Page 86 - MERCIAN Eagle 2019

NWOTR –
Ex FROZEN SWORD
OCdt Moonemalle
In January 2019, more than 40 Officer Cadets and staff from the North West Officers’ Training Regiment (NWOTR) deployed to Tignes in the French
Alps for their annual ski expedition, Exercise Frozen Sword. The aim of the exercise was to allow Officer Cadets to participate in overseas adventurous training and to gain Ski Foundation 1 and 2 qualifications.
The Unit spent six days at the Union des Centres Sportifs de Plein Air (UCPA) in Val Claret. This location was ideal, as it was a short walk from some of the main ski lifts and allowed easy access to the nearby village of La Lac. As well as food and board, the UCPA provided skiers with skis,
boots and poles for
the duration of their
stay.
snowfall, with the white-out slopes and reduced visibility that came with it. An SF1 beginner group found themselves at the top of a long blue slope in adverse conditions. By chance, one
of the SF2 groups was passing by
and helped their instructor get all the beginners down in one piece! More experienced groups enjoyed off-piste skiing and an introduction to ski touring techniques.
The grey skies and snow continued into Wednesday. Temperatures reached below -10˚C at resort level and plummeted to below -20˚C near the summits. Wind chill ravaged anyone braving long ski lifts to the top and
patches of ice plagued the pistes. The beginner groups embraced the challenge, whilst more advanced groups, learned defensive skiing techniques to safely descend, on and
off the piste. Some even enjoyed a bit of après-ski in spots such as La Folie Douce.
With fresh powder from the copious snowfall of the days before and sunny clear skies all day, Thursday looked very promising. For the SF2 groups, ski touring was the aim of the day. Some struggled with their equipment on the way up, but the views from the top would be worth it. Getting back down involved some challenging defensive off-piste skiing. The less experienced groups were now firmly grasping the skill of skiing and could easily navigate slopes that had haunted them earlier in the week.
Friday heralded some more fair weather. It was the Officer Cadets’ final chance to show what they had learned in the week. Many were sad to step out of their skis for the last time. Afterwards, Officer Cadets were given a final one- on-one debrief by their instructors. Preparations were made for the departure the following morning. Overall another great ski expedition, which
was thoroughly enjoyed by the officer cadets. Most went away with either
SF1 or SF2 qualifications, a greater appreciation for skiing and awareness of the adventurous training that the Army offers.
Officer cadets
were split into six
instructed groups
based on prior ski
qualifications and
experience. Most,
including the complete beginners, would be on the SF1 course and would aim
to learn and develop skills such as the snow plough, plough-parallel, parallel turning and basic off-piste skiing. For those who had already completed SF1, some would do continuation training
to really hone their foundation skills, whilst others would be doing SF2, aiming to enhance their foundation
and intermediate ski skills, as well as learning ski touring and avalanche drills.
Though no skiing was to be had till the Monday, the Officer Cadets perused shops and enjoyed swimming and ice skating at a nearby sports centre. Many officer cadets had ongoing university work during the expedition and as such, there was plenty of free time allocated during the evenings.
Skiing began on Monday, with most groups starting on beginner slopes to assess their ability and refamiliarise themselves. Relatively sunny weather gave way to a decent day of skiing. Beginner groups began to tackle the basics of skiing and get comfortable with their ski equipment. More experienced groups ventured out further into the resort and some enjoyed skiing in and around Val d’Isere on red and black slopes.
Tuesday came with near constant
Wind chill ravaged anyone braving long ski lifts to the top and patches of ice plagued the pistes
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