IT’S the mining industry’s answer to the classic wood chopping competition.
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Competitive rockdrilling has been growing in popularity in the last 10 years, and now it’s coming to Axedale this Saturday.
Rockdrilling involves using air-leg drills, still used in underground mining today, to drill through concrete in the fastest time.
The drills weight 50 kilograms and produce upwards of 90 decibels.
The event has been held at the Bendigo Show for the last two years, Heathcote before that, and in Stawell for the 10 years prior. They are also held in Tasmania and Western Australia.
Mandalay Resources training co-ordinator Darren Keogh said rockdrilling was an exciting spectator sport, and competitors would be competing for a prize pool of over $20,000.
“It is a race to drill through a cylinder of concrete in individual, pairs and quad events,” he said.
“The competition is a very enjoyable and competitive event that enthralls the competitors and crowd.”
The 2017 Victorian Rockdrill championships begin at 9am Saturday at the Axedale Tavern.