Page 16 - Journal Compilation

54 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS Exercise WHITE KNIGHT
This year the regiment sent eleven Royal Lancers on Exer- cise WHITE KNIGHT (Ex WK), the RAC and AAC alpine skiing championships. The team that arrived in Verbier had a mixture of experience on snow and this certainly showed with the initial ski preparation and maintenance lessons with some of the more experienced members like Tpr Hitchcock and Tpr Marvin doing very well to assist Lieutenant Harnett in getting the team ready for their rst skiing this season.
After a day of rest and setup the team was broken down into abil- ity groups by the local instructors on a very short run where the tiniest of mistakes could see you placed near Troopers Quigley and Button, the regiment’s novice skiers.
What followed was a very enjoyable but intensive race train- ing camp, with instruction six days of the week starting at the lift at 0830 every day for four weeks. This would prepare even our novice skiers to be able to race in the nal two weeks of the championship. Making the training harder this year was the lack of snow across most of Europe early in the season and this was often pointed out by people back in the UK sending pictures of snow drifts more suited to off-piste than that in Switzerland. Regardless of the snow the team did well to polish their skills and in some cases learn how to ski in preparation for the racing. To the relief of some the speed events (Super G and Downhill) were cancelled due to safety but this extra time was lled by the mentally intensive technical events, the Slalom and Grand Slalom (these have never been the Cavalry’s strong point so we could probably do with the training).
As with any exercise a drop-out rate is to be expected; however, with the removal of the speed events the team was not expecting a level close to half on some days. The slopes were mostly cov- ered in ice and as the pace of training increased so did the inju- ries. It was with sadness that members were not able to compete, taking away The Royal Lancers’ shot of a novice winner and reducing our competitiveness in the team events. Lieutenant Harnett, one of the regiment’s best skiers tried to battle through a knee injury but over time it became clear he should not com- pete, a decision strongly backed up by the doctors. Trooper But- ton, a novice this year showing promise, fell late in the training, damaging his knee and radically reducing his ability to cope with the forces exerted during skiing. The top four skiers, who managed to make it through Ex WK without injury and qualify for the Divisional Championship, were Lieutenants Cowie and Henson, and Troopers Hitchcock and Fisher.
Away from the competition the team did well to take the lead on the socialising front while in Verbier, hosting dinners with Meg- git (a new sponsor this year), Colonel Buczacki, WO1 Round, the King’s Royal Hussars and the Royal Dragoon Guards. There was a noticeable presence of Lancers at all the major events in- cluding the opening of clubs, Christmas and New Year celebra- tions. The Royal Lancers were also represented in the gruelling night race, in which competitors have to skin up the majority of the pistes they are more used to skiing down, accompanied by a torch and the encroaching darkness. Lieutenant Harnett and Sergeant Moore attempted this race with the Lancers collect- ing a bronze in the military category from Lieutenant Harnett’s performance, having only hired the kit that day.
JC
Ex WK ‘Lt Cowie ying’
Ex WK ‘Lt Cowie rounds a GS gate with his eyes on the next
Ex WK ‘The remaining team at the end of Ex WK after injuries
Ex WK ‘Lt Cowie turning right’