Logrolling is a sport

Sport

A Sport is all forms of physical activity which, through casual or organised participation, aim to use, maintain or improve physical fitness and provide entertainment to participants. Sport may be competitive, where a winner or winners can be identified by objective means, and may require a degree...

 that originated in the lumberjack

Lumberjack

A lumberjack is a worker in the logging industry who performs the initial harvesting and transport of trees for ultimate processing into forest products. The term usually refers to a bygone era when hand tools were used in harvesting trees principally from virgin forest...

/log driver

Log driving

Log driving is a means of log transport which makes use of a river's current to move floating tree trunks downstream to sawmills and pulp mills.It was the main transportation method of the early logging industry in Europe and North America...

 tradition of the northeastern United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

 and Canada

Canada

Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

, involving logs

Logging

Logging is the cutting, skidding, on-site processing, and loading of trees or logs onto trucks.In forestry, the term logging is sometimes used in a narrow sense concerning the logistics of moving wood from the stump to somewhere outside the forest, usually a sawmill or a lumber yard...

 in a river

River

A river is a natural watercourse, usually freshwater, flowing towards an ocean, a lake, a sea, or another river. In a few cases, a river simply flows into the ground or dries up completely before reaching another body of water. Small rivers may also be called by several other names, including...

 (traditionally) or other body of water

Body of water

A body of water or waterbody is any significant accumulation of water, usually covering the Earth or another planet. The term body of water most often refers to large accumulations of water, such as oceans, seas, and lakes, but it may also include smaller pools of water such as ponds, puddles or...

. After bringing their logs downriver, the lumberjacks have a competition to see who can balance

Balance (ability)

In biomechanics, balance is an ability to maintain the center of gravity of a body within the base of support with minimal postural sway. When exercising the ability to balance, one is said to be balancing....

 on a log the longest while it is still rolling

Rolling

Rolling is a combination of rotation and translation of that object with respect to a surface , such that the two are in contact with each other without sliding. This is achieved by a rotational speed at the cylinder or circle of contact which is equal to the translational speed...

 in the river.

The contest involves two lumberjacks, each on one end of a log floating in the river. One or the other starts "walking" (or "rolling") the log, and the other is forced to keep up. The contest involves attempting to stay on the log while attempting to cause the competitor to lose their balance and splash into the water.

Log sizes

There are four different sizes of logs currently used in competitions, though there are many other custom sizes used in training. Each log size has a number and color associated with it. In the United States the dimensions of the logs are standardized by the United States Log Rolling Association (USLRA) while CAN-LOG standardizes the sizes in Canada.

USLRA sizes

• I Log - 15 inches in diameter and 12 feet (3.7 m) long.
• II Log - 14 inches in diameter and 12 feet (3.7 m) long.
• III Log - 13 inches in diameter and 13 feet (4 m) long.
• IV Log - 12 inches in diameter and 13 feet (4 m) long.
• V Log (proposed) - 11 inches in diameter and 13 feet (4 m) long.

CAN-LOG sizes

• I Log - 17 inches in diameter and 12 or 13 feet (4 m) long.
• II Log - 15 inches in diameter and 12 or 13 feet (4 m) long.
• III Log - 13 inches in diameter and 12 or 13 feet (4 m) long.
• IV Log - 12 inches in diameter and 12 or 13 feet (4 m) long.

People

J.R. Salzman is a top log roller who has won many championships. In 2006, he suffered a serious limb injury while deployed in the Iraq War.

Roleo

A roleo is a logrolling competition where two people stand on a floating log and attempt to dislodge each other while spinning it. Victory is achieved by being the last one standing. These events have been televised on ESPN

ESPN

Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....

, as part of the Great Outdoor Games

Great Outdoor Games

The Great Outdoor Games is a series of outdoor games created by ESPN. The program was cancelled in 2006.Great Outdoor Games individual events include:* Fishing Events** Fly Fishing** Freshwater Doubles* Sporting Dog Events** Agility...

, and on the Outdoor Life Network.

Rules

Over the years two main camps settled into the sphere of logrolling. These two distinct yet similar camps of thought developed into what is now commonly known as the "Flap Jack" and "Kinsey" rules.

Flap Jack logrolling has a slower rhythmic pace, as each lumberjack stands on the log facing outwards with their feet spread so that their feet almost touch. One lumberjack, also known as the "Jack," will get the match started by jumping and throwing his weight from side to side yelling "Flap Jack, Flap Jack" as each foot touches the log. As the game gets going, both lumberjacks will be shouting in unison until one less steady-footed fellow falls into the water.

Those who found the "Flap Jack" rules morally repugnant created what has today become known as the "Kinsey Rules." Under the Kinsey system each lumberjack will stand on opposite ends of the log facing each other. As both contestants look each other dead in the eye one lumberjack will start the match by running in place as fast as he possible can with his thighs raising to a 90 degree angle with his torso, and chanting "Kinsey, Kinsey, Kinsey" in a low monotone voice. Both lumberjacks continue this until one player falls into the water.

While both styles may seem to have the same end result, the Flap Jack style was created in the Cumberland Gap of Appalachia, while the Kinsey style was created in New Hampshire by Irish immigrants.

External links

• United States Log Rolling Association (USLRA)
• CAN-LOG
• Log Rolling from ESPN
  ESPN
  Entertainment and Sports Programming Network, commonly known as ESPN, is an American global cable television network focusing on sports-related programming including live and pre-taped event telecasts, sports talk shows, and other original programming....
  
  
• Picture
• American Birling Association