BILLINGS — Axe throwers from around the world will soon compete in the World Axe Throwing Championship and within the best throwers heading to the competition is a team from Billings.
“Biggest thing for me is we get to go represent the home state and the home community down at worlds this year,” Nick Richardson, co-owner of Öx Indoor Axe Throwing, said Sunday.
Richardson and Sara Guralnick, who also works at Öx, are the axe throwing duo that will be heading to Appleton, Wis. to compete in the televised world championship Dec. 1-4.
“We’re stoked about it,” Guralnick said.
This pair are not just teammates in the lane, they’re also engaged.
“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 explained how they no longer need to count down to throw anymore.
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.
However, nearly four years later and she’s now heading to the world championship with her fiancé. Getting to be in the upcoming tournament is something they say they haven’t fully grasped yet.
“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 now, it's all about practicing everyday for the pair, getting in the right mindset and hitting the bullseye.
