Page 53 - 4RA Regimental Journal 2019-2020

Eleven members of the Regiment exchanged the hot Cyprus sun post- Op TOSCA for the chilly European
winter wonderland for the 2019/20 com- petitive ski season. Once again 4th Regi- ment RA fielded a Nordic ski team, but additionally the unit also managed to pull together an Alpine team for the first time in a number of seasons.
Lt Gregory, Bdr Mockler, LBdr Parknson and Gnr Lloyd formed the vanguard of the Alpine team, departing for Les Deux Alpes in France in late November for Ex ALPINE TIGER – the RA Alpine training camp. Their first day of training was char- acterised by high winds, poor visibility and freezing temperatures – a rude awakening to the season. Three weeks of intensive training and races followed, with individu- als spending their time and competitions with skiers of similar experience levels from other Gunner teams. They were soon joined by Capt Nicholls as the fifth member of the team, bringing with her a wealth of Alpine racing experience. A brief Christmas break followed, and after bringing in the New Year in the Channel Tunnel waiting room, the five competitors commenced the final races of the exercise. Both officers seeded in the top ten of the Giant Slalom, with Bdr Mockler joining them in the top 25. Lt Gregory finished first in the Slalom, though Capt Nicholl’s hopes were dashed for the season after a bad fall on a devilish course. The whole team qual- ified for the Divisional Championships and soon moved to a new resort, Serre Cheva- lier, to compete in Ex SPARTAN HIKE. Injury once again reduced the team, with Gnr Lloyd being forced to return home early. The team finished in the top third
of the 30 regimental teams competing, with Lt Gregory securing high placings in the downhill, slalom and super giant slalom; Bdr Mockler
also made the top twenty in the slalom with LBdr Parkinson delivering similarly impressive results.
Meanwhile
Capt Forrester
lead Bdr Con-
stable, LCpl
Soltani, Gnr
Steele, Gnr Sharp
and Gnr Barnes
through a physically challenging Nordic
ski season. They took the ferry to Skeikampen, Norway to train and compete in Ex NORDIC GUNNER. With a team dominated by novices,
Bdr Constable competing in the Nordic Team
4th Regiment Royal Artillery Winter Sports
Gnr Lloyd, LBdr Parkinson, Lt Gregory and Bdr Mockler of the Alpine team
it was a remarkable achievement to have completed a 30km distance ski within the first week. A move to Sjusjoen was accom-
panied by more attention to rifle training in the biathlon stadium gym alongside skate tech- nique training. Early Decem- ber was dominated by further challenging training, preparing the team for their top ten finish in the Senior Novice, Junior Novice and Youth Nov- icecategories.Ashort break back home over Christmas was soon over before the team reconvened; this time to head to Hoch- filzen in Austria for Ex WHITE FIST, which was the combined RA/ RAC/AAC champion- ships. Three race days followed: top twenty fin- ishes for Capt Forrester and Gnr Sharp in their 15km Classic and 10km Biathlon categories, and for the whole team in the Relay. Special men- tion must go to Bdr Constable for clearing all shooting targets during the Biathlon – one of only two competitors to do so!
A broken-down combivan did not stop the team from reaching their next destination as they moved to France for Ex SPARTAN, which was the Divisional Championships. A bout of influenza took its toll on the team though and at times saw some members bedded down. In spite of this, top 50 fin- ishes were achieved in the 15km Classic Cross-Country race, with equally impres-
4 Regt RA competing in the Nordic season with their biathlon rifles
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