R. R. Branstrom | Daily Press Two competitors square off at the 7th Annual US Log Rolling Open July 4 in Van Cleave Park n Gladstone. Livi Pappadopoulos won the women’s log rolling division and Anthony Polentini took the men’s log rolling division.

GLADSTONE –Taking home, the gold in the 7th Annual US Log Rolling Open July 4 in Van Cleave Park were Livi Pappadopoulos in women’s log rolling division, and Anthony Polentini in the men’s log rolling division. Anthony Polentini also claimed gold in the men’s boom run with Ellie Davenport claiming it for the women.

Competition featured thirty-one professional lumberjack athletes from seven states including Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Florida, Illinois, New York, and California which translated to remarkable competition between veterans and rookies battling it out to see who would come out on top.

Both men’s and women’s log rolling finals featured current reigning world champion and a former world champion. Livi Pappadopoulos, current Women’s World Champion & now 5-time US Log Rolling Open Champion, swept Ellie Davenport for a 3-0 victory! On the men’s side, Anthony Polentini, the current Men’s World Champion, went to an exciting 5 fall finish against 2018 World Champion, Tanner Hallett. Polentini holds 4 US Log Rolling Open Championships.

Adding to the excitement this year was a boom run competition during which competitors raced across a string of seven logs tethered end-to-end and free-spinning, around a stanchion on a connecting dock, then back to the start. The athlete with the fastest recorded time is the victor! In the inaugural showing of the sport at this event, the number one seed in each defended their positions.