Reno man wins tenth rock drilling title at Nevada Day competition in Carson City
Submitted by Brett Fisher on Sat, 10/27/2018 - 4:41pm
Perennial champion Tom Donovan of Reno claimed his second consecutive title Saturday at the single-jack rock drilling world championship held at the Max Casino parking lot during the Nevada Day Parade in Carson City.
Donovan, 50, has won 10 titles overall and was named champion at Nevada's sesquicentennial 150th birthday in 2014. He has not missed a rock drilling competition on Nevada Day in 34 years.
Single-jack rock drilling is a technique used by 19th Century miners, including those working Nevada's Comstock Lode, in which holes are drilled by hand into rock to place dynamite sticks for detonation.
The Nevada Day competition gives each competitor 10 minutes to hammer a thick steel bit into a 4,000-pound of granite using a heavy sledge hammer. The deepest hole wins.
Here are the results of the 40th annual single-jack rock drilling competition Saturday:
Kaleb Denham 7 29/32
Tate Boyster 6 9/32
Austin Lemmons 2 16/32
Brandon Holton 6 4/32
Stephanie Shelly 4 6/32
Jordan Oxborrow 9 6/32
Keston Denny 4 14/32
Jason Carlile 3 18/32
Vern Baker 6 27/32
Ryan Green 5 9/32
Ken Roberts 4 21/32
Tim Faye 10 16/32
James Eason 6 7/32
Greg Hosler 7 21/32
Tobin Rupert 7 18/32
Craig Lemmons 8 11/32
Matt Decker 11 22/32
Jesse Patridge 12 5/32
Tim Leedy 9 18/32
Craig Leedy 11 5/32
Skip Leedy 11 4/32
Steve MacDonald 11 14/32
Emmit Hoyl 12 19/32
Tom Donovan 13 28/32
