Axe Thrower Interview: Queen HBO

Queen HBO to many, Adeline to…just as many(?), and axe throwing wonder to most. Adeline already has a very accomplished axe throwing career, and community impact. 1/3rd of An Axe League of Their Own, 2nd place finisher at IATC ’26, and recent winner of the Countess Cup, this thrower is well on her way to becoming (if not, you know, already) a legend in the history of our sport. Frankly, I’m delighted to have this axe thrower interview on the blog.

I will admit, I am surprised by Adeline’s friendship with me. I, a little toad man who is a creepy little guy and chronically uncool, am very used to the skilled, popular people of the world kinda moving through their days ignoring me. But Adeline is a different sort. She is effusive in her love of people, earnest in her care, and exceptional in her desire for throwers to be a part of the community. We did this interview just after she won the Countess Cup at Choppers this year — and when she placed 2nd at IATC ’26, I asked a few more follow up questions. I’ll point out those ones just to make sure no reader goes into some sort of time-jumble.

So you just won the whole ding dang thing (Countess Cup). How does that feel?

Adeline: Great. I came in, I was like, I really would like to win it. That’s a goal. I mean, I feel like that’s a goal for everybody — to win something — but you have Kimmy and Stormy and Littlefoot who won this before. I really wanted to add myself to that.

What do you think makes the Countess Cup special?

Being one of the first women’s tournaments.

It was going to happen, and then COVID arrived, and it fucked everything up. But it’s special by just being one of the first women’s tourneys, and the community, it’s just great. It’s a good vibe.

Other than Philly being a shithole, no offense (reader: I was a little offended, but I get it. I get it.), it’s [Choppers] a great place. It’s close to a lot of things. Baltimore’s not far from here. You guys [Meduseld) aren’t far from here. Pittsburgh’s not far. Boston isn’t too terribly far. It’s a good central place where a lot of good throwers can come and it’s nice. It’s a good community.

What do you think is special about you?

I’m special. My dad tells me every day. I don’t know. I don’t know what’s special about me.

Let me answer it for you. So your impact on this sport outside of an Axe League of Their Own, you bring in a lot of people and you make people feel very special. Is that something you work at, or is it something more inherent – just the way you operate?

I hope that’s the way I operate. I don’t know how to really think about it.

All my life, now I’m a little drinking a little bit, so I will just trauma dump: I’m good at a lot of things. I’ve never been really good at something. I’ve always been like; I did track in high school. I did cross country. I did basketball, softball. I did everything, but I was never spectacular. I was always like, “Yeah, okay, I’m good at it. I could pick up something and it’d be fine.” But to have something like this that I actually can feel good at, but I also don’t want to say like, “Oh yeah, I’m good at it, ” but sound like a cocky ass, because I don’t want to come off as a cocky ass. At least I hope I don’t.

It’s one of those sports of like you put in the time, you put in the effort and you help each other, you can get better.

Anyone could get good at this. It’s just how much you want to put into it.

When you say anyone can get better and it depends on what you put in, are you one of those people who believes in good practice versus bad practice?

My practice is so weird. I will throw and…it’s so strange. It’s like day by day is the same. Same, but different. I have a base to my throw, but it can also depend on the day of like, oh, if I stand a little closer, if I under rotate or over rotate.

But finding a general base, kind of a base throw. I have a pinch grip, velociraptor grip, whatever. And it’s like: if you find something that fits you, if you find axes that fit you, once you’re like, “Okay, this is easy. I’m going to work from this to make it as easy as possible.” And that’s what I tried and found works best.

I’ve been told that my throw looks easy and that’s what I feel like it should be. The easier, the better. So if you find something that just comes naturally to you, just work on that, and then it’s just fine tuning.

What’s something that you would change in axe throwing? Just one thing.

Get rid of single elimination. I hate single elimination. I like the pool play. The pool play’s nice. Everyone gets a chance. A couple games for like double. If you run it efficiently, it won’t be a problem. I hate single.

Oh, there’s … Man, that’s a difficult question. That’s the first thing that comes to my mind is a single elimination.

What’s something that you would never change about axe throwing?

The size of the clutch. I think the clutch is a good size. Yeah. I’m going to stick with that answer.

Okay.

Lock it in, Steve. I like it.

(Just a note, dear reader: the look that Adeline gave after I didn’t argue about the size of the clutch was the same as someone challenging me to a fight. I didn’t rise to the bait.)

Who do you look up to in the sport?

There’s a good few. I look up to Kimmy. I look up to Stormy. Oh, that’s so hard because it’s like everyone has done something for me. All that you’re doing, I look up to that.

I’m cutting all references to me out.

No, you’re not.

I don’t know. It’s like everyone in the sport always has something positive and that’s a really good thing. But if we’re talking about literally throwing wise, I don’t know if you’ve ever met him, Showtime.

Oh yeah.

So he trained me, so I always look up to him. No offense Showtime, but I feel like my mental attitude’s a little bit better than his, but that’s a different thing.

So he was my overall mentor and he got me really into throwing. Oh, it’s so hard. I look up to so many people, but definitely Stormy and Kimmy. They’re two of my … When I met Kimmy, I fucking fangirl’d. She took one of my HBO ducks and I literally cried after. I was like, “Oh my God, I can’t.” But oh, I feel like I’m not answering these questions well.

Now we’re heading into the time warp. Hold on to your coins!

[[Wibbly Bibbily, we’re now in the future! Wow!]]

So! You made history when you achieved 2nd place at IATC 26. What does that mean to you, and what was going through your mind in that final round?

Right now it hasn’t kicked in yet. I am happy, but I was so close and I beat myself, so I’m a little disappointed and it sucks because I threw my ass off and I’m so proud.

But I was so scared of disappointing everyone. I just heard in the crowd to keep fighting and I did. I didn’t let myself give up. I kept pushing.

The pressure during a Finals match like that must be immense. Did you notice a shift in your thinking? Were you able to keep yourself grounded? What advice could you give to someone who’s facing down a high-pressure match like that?

I think I started to relax instead of staying intensely focused, and that’s where the downfall started. I also started thinking. I don’t like to think when I throw. I just do what I know.

I’m usually super anxious and get down on myself real fast but I had the confidence and drive and I wanted it so damn bad. In that situation it’s just about keep ing yourself calm and to take a step back if the nerves get there.

I’ve never been in that situation, well I was with Pat for our Sun-date (a throwing date on Sunday) last year in Slayer finals, so that helped ease the camera nervousness a lot. Now I know what it feels like so hopefully next year It’ll be a lot less self pressure.

[[BACK INTO THE CHRONOSPHERE, WE’RE IN THE PAST AGAIN!]]

Is there anybody, anything you want to add or anybody you want to shout out?

Rob and Dina, for sure. Obviously. The Pittsburgh crew is great. They are just…I feel like, a very good thing.

If you ever need advice about your throw, please go to PK. He is one of those people that — he hates whenever I do this to him — he can figure out your throw. I’m pretty sure you can vouch for this too [I can]. He can figure out your throw and show you how to adjust and he can kind of give you things to think about and he’s just overall he’s very good at analyzing. So if you ever need help, he is a great person to go to and I will stand by. He has helped me so much today, even today, but he’s just a great, great helper and thrower. Oh my God, that baby’s so cute.

I wanna be clear: the last thing Adeline said, there ( “Oh my God, that baby’s so cute”) wasn’t about PK. It was about a baby that was at Countess Cup and was, sincerely, so cute.

Big thanks to Adeline for this interview, and congrats on your Countess Cup win and for your 2nd place finish at IATC ’26. Yer a powerhouse of a thrower, and I feel so lucky to be in this sport at the same time as you.