Page 89 - The Royal Lancers Chapka 2019

REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL LANCERS (QUEEN ELIZABETHS’ OWN)
were spent enjoying a meal and drinks out in Lillehammer, usu- ally after a long ski that day.
Week three saw the Adjutant, Capt Robertson, visit the team and Capt Gardner return to offer some much-needed help and ad- vice before the competitions. Although they were both on leave, they still threw themselves in to the sessions, taking part in in- tervals and races throughout the week. They ran ranges whilst they were with the team which allowed the Team Captain, Lt Mackaness (D Squadron), to get some necessary shooting prac- tice in before the competitions. On the final evening in Norway, the team enjoyed a Christmas dinner cooked by the Officers and handed over each other’s Secret Santa gifts. Capt Gardner’s t- shirt that read ‘I am a hero’ was a particular favourite.
After a month of hard training in Norway, the team packed up the cabin and drove back to the UK for a week of well-earned leave. Following some much-needed Christmas feasting, the team drove to Hochfilzen, Austria for Exercise NORDIC WHITE- FIST 20, the RAC competition that included teams from the Artillery. Sadly, the team had to say goodbye to LCpl Whitehead due to an ankle injury he had sustained in the last week of train- ing in Norway. The competition has been running for over 20 years and is a great way of introducing soldiers to competitive racing without the pressure or rigidity of the Divisional Cham- pionships. Hochfilzen is an international biathlon track, and its large hills make for a really tough course for international ski- ers, let alone military part timers! The competitions consisted of three races; the 15km individual cross-country race, the 10km individual biathlon, and the 4x7.5km team biathlon relay.
The team were buoyed by the presence once again of the experi- enced Capt Gardner who flew out to join the team to compete in the 15km cross-country and to teach the team how to race wax their skis – a process that can make a massive difference to how well one races. The team performed well throughout the cham- pionships. LCpl Fletcher was outstanding, winning the Junior Novice category in both the 15km individual cross-country and the 10km individual biathlon. Tpr Young also won the Youth Novice category in the 10km individual biathlon and came sec- ond in his category in the 15km individual cross-country. Lieu- tenant Free came third in the Senior Novice category for the 15km individual cross-country, and second in his category for the 10km individual biathlon. Special mention must go to both LCpl Whitehead (D Squadron) who showed fantastic improve- ment by making the Regimental A team for the biathlon relay, and LCpl Sands, fighting a sore back, who scored an excellent time in the biathlon relay, finishing third out of the group. Over- all the team finished fourth out of the RAC.
LCpl Richards close to collapse! Left to right Tpr Young, LCpl Richards, Lt Mackaness, LCpl Fletcher
At the prize giving ceremony, LCpl Fletcher won trophies for the best RAC junior and the best RAC novice, Capt Gardner won the best RAC individual for the 15km individual cross-country, and the team won the Cassin Cup for the best novice team. Lt Mackaness won the prize of the night – the Admin Cup, award- ed for messing with the finish line of the cross-country race by crossing the timing laser having already finished!
At the time of writing, the team have finished Exercise NORDIC WHITEFIST 20, and are now on the way to Serre-Chevalier in France for Exercise SPARTAN HIKE 20, the Divisional Cham- pionships, where they look to qualify for the Army Champion- ships in Ruhpolding, Germany.
CJSDM
Racing for the line. Lt Free on the final stretch of the individual biathlon
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