Page 54 - 1RHA 2022

1st Regiment Royal Horse Artillery
Exercise Chestnut Blizzard 2022 Lt T Barlow RHA
In March of this year, twenty-six members of the Chestnut Troop and personnel from across the Regiment embarked on Ex CHESTNUT BLIZZARD – a skiing AT package in France. The
aim was to achieve a mix of Ski Foundation Level 1 (SF1) and 2 (SF2) qualifications.
Lead by Lt Tyson and SSgt Thomas, the convoy of combi vans headed to the slopes of Val Thorens (VT), part of the Three Val- leys ski area in the French Alps. Capt Jobbins’ combi van broke down at an isolated French service station and in true Top Gear style we left them to fend for themselves (keeping in constant communication to track their progress of course). Having sam- pled the finest French motorway cuisine along the way, we even- tually arrived in VT, completed the kit issue, and launched straight into a busy schedule of lessons.
The SF1 groups began on the junior slopes learning basic ski the- ory as many had never skied before. Learning quickly, it wasn’t long before they were hitting their first blue runs. The SF2 groups began the week with an instructor assessment to gauge ability. The instructors were impressed with the good start standard and so the first day was spent shaking out the cobwebs and nailing technique in preparation for the ski touring and harder runs to come.
Over the following days, the SF2 group spent a large proportion of their time on red runs getting to grips with carving and moguls. SSgt Thomas led from the front by proving that the fastest and most efficient way to reach the bottom of a run was to double eject your skis on the first turn and examine the moguls with your face. Undaunted, he and the group continued to push them- selves, including getting their first taste of off-piste. For many, this involved a very intimate experience with the snow and skis strewn across the mountain. Only a handful of lucky survivors made it to the bottom unscathed. One key lesson was learned: don’t try new things for the first time in full view of a busy chairlift.
The SF1 groups continued to progress nicely, tackling some blue runs, which is no mean feat especially for those who only started skiing the day before. It was at this point Capt Carter realised his full potential and showed off his years of ski racing experience
to move out of the SF1 group. Working hard to perfect the drills taught to them by the instructors the groups were looking more and more comfortable on their skis. By the end of the week, they had tackled a good chunk of the resort and a tough mix of run types.
The final couple of days brought with it the chance for the SF2s to engage in some ski touring which involves applying sticky skins to the base of your skis and walking up the mountain to ski down hard to get to/untouched routes; a technique also used in arc- tic warfare. The first lesson was understanding the kit required for touring in a segment known as ‘What’s in Johns bag?’ (John being the head instructor with a seemingly bottomless bag). The SF2s then delivered lessons to the SF1 groups to confirm knowl- edge and give the SF1s a taste of what they could progress on to. As the ski touring began in earnest, many were wondering why they were walking up the mountain when there was a perfectly serviceable chair lift running over their heads. Despite it being physically challenging, learning the art of the kick turn and how to ski short distances on skins, it was a thoroughly rewarding experience.
The final day gave the opportunity to free ski and have some fun with friends under the reassuring presence of the instructors. Everyone bomb burst to tackle different runs and have one last ‘send.’ There was also a chance for reflection and discussion with our instructors about the importance of AT, which is not only fun, but also allows serving personnel to push themselves out of their comfort zone and demonstrate their leadership. In the process many discovered new passions and formed tight bonds with their groups. A fine example of this is Gnr Ramocemoce who went from never having skied before to being a natural on the slopes and winning the most improved award. Many with no experience were apprehensive at first and finished the week asking to be loaded onto the next course!
With the skiing sadly over, it was time to head back. Thankfully it was a far smoother journey than the way out. Special thanks go to all the instructors and to Lt Tyson and SSgt Thomas who organised the trip.
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