Montana couple heading to World Axe Throwing Championship

Billings, Montana – The World Axe Throwing Championship will soon feature competitors from all around the world, and a team from Billings is among the strongest competitors traveling there.

“Biggest thing for me is we get to go represent the home state and the home community down at worlds this year,” said Öx Indoor Axe Throwing co-owner Nick Richardson.

The axe throwing team that will be traveling to Appleton, Wisconsin to compete in the televised global final is made up of Richardson and Sara Guralnick, who works at x as well.

Dec. 1 to Dec. 4 are the dates for the event.

“We’re stoked about it,” Guralnick said.

In addition to being teammates in the lane, the two are also attentive.

“Knowing her, knowing her body language and knowing how she throws has been really instrumental in helping me throw well with her,” Richardson said.

The two discussed how throwing no longer required a countdown.

While Richardson co-owns Öx with his parents and grew up throwing an axe, Guralnick was the opposite.

“Before they even opened, they were talking about it and were like, ‘yeah here’s an axe, here’s our backyard target. Give it a shot.’ And I was like, you want me to do what with this?” Guralnick said while laughing.

But now, almost four years later, she and her fiancé are traveling to the world championship.

They claim they don’t entirely understand how they got into the forthcoming competition.

“It’s surreal right now still. It really is, probably will be until we get there and even then,” Guralnick said.

“Probably still then, too,” Richardson agreed.

For the time being, the duo must practice daily, adopt the proper attitude, and strike the target.