LAKE PLACID, N.Y. — Timmy Horton is now Tim Horton. The 28-year old professional angler won the 2000 B.A.S.S. Angler of the Year title and for much of the year was referred to as Timmy.

This year, though, "He's asked to be referred to as 'Tim,'" said George McNeilly, B.A.S.S. public relations coordinator. "He told me, 'He's grown up now.'"

Still, Horton was the youngest angler in the 11-man field of the Bass Fishing event lead by 61-year old Roland Martin. The field's average age is 44 years old. The age difference was evident when Horton took the stage and relayed that ever since he was 8-years old, Rick Clunn, 54, had been his idol.

All of which didn't fare well for Roland Martin, considered the elder statesman of bass fishing. When Martin weighed in, Woo Daves, 55, was quick to chime in, "When I was a kid, Roland Martin was my hero."

The Great Outdoor Games must seem like a reunion for the participants from Hayward, Wis. More than a dozen athletes listed it as their home the town. Many more have roots in Hayward, which at a population of 2,000, is referred to as the lumberjack capital of the world.

Most of the Hayward athletes participate in log rolling, the boom run or tree climbing. Yes, the youth of Hayward play baseball and soccer, but they also have access to camps for the timber sports.

"In Hayward the kids have access to log rolling, while in most places, kids don't have access to it. If you moved to Hayward, you would want your kids to log roll," said Judy Scheer-Hoeschler, a seven-time world champion in log rolling who now lives in LaCrosse, Wis. "Not only do you have access for the kids, you have the world championships in your backyard."

The Scheer family also runs lumberjack shows in the summer for the region's thousands of tourists, said Tina Scheer, who took the silver medal in the women's timber endurance competition. Brothers Robert and Fred Scheer asked if people liked the championships once a year, why wouldn't they like to see it every week.

Tina said she now runs a show in Maine and Robert has one in Alaska. The shows educate and entertain, Judy said. Plus they give the athletes the chance to tree climb, log roll and boom run two or three times a day, she said.

No wonder the Hayward athletes are doing so well at this year's Great Outdoor Games.

Shana Martin, who participated in the log rolling and boom run events, cannot seem to get enough of sports. During the school year, she pole vaults at the University of Wisconsin at Madison. In the summer, she competes in triathalons and gymnastics. And just in case those sports aren't enough to keep her busy, she will get her black belt in karate at the end of the summer.