Hayward, WI — Making her debut at the 2025 Lumberjack World Championships is a competitor with grit, heart, and an impressive international resume: Andrea Hand, a paramedic, mom of two, and rising star in the world of lumberjill sports.
Hailing from Kaslo, British Columbia, Andrea chopped her first underhand block in the fall of 2017 and entered her first competition the following year. With early guidance and training from fellow competitor Karl Bischoff, she quickly developed into a formidable force in the sport.
Her journey hasn’t been without setbacks. In 2022, Andrea suffered a devastating injury—breaking her right hip socket, femur head, and tailbone—which put her competition plans on hold. But her determination never wavered. After months of recovery and rehabilitation, she returned to the arena stronger than ever, racking up titles across North America and Australia.
In 2024 alone, Andrea claimed the Canadian STIHL Timbersports Women’s Championship, the Women’s Overall titles in Kaslo and Squamish, and multiple victories at the Pacific Northwest Championships, including wins in the Women’s 10-inch SB Elimination Bracket, 11-inch Underhand Chop, and the Women’s Trophy Race.
Andrea also made waves internationally, taking first place in the Underhand 275mm Handicap at both Murwillumbah (2024) and Brunswick Heads, Australia (2025). Most recently, she competed at the prestigious 2025 Sydney Royal Easter Show, one of the world’s top timber sports events. There, she placed 4th in the Women’s World Championship Underhand and Single Saw events, and earned a 3rd-place finish in the Women’s Single Saw Handicap.
When she’s not competing or working as a paramedic, Andrea can be found organizing annual logging sports events in her hometown or exploring the winter backcountry on her snowmobile. She’s also the proud mom of two—her 14-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter.
Now, with momentum on her side and her eyes on a world title, Andrea is ready to take on the biggest stage in North American lumberjack competition. This summer marks her first appearance at the Lumberjack World Championships—and she’s bringing the heat.
