MADERA COUNTY, Calif. (KSEE/KGPE) – A Madera County man just brought home Gold at the Stihl Timbersports 2024 Individual World Championship in France. The Saturday competition saw the world’s top lumberjacks compete to slash through logs in the shortest amount of time. Owner of Yosemite Axe Throwing, Nate Hodges, was the fastest chopping through all six categories in just one minute and 40 seconds. The categories included: Underhand Chop Stock Saw Standing Block Chop Single Buck (Without Assistance) Springboard (Two Boards) Hot Saw The Springboard Chop, which involves climbing a vertically mounted log using two springboards to split the block at the top, took Hodges just 42.73 seconds - nearly seven seconds faster than the next fastest competitor. Hodges competed alongside 12 other professional lumberjacks from around the world; to qualify, Hodges had to place first at the 2024 U.S. Pro Championship. He previously won silver in the 2022 and 2024 Team World Championship and 2022 National Trophy.