Meet Martha King, Pennsylvania's world champion lumberjill

ByAmanda Brady Localish logo
Monday, November 13, 2023
Meet Martha King, a world-champion lumberjill
"I don't look like a lumberjack, but I'm really successful." It's a sport dominated by men, but Martha King gives lumberjill competitions an award-winning feminine touch.It's a sport dominated by men, but Martha King gives lumberjill competitions an award-winning feminine touch.

CHADDS FORD, Pa. -- When you first meet Martha King, 'World Champion Lumberjill isn't exactly what comes to mind.

"A lot of people picture a big burly man with a beard", says King. Many people have heard of the term "lumberjack" and think about the childhood stories of Paul Bunyan but not many people realize there's an entire sport dedicated to the traditional practices of forestry.

Growing up in Chadds Ford, King worked in her family's tree servicing business and jokes that sawdust is in her blood.

But it wasn't until college that she discovered her love for the sport and followed in her father's footsteps.

"He graduated with a degree in forest science and competed on the Penn State woodsmen team," she says. "I always found it fascinating and thought 'oh my gosh, this is my chance.'"

King has since been competing professionally for the past 10 years taking home her third U.S. title at the Stihl Timbersports National Women's Championships and won first place at the Timbersports International Women's Cup in Vienna, Austria.

In a sport dominated by males, King is proud to set an example for young women who want to follow in her footsteps.

"I don't look like a lumberjack, but I'm really successful anything is possible if you are willing to be disciplined let anyone tell you you're not good enough," she says.

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