Now that the dust has finally settled, we’ve had a chance to look back on this past All-Star Weekend, and 3rd annual National Axe Throwing Championship – and boy, what a time it was.
THE 2019 ALL-STAR WEEKEND
The weekend started on Sunday morning with 192 competitors being split across 3 BATL Axe Throwing locations on the Greater Toronto Area, including BATL Toronto, BATL Yorkdale, and BATL Pickering. The competition was fierce, as you can imagine. The top 192 throwers came from 15 different venues across North America – each of them at the top of their leagues, going through nearly a year of qualifiers with one goal in mind: being the top-ranked axe thrower in the world.
By noon, the entire tournament had shifted over to BATL Pickering, with competitors being brought over by the busload. With nearly 600 people watching and participating in the building, the energy was palpable. Everything was exactly as advertised: this was a showcase of elite axe throwing as we have never seen before, complete with upsets, early exits, and good stories.
THE 2019 NATC RESULTS
5 of the final 6 throwers hailed from BATL Axe Throwing, with the one exception being 5th place Mike Kump out of Urban Axes Philadelphia. One of the feel-good stories of the afternoon was the third-place finisher Philip LaChance, who had only started axe throwing at BATL Toronto one year previous. In the end, the storyline played out like a feel-good classic. The final match came down was between Straun Riley (last years NATC champion) and Julio Romero, two best friends who both got their start together at BATL Yorkdale. As you can imagine, it was nothing but bullseyes, clutches, and big axes. Julio managed to take the first set, but in the end, it was last year’s champion Straun Riley that secured the victory. Congratulations to Straun, and hats off to everyone else that competed for their hearts out throughout the day.
After the main event was over, we wasted no time and went directly into the Winter Skills portion of the day – where trick shots and skill games took centre stage by competing in Time Trials, Around the World, Doubles, and Ambidextrous events. In the end, members of BATL Axe Throwing ended up taking down 3 out of 4 of the events.
AXE PROM & AWARDS CEREMONY
To wrap it up on Monday, the axe throwing community descended in hundreds on the Palais Royale Ballroom in downtown Toronto to celebrate a night of awards, dinner, and dancing – all while dressed to the nines. We’d like to thank everyone for coming out and making the entire weekend such a success, and we can’t wait to do it all over again a year from now. Of course, none of this would be possible without our sponsors. Thanks to Beau’s All Natural Brewing, Cherry Street Bar-B-Q, Woodhouse, Peller Estates Winery, Nutrl Vodka, Home Depot, Harley Davidson, Baitshop Printing, The Dock Ellis, The Aviary, and The Greater Good.
NATIONAL AXE THROWING FEDERATION LEAGUES
Not involved in axe throwing yet, but wondering how you can be a part of all the fun? The first step on the road to the NATCis to join an axe throwing league. Our axe throwing leagues run for 8 weeks, completely under the guidance of our resident axe gurus. Each season consists of round-robin style tournament play, where you’ll throw 28 games against other people in the league, culminating in a top 16 double elimination playoff on week 8. Our leagues are suitable for people of all skill levels, with staff on hand at all times ready to give you tips and tricks to make sure that you’re hitting the bullseye. League play falls under the National Axe Throwing Federation (NATF) umbrella, the worlds foremost governing body of the sport of axe throwing (of which BATL Axe Throwing is a founding member). Being part of the NATF also gives you access to the most advanced statistic tracking in the sport of urban axe throwing.
Our 8-week leagues cost $119.95 +tax with payment options available as low as $17.85/ week. Throw in 2 or more nights and take advantage of 40% off additional seasons! For our die-hard league members, we also offer a VIP package. For $597.97 you can enjoy access to as many league nights as you want over a 12-month period! Already in a league and want to bring a friend? Get them to sign-up for a season and receive $25 BATL Bucks for use at any location! With 18 locations across North America (including Toronto, Pickering, Ottawa, Niagara Falls, Hamilton, London, Kitchener, and Calgary in Canada; and Chicago, Novi, Scottsdale and Nashville in the United States) it’s never been easier to get involved in our sport.
JOIN THE AXE THROWING LEAGUE COMMUNITY
Joining an axe throwing league is a great excuse to get out of the house and engage in some weekly friendly competition. But more than that, it’s a chance to meet new friends and be part of an extremely tight-knit community. At BATL Axe Throwing, our mission is to show people the power of being good to each other, using the axe as a tool to build community inspired by our backyard roots. Our league members come from all walks of life, and are some of the most interesting people you’ll ever meet – and we can guarantee that you’ll make lasting friendships in the process.
We’re immensely proud to have been the first organization in the world to offer an urban venue to experience the thrill of indoor axe throwing in leagues, walk-ins, group parties and team building.
