B.C. driftwood bests global competitors to be crowned 'stick of the year'

DUNCAN, B.C. -

When Shawn Anderson isn’t inviting his dog Kai to fetch a stick, he enjoys spinning a staff, or lunging with light sabre.

“I’m a big fan of sticks,” Shawn says. “An appreciator of sticks.”

So when his roommate — Marcus Barrick — invited him to see a sword-shaped stick he’d happened upon while hiking on Vancouver Island, Shawn was stoked.

“I was like, ‘Wow! You’ve found a really good stick!’” Shawn smiles. “This is going to go far for you."

Neither imagined how far, until another friend suggested that Marcus share a video of his stick online.

“I present to you an ancient energy sword,” Marcus says while wielding the stick in front of the camera. “This is the most majestic piece of driftwood I’ve ever seen.”

His friend also proposed than he the submit the video to Official Stick Reviews. 

“It’s like Antiques Roadshow for sticks,” Official Stick Review’s co-creator Boone Hogg says, adding that his social media page allows a community called Stick Nation to appreciate ordinary people’s extraordinary sticks.

“I hope it gives a sense of reverence and accomplishment to the stick.”

Boone says that Marcus’ stick is one of about 2,500 wonders in wood that have been showcased from more than 120 countries on seven continents.

After Marcus shared his video, he left for a lengthy trip, while Shawn stayed home with the stick.

“It’s incredible. It has a nice balanced weight to it,” Shawn says waving the stick in front of him. “And then you see the aesthetics. It’s just perfect.”

It turns out those sentiments were shared by so many of Official Stick Reviews' 3.8 million collective followers on Instagram and TikTok, that Marcus’ stick beat-out 100 others from around the world in a tournament bracket, to be crowned, Stick of the Year.'

The winner was announced in an online video featuring singer-songwriter Noah Kahan, best known for his hit song ‘Stick Season.'

“Congrats to Vancouver Island for taking home the gold,” Boone smiles, before adding that the top prize includes a tiny T-shirt for the winning stick to wear and a large wrestling-style championship belt for Marcus, when he returns home.

“And I’m the steward of the stick,” Shawn smiles. “So it’s quite an honour.”

While Shawn is ensuring that his dog Kai plays with any other stick but "the world’s best stick”, Marcus is studying Buddhism around India and Nepal.

Marcus says that although his stick has the potential to be wielded as a weapon, he’s choosing for it to inspire more peaceful pursuits.

“[I hope] it encourages people to engage in the world wisely,” Marcus says in a Zoom call from India. “It should bring more presence and awareness to nature.”

He hopes the global attention encourages people to protect and appreciate B.C. forests and perhaps pause —no matter where you live — to appreciate the potential of a stick.

“Something as mundane as a stick can bring some joy to people,” Marcus says.