Page 130 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

SPORTS AND ADVENTUROUS TRAINING
Ex BENDALONG BOARDERS
Exercise BENDALONG BOARDERS was the overseas tour to NSW Australia for 2017 with the Army Sur ng Team and was the rst inter- national sur ng event involving the British Army, RAF and the Australian Defence Force.
For 2017 waves had been good and for the rst time in Army Sur ng history the Army won the Tri Service Championships, where I was selected to represent the Army. In Australia the beaches we visited included Avoca beach, Copacabana, Wamberal, Foresters and The Entrance to name a few but the most memorable beach of the week was Soldier’s beach where we got 6-8ft waves with light offshore winds and only a handful of people in.
The competition was a great success. Overall the Army was placed 2nd to the Australians with the RAF coming in 3rd place. I was placed 6th overall which was a fantastic result. With all the presentations done it was time to relax and have a beer or two getting some well-earned rest. It was a very challenging two weeks which I will never forget.
Cpl Allen D Company 6 RIFLES
LCpl Allen brought a bit of Cornwall expertise to Ex BENDALONG BOARDERS
Battalion Sailing
The battalion had a successful year on the water this year, with 6 RIFLES entering one boat in the Regimental regatta at Seaview on 12-13 June and the Battalion regatta on 19 July that was well attended by regular and reserve members of the battalion at the Camber in Plymouth.
At the Regimental Regatta 6 RIFLES boat, helmed and skippered by 2Lt Jack Maymon, fresh from his Dinghy sailing course and crewed by Capt Kris Tarry, 2IC HQ Coy, pulling the ropes along with the XO, Maj Will Peltor and the Adjt, Capt Steve Sharpe. After an early start from Wyvern and a quick trip across the Solent we arrived at Seaview Yacht club in time for lunch on a blustery day. The afternoon was an opportunity for the crews to get used to the boats in a distinctly bumpy and damp way, putting paid to the XO and Adjt’s hopes of sunning themselves on the sundeck with a G&T. We quickly got used to the boat and getting wet on a very lively Solent and
1 RIFLES IN THEIR PINK HULLED BOAT WERE THE ONES TO BEAT, AND “FOLLOW THE PINK” BECAME A TACTIC THAT SERVED US WELL
soon realised that 1 RIFLES in their pink hulled boat were the ones to beat, and “follow the pink” became a tactic that served us well. After getting caught well behind the line in race 1 and coming 6th, we “followed the pink” and climbed the eet during the following few races, picking up a fourth and then a second place in the remaining races of day one. We checked in to our hotel, after getting ready for the regatta dinner, we met in the hotel bar, that seemed to have a slightly exible price list, for pre-dinner drinks and got then moved down to the Yacht Club for the Regimental Regatta’s annual dinner, which was enjoyed by everyone. The second and nal day’s racing was under a sunny sky and in much lighter winds and although the light winds meant racing was in doubt to begin with. The winds did get up in time to allow racing to start and we continued where we left off on day 1, taking a couple of 2nd places. Then things got even better and by sticking with our tactic of “follow the pink” and some luck with the winds and tide on the nish line we won the next race by a matter of inches and the next one by a better margin. With a third in the nal race of the regatta, we thought we had done well for a scratch crew. Then it was back ashore for the prize giving and although we did not win any prizes we were second in the eet, 6 RIFLES best ever result.
Capt Kris Tarry
128 SIXTH BATTALION
THE RIFLES