KIM BURTON-SCHRAM
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE REPORTER
Lee MacKinnon is a Masters’ Competitor for Scottish Heavy Events, with a special affinity for the sheaf toss. Hosted at Highland Games and Festivals worldwide, the Heavy Events are athletic competitions based upon Scottish tradition that test the power and strength of competitors. Recently, Lee MacKinnon competed at Manchester, New York to gain points to qualify for the 2025 World Championships that will be held later this summer. Commenting on his success, Lee said, “Little did I know I would end up finishing first place. Bringing my ranking up from 15th to 12th in the world thus, once again, qualifying for world championships this year.”
Lee MacKinnon’s history with the heavy events began in the 90s. After being part of the powerlifting circuit for 10 years, including winning a Canadian bronze medal, Lee’s interests turned to Scottish heavy athletics. The heavy events are a main feature at highland gatherings and the Glengarry Highland Games, Lee’s local Scottish festival, host the athletic events in the main field to an appreciative audience – especially when it’s time to toss the caber.
Competitors test their strength, power and ability by throwing two different weights as far as they can, by throwing weights with just one hand as far as they can and by throwing weights over a bar. In addition, athletes must compete in the stone put, which is a rounded ball thrown from the shoulders, the hammer throw, which is a heavy metal ball with a handle thrown for distance, and the sheaf toss, where competitors attempt to throw the sheaf (a bundle of twine) over a bar as high as possible. Athletes also take part in the caber toss, a tapered log usually weighing over 90lbs and approximately 16 feet long. The athletes must lift the caber, run with it, then toss it into the air so that it makes an end-over-end flip, with the larger end landing as straight as possible, close to a 12 o’clock position.
For Lee MacKinnon, entering the heavy events as a new competitor was an exciting time and he won many events throughout Ontario. Lee set a new Canadian sheaf toss record in 2000. As a Masters’ Competitor in the heavy events, Lee MacKinnon has qualified to compete throughout the world in Iceland, Germany, Switzerland, Scotland and the U.S. To be able to compete at the World Championships each year, athletes must continue to have recently updated qualifying results. Lee is looking forward to competing at the 2025 Glengarry Highland Games Masters’ Events in August, then onto Worlds Championships from there.
