Dayna Berghan-Whyman is about to take on the best in the world at a rather unusual sport, poleaxe, which is a medieval weapon used in fighting
Dayna is heading to the International Medieval Combat Federation World Championships in Denmark.
The poleaxe is generally accepted to have been the knightly weapon of choice for dismounted combat and she’s heading to Denmark to fight with it.
Her weapon, also known as a bardiche, was fashioned for her in New Plymouth.
She says however fearsome it might look, the axe is not sharp.
“We do crushing blows, we get points for getting out people on the ground and also disarming them.”
So does it hurt when you’re hit by a bardiche?
“No because I’ve got 35kgs of bespoke armour on me and a very good padding system!”
Although she says that makes her rather ungainly.
“When I run I sound like an overbalanced washing machine with $5 change in the bottom!”
