About Our Founders
about Our Founders
Austin’s axe-throwing journey started in childhood at his family’s cabin, where he and his dad decided to throw an axe at a tree just for fun. That moment sparked a lifelong passion, and before long, Austin became known as “that guy who throws axes.” When friends told him about a new axe-throwing venue opening in Minnesota, he jumped at the chance. He signed up for the first-ever league at Bad Axe in Minneapolis in 2018 and has been competing ever since.
Meet Austin Luecke and David Lewis, two seasoned WATL/WKTL professionals with unmatched passion for the sport. Together they possess an impressive collection of accolades, having honed their skills, and mastered the art of axe and knife throwing through years of dedicated practice and competitions. Their expertise and commitment to safely teaching the craft has also earned them special recognition, making them trusted authorities in the world of throwing sports in the World Axe Throwing League, World Knife Throwing League, and the International Axe Throwing Federation
about Our Founders
Meet David Lewis and Austin Luecke, two consistent seasonal top ten WATL/WKTL ranked professionals with unmatched passion for the sport. Together they possess an impressive collection of global accolades, having honed their skills, and mastered the art of axe and knife throwing through years of dedicated practice and competitions. Their expertise and commitment to safely teaching the craft has also earned them special recognition, making them trusted authorities in the world of throwing sports in the World Axe Throwing League, Worl Knife Throwing League, and the International Axe Throwing Federation.
Austin has qualified for the World Axe Throwing Championships in 2018, 2020, 2022, and 2023 and was also selected for the IATC All-Stars in 2019 for his IATF season. When WATL introduced Big Axe as a discipline in 2020, Austin finished 9th in the world in its first season. His skills and consistency have kept him among the top-ranked throwers, with multiple top 10 world finishes, including a 4th place finish in Big Axe at the WATL US OPEN, where he was featured on ESPN.
Austin’s axe throwing started as a kid when one day at the cabin when he and his dad decided to throw an axe at a tree. Being known as “that guy that who throws axes”, a bunch of his friends told him about an axe throwing place opening in Minnesota. Austin signed up for the first league at Bad Axe in Minneapolis when they first opened in 2018 and has been throwing since.
Austin has qualified for World Axe Throwing Championships in 2018 & 2020, 2022 and 2023. He has also participated in the IATC All-stars for his 2019 IATF season. For WATL’s first big axe season Austin placed 9 overall in world for the Winter 2020 season. Austin has been featured on ESPN most recently and finished 4th in the World in Big Axe at the WATL US OPEN. Most recently, Austin has placed 7th in the World in the Winter 23 season, 3rd, 5th, 7th, 7th, 8th and 9th in the world, with David, in numerous seasons depicted in the top 50 finishes by season in 2022 and 2023
Most recently, Austin finished 7th in the world in the Winter 2023 season and has earned multiple top-50 finishes in 2022 and 2023, alongside David, including 3rd, 5th, 7th, 7th, 8th, and 9th place finishes in various seasons. In 2024, Austin is competing at the World Axe Throwing Championships in every axe discipline, joining an elite group of only 83 throwers worldwide to achieve this honor.
David’s axe throwing started months prior to the quarantine in 2020. David needed an escape from work while living alone in Lakeville, so he set up an axe arena in his garage and a new passion was found. Shortly after, he met Austin in leagues once venues opened up again and a competitive friendship was forged. With coaching from Austin and other world class throwers, David has been fortunate to earn consistent top 10 global league rankings in Big Axe and knives and is currently one of the top all-around throwers in the world (axes and knives combined).
David has also had invitations to the last four World Championships and will be in the 2024 Championship as well for hatchet, big axe, duals (with Austin as the Finnish Hymn team) as well as the WKTL knife throwing World Championship as an individual and in duals. David and his previous duals throwing partner finished 13th and 5th in consecutive years in the world in previous WATL World Championships as well.
With years of dedication, elite-level competition, and a passion that started with a simple throw at a tree, Austin continues to prove himself as one of the top axe throwers in the world.