Page 49 - 2021 AMA Summer

to replace the 3000+ calories that I had
at 0500hrs carrying spectators up the
the winter, whilst we were still holding burned, but I was struggling to recover
mountain from where they would climb on
down our day jobs in busy Scottish and my heart rate wouldn’t come down.
skins or snowshoes to cheer the racers
hospitals and maintaining our Military That made me nervous for the next day.
up the first climb of the day. More than
commitments. Pride in the teamwork four thousand folk - including some of
and training that led to success. Deep Étape 2 - 34.9km, 2839m and 6 hours.
my own family - lined the final kilometre
gratitude to my family for their support The Queen Stage, and very nearly
to the col after the climb of 1100m. This
and to Tom for his friendship and sports- disaster! After the first climb of 1109m
was emotional; a cacophony of cow
manship, and his commitment to the race that included a compulsory section in
bells, musicians, folk thrusting bottles of
whilst juggling a young family and a new crampons up a steep couloir, there was
beer and hip flasks of spirits into your
consultant post. I’m writing this in Oman a transition to downhill mode at the
face. This experience, together with the
on duty, looking forwards to an exciting summit of la Roche Parstire. In the melée,
realisation that we might actually now
winter of mountain sports and hoping that the tip of my ski pole became trapped
finish the race brought more than a lump
we will see several teams of British Military unbeknown to me and as I rushed to lift
to my throat. I have only ever witnessed
Skimo racers lining up at La Patrouille des the pole from the ground - having just
something similar spectating at the Tour
Glaciers to sample some of the same ripped off my skins - I snapped the carbon
de France as the riders ran the gauntlet of
challenges and experiences next April. pole above the tip. In an instant, panic set
the animated fans on l’Alpe d’Huez or Col
in; the simultaneous images of letting Tom
du Galibier. Weary legs were becoming
Postscript: changes of broken skis or down, and the waste of our investment in
the order of the day. I completed two
poles are allowed but only at transitions. training flashed before me. Just then one
complete forward rolls without my skis
Julian’s kindness was rewarded later of the spectators at the summit sprang
releasing when I hit a “death cookie” in
that year with a large bottle of the finest forwards and thrust one of his own ski
fresh powder snow on the mad downhill
Talisker whisky for the loan of his ski pole! poles into my hand with the promise of
dash from the first transition. “You’re not
“we’ll sort this out at the finish!” No more
supposed to still be able to do
errors and a long, punishing day on the
that at your age!” Tom exclaimed
hill - but safely across the line again just as
sympathetically. Doggedly we
the weather was starting to turn to snow.
swung leads in the ski tracks
A better night’s sleep.
until we eventually crossed the
Étape 3 - 21.8km, 2058m and 3hr 40min. Respite (of a sort). The heavy overnight snowfall was succeeded by a rapid thaw that made for difficult and dangerous conditions on the higher peaks. After 34 years, the race committee are experts in creating a credible and testing course as they know every corner of the massif, and they ensured that the pace of competition was maintained. We managed to avoid knee-twisters in the porridge-like conditions, and as we finished we realised that we had now evaded elimination and would get to line up at the start of the final stage tomorrow - Saturday.
Étape 4 - 28.2km, 2593m and 5hr. In our hotel, we were woken by the sound of the nearby chair lift clanking into action
line for the final time - elated and knackered. We were placed 179 / 205 teams, gaining 20 places above our original seeding.
This account of a ski race reads like that of a climb, and it’s probably because my associated emotions and memories are the same ones that I have felt after major climbs or expeditions: the Cassin Ridge on Denali, winter ascents of the Brenva Face of Mont Blanc, the west ridge of Everest and Antarctica. Sat- isfaction having competed alongside elite racers who live and work in the Alps and can train constantly throughout
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THE REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF 1ST THE QUEEN’S GAZETTE
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