom murderer fails to overturn convictions in Australian court challenge
I didn't know I was lacking in vitamin D until I collapsed at work
Democrats have an identity crisis – it won't be an easy fix
Copyright © 2026 BBC. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking.

source