Your Host for the Ocho – Mike Kump

Mike Kump is the most accomplished has-been in throwing sports. He constantly references 2019, as it’s the last time he was of any relevance as a competitor. Immediately contradicting that last sentence, Mike won the 2022 WKTL World Championship while hopping between the commentary booth and competing in the arena. Transitioning from competitor to commentator is the most excited Mike has been since… 2019.

The Competitors

Team Butcher

Wes Powell

Started throwing in 2020 after the Covid closures ended. Thaddius Shipley ran my first two leagues and taught me everything. He adopted me for Duals and that’s definitely my favorite event.

Primal Axe House is my home venue and some of the best friends I’ve ever had. Tobias Macera, Brandon Schell, Ben Edgington, Pete Belanger and Thaddius Shipley are my teammates and family.

Got diagnosed with a malignant tumor and brain cancer in August 2022, the axe throwing community is amazingly supportive. Primal held a fundraiser tournament, Mountain Axe Works Josh Eggert made a beautiful big axe he raffled off for me, and a ton of people donated to help my wife and I get through it. Thank you everyone, especially my mom and grandpa!

Sponsors: Mountain Axe Works, Primal Axe House

Sebastian Arnold

Started throwing January ’21
Throws from Bury the Hatchet & Jersey Axe House
Opening a venue this year!

Sponsors: Triple Axe Leather Works, Creative Face Painting, Dancing Devil Knives

Chase Salwach

Hi my name is Chase Salwach I am 16 years old and I am from Williamstown, NJ. I have two home venues, Battle of the Axes NJ and Angry Jacks, Exton PA. I started throwing in January of 2022 when I joined a house league for something to do and instantly became hooked. I am the youngest Pro thrower and youngest to hold a 64 coin! Fun fact I am pretty good at Cornhole too!

Sponsor: Phrames etc., Heavy Rotation Axe

Eli Morton

I’m 19 and I started throwing last year. I started after being hired to work for Got Wood, then learned throwing is absolutely amazing and its all I do now. Outside of axe throwing I like to eat waffle house and I might sleep.

Matthew Colavecchia (aka Sheeptoast)

Completely stoked to be included in this version of the Commissioner’s Cup! I’ve been throwing for about 5 years now when my good friend Jay Harrison called me up one day and said “DUDE! You HAVE to try this sport!”. He met me at the Peterborough Axe Club, Jordan Porter was my very first lane coach, I stuck 3 out of 10 axes all night but fell in love anyway! The rest, as they say, is history.

I also reinvented the term “Solidarity” that night… I heard Jordan say… something?? when we both dropped our axes, and I thought I heard him say we call that solidarity. I’m like… Oh… Okay… I guess everyone went to the union meeting and no one got what they wanted? Makes sense to me…

Fun fact, I’m one of only two that I know of, Axupuncturists! Storm Morales being the other! I live and work in Lindsay, Ontario. I axe all over, frequenting my local clubs like Axehaus in Beaverton where I’m a co-owner, Warriors, Far Shot and BATL Vaughn.

Sponsors: Acupuncture Works, Axehaus Beaverton, Far Shot, Tummon Wallington Chong LLP, RDS Cleaning Supplies, Beyond Signs, Centurion Fire Control, John’s Quality Auto

Team Ace of Spades

Nick Kolomyja – Team Captain

I started throwing axes with my wife, Kendra as a regular date night. After I started getting more involved and connecting with people in league and the axe community, it started to become a passion. That passion has led to travelling across North America to participate in tournaments and now opening our own axe venue, Live Edge Axe Throwing in Calgary, Alberta. Axe throwing has given me a way to connect with people that I never had before and I love being part of it.

Outside of axe throwing, I’m into muscle cars, getting out for hikes in the mountains, and camping with my family. I’ve always been into participating in sports when I was younger, playing baseball, basketball, football, and hockey (of course eh?). I love being able to compete, but for me, while I’m throwing I’m able to let my mind focus and truly be in the moment.

Sponsors: 81 Axes, Live Edge Axe Throwing

Coleman Bates

Hey everyone! My name is Coleman Bates, I’m 23 years old, and I’m an undergraduate chemistry student at the Ohio State University. I’ve been throwing competitively for about 4 years out of Throw Nation in Columbus, Ohio. I started throwing as a way to continue my life of competition outside of earlier life, where I was a wrestler and a football player. However, throwing soon became something that allowed me to foster a great deal of confidence in my everyday life. A big reason I continue throwing is to hopefully inspire this effect of building confidence in the lives of those around me and people who don’t know about this sport.

Outside of throwing, I’m a huge chemistry / general science nerd! I love talking about chemistry or really anything science related. I’m also a big fan of anything having to do with horror movies!

To shoutout my sponsors and other people who have helped me get to where I am today, I’d like to thank Throw Nation and everyone in the Dratwa family, Viking Coffee Co, Psychobilly Barbershop, Reed’s Pest Control, M and J’s cleaning service, and finally my mother for always supporting me!

Sponsors: Valkyrian Steel, Wasp Head Axe Co, Viking Coffee Co., Psychobilly Barbershop, Reed’s Pest Control

Jessica Renner

I’ve been throwing for 4 years now, I went once by myself and was instantly hooked. Two weeks after my first time I joined two leagues in Columbus, OH and haven’t stopped since. As much as I love throwing, what has helped keep me around so long is the community. Axe Throwing has allowed me to meet so many incredible people and to build a strong base of friends around the country.

My home venue is The Axe House Cleveland, though I regularly throw at TimberBeast and Savage Society as well. Axe House has one of the deepest leagues in the country and that has only helped me become a better Thrower.

Outside of Axe Throwing I enjoy hiking/trail running, photography, and I draw a lot too. I am a Mechanical Engineering Designer in my day job so I gravitate towards more artistic and free form hobbies in my free time.

Sponsors: Titanium Design, Rain Axe Co

Ben Paultre

I started throwing with my friends Mark and Kristyn Mirasol in their backyard in 2019, soon enough I was helping them build the lanes at “The Lazy Axe” and my son went to work there as an axe-pert. I was a gymnastics coach for about 8 yrs, my daughter is a Division III gymnast at SUNY Brockport and my son was just sworn in as a Lawyer in New York State. I’ve been on a World Team Tennis Recreational 3.5 level National Champion team, and I made the axe handle that Mark Mirasol won the 2021 Big Axe world title with. I’m an IT guy at UAlbany for my day job.

Sponsor: Ace Gymnastics

Isabella Castellano

I started throwing about a year ago and it only took one throw and I was hooked. My home venue is Blackwater Axes and Ales in Orangeburg, SC. Some fun facts about me outside of axe throwing is that I manage my high school and middle schools soccer team and I love doing it every year. I am very young and I love being able to see all of the more experienced people and get all the tips and tricks I can to become like some of them.

Jeb Bisset

I got into axe throwing back in December 2019. Why? I needed a job to supplement being a Recreational Therapist for an outdoor company. I fell in love with the sport and the community as I quickly rose to becoming a pro thrower. This was all happening in Breckenridge Colorado. I currently throw at 3 venues in Denver area.

I enjoy lots of hobbies when I’m not working or throwing. The main ones are photography, weightlifting, snowboarding, golf, and disc golf!

I enjoy talking and learning about people so feel free to approach me and get to know me. Challenge me to an underhand match.

Sponsors: Jeb Bisset Photography, Mountain Axe Works, Primal Axe House