The centuries-old talent of walking on a floating log has evolved into an amazing event at ESPN's Great Outdoor Games. When the log rollers take to the water at Rancho San Rafael in Reno, Nev. this summer, all eyes will focus on a rare breed of athlete.

Starting with wider logs and becoming progressively more narrow, rollers will square off — two at a time — in an effort to roll their counterpart off the log and into the water. Rollers use their amazing footwork to roll the log with both forward and backward revolutions, changing pace and direction to disrupt the balance of their competition. In each pairing, the first to win two falls moves on to the next round.

The competitive side of these events has its origins in Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Michigan. However, Hayward, Wis., became the log-rolling capital of the world in the 1960s. Since then, nearly all the top rollers and boom runners have come from Hayward.

Tina Bosworth won her third straight gold medal in the 2002 ESPN Great Outdoor Games in Women's Log Rolling. In three matches, no one recorded a fall on Bosworth. Only in the finals, after rolling Jenny Atkinson into Mirror Lake a third time, did Bosworth deign to get wet, pumping her fists in triumph before jumping in herself.

"I have this competitive streak in me that I don't like to lose, even in practice," the six-time professional logrolling titlist said.

Darren Hudson won his first ESPN Great Outdoor Games gold medal in 2002 at Lake Placid. En route, he defeated JR Salzman, the returning champion who hadn't lost a match since 1998, and Dan McDonough, the burly Branson, Mo., competitor who holds nine world titles in the sport.

The highly competitive world of log rolling will no doubt be abuzz again with grudge matches and hopes for comebacks this summer when ESPN's Great Outdoor Games come to Reno, Nev. July 10 -13.

Qualifying Criteria

Athletes have been selected for competition in the Great Outdoor Games based on their rankings in the respective disciplines. The top three winners from each of last year's timber events will receive automatic invitations, with the exception of the Team Relay and the Mixed Doubles Boom Run.

Timber athletes are ranked by the Lumberjack Sports World Ranking Association. Rankings are determined by the average of points assigned by regional committee representatives.

2003 registered competitors

Log Rolling terms

Birling
Log rolling

Pike
Pole used in the River drive competition

River pig
A logger who runs out into jammed logs to open the flow of timber. Also used synonymously for a "river driver" competition.