12th Annual Log Rolling Open - WXOW News 19 La Crosse, WI – News, Weather and Sports |

La Crosse, WI (WXOW)-- Athletes from around the Midwest participated in a log rolling competition at the UW-La Crosse Memorial Pool Saturday. It's the 12th Annual Logging Open.

If you don't know, log rolling is a water sport, where individuals go head-to-head, running on a log. Whoever falls in the water first loses; each match is best out of five.

The competition featured a competitive youth league, with athletes as young as four, and a less-competitive adult group for beginners.

Many of those participating, will be headed to the world-wide logging competition in Hayward, Wisconsin in a couple of weeks.

One of the organizers says log rolling is tougher than it looks.

"The first time on a log you will last one second," said Donna Burns of the La Crosse Area Log Rolling Association. :And, subsequently, every time you're up there, you're going to last a little bit longer and longer. It's balancing the log, it's also feeling how your feet are going to work on the log. That log is going to spin in the water so the key is to move your feet quickly and take very small steps."

If you want to give logging a try, the La Crosse Area Log Rolling Association practices at Erickson Pool.