RICHMOND, Va. (WRIC) — The International Axe Throwing Championship (IATC) Round I Tournament will be held — in part — in Richmond this weekend to decide which competitors will get a shot at the World Championship in Toronto later this year.

The Richmond event is being held on Sunday, March 26, at Shield N Sheath — located at 1511 Altamont Ave in Scott’s Addition. Of the eight axe throwers who qualified for this competition, the winner will be awarded the title of Central Virginia IATC Champion — which guarantees the opportunity to compete in the next round of IATC later this spring.

The top two competitors from this Richmond competition will receive bids to compete in Toronto for the World Axe Throwing Championships in Toronto on the weekend of June 9 and June 10.

“Axe throwing has taken Richmond by storm in recent years,” reads a release from Shield N Sheath. “Axe throwing venues are becoming more and more popular across the country, including here in Richmond.”

The owner of Shield N Sheath, Dan Pegg, qualified for the World Throwing Championships last year and placed in the top 64.

For more information on the IATC schedule and format, visit the website here.