Blonde hair tied back in a high ponytail, hatchet in hand Maddy Mathe confidently faces a wood block target.
Earlier, she watered down the wood, explaining how it helps with axe-throwing.
Adorned in the black and white stripes of an official, she peals off throw after throw, sinking the axe into the wood, stepping up to purposefully pull it from the splintered target, and heading back to that line to throw again.
Some land closer to bullseye than others.
All make her smile.
"I really like just the feeling of throwing and letting go, you throw all your power into it and go and see where it lands," she says.
At 10, Maddy is the youngest in her Victoria axe-throwing league; the oldest in the diverse group is 72.
She discovered axe throwing while kicking around downtown with dad Brian Mathe on their customary date night just over a year ago. They spotted a sign for Axe and Grind and popped in. That night, the Victoria youth was issued a plastic axe for her first session.
