Page 154 - RAPTC Year of 2019

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RAPTC SWIMMING AND WATER POLO
SSgt (SSI) G Laycock RAPTC
Having been a member of the RAPTC Swimming and Water Polo team since 2009, being asked to be the Corps Secretary was a humbling honour. SSgt (SSI) Spence had made huge
progress in the last couple of years. From the first Swimming and Water Polo Tour in living memory. To the numbers that grew under his tenure. I had a tough act to follow.
Looking to consolidate on the successful Tour to Gibraltar the team got together for the 39th Inter Corps Swimming and Water Polo competition held at the Aldershot Swimming Pool. Usually the RAPTC are simply the cannon fodder for the larger Corps who have spent the week prior training. Not this time! With the work and hard training of the Tour, something clicked into place. We entered the water for the first Water Polo match.
Up against the REME, they must have been salivating at the chance to get an easy win in the first game. After the first couple of exchanges of possession, the most unbelievable moment in the game happened Sgt (SI) Webster found himself in front of goal with just the keeper to beat! Sgt (SI) Webster is a phenomenal swimmer and managed to pull away from his marker, SSgt (SSI) Harrison saw the pass and made it. Now we could score a very rare goal. Coolly slotted home we swam back to our side in quite some disbelief.
Suddenly we swam, fought and had more desire to hold on to the lead. At half time we found ourselves two goals to the good and never looked back. The RAPTC beat the REME, AMS and RE (B), the only team to better us was the RE (A) team. To finish second in the 2nd Division is a huge improvement for the team. We will push and improve again and try and clinch the top spot.
The Army Swimming and Water Polo team selection week took place in February 2020. This prestigious event allows all Corps Swimmers to “try out” for the Army Team. Over 180 swimmers applied, after the first cut, 60 remained. Of that 60 were Sgt (SI) Webster and SSgt (SSI) Syrett. Both amazingly strong swimmers.
There were 30 spaces for the Swimming Tour to Cyprus, both RAPTC Swimmers manged to get a seat on the plane, SSgt (SSI) Syrett blew most swimmers out of the water and is representing the Army at the Inter Services in July 2020 and Sgt (SI) Webster is in the development squad.
An all-round enormous year for the RAPTC Swimming and Water Polo Team. As we look to the future we will continue to push to the next level, with the support of the RAPTC Association, who kindly bought the new swimming strips for the season, the Chairman Capt (MAA) Horner and the continued dedication of the RAPTC Swimmers that tirelessly turn up and swim for the Corps.
RAPTC ORIENTEERING
President - Lt Col (SMAA) Collinson • Chairman - Capt (MAA) Harris • Secretary - SSgt (SSI) Harriso
Orienteering contributes directly to the development of military skills by improving the level of individual expertise
in the military skill of map reading. It is an activity in which competitors navigate independently through challenging terrain visiting a defined number of control points marked on the ground by an orienteering kite, usually in the shortest possible time, aided in navigation by map and compass only.
Although participation in orienteering by
RAPTCIs is low there is a small number of us
who compete regularly, and we are always
looking for new blood. The RAPTC Orienteering Individual Championships are held towards the latter part of the year and the event in 2019 attracted a healthy 11 competitors to Mytchett Training Area. The event used a score format; this is when competitors have 1 hour to collect as many controls as possible out of a maximum of 30, with each control being worth 10 points. In first place with a staggering 230 points out of a maximum of 300 points was Maj Chris Deed making him the 2019 RAPTC Orienteering Champion. Extremely close in second place with a tie of 220 points was Capt Al Harris and Lt Col Steve Collinson.
The top 4 finishers from the RAPTC Orienteering Championships are usually then selected to represent the RAPTC at the Inter Corps Championships but the RAPTC Champ, Maj Chris Deed couldn’t make it, so the team consisted of Lt Col Steve Collinson, Capt Al Harris, SSgt Mark Beverley and Sgt Tom Steele. The Inter Corps Championships was held over 2 days at Caerwent Training Area near Chepstow and Churchill Enclosure & Cannop Ponds in the Forest of Dean. Part one was
a night cross-country event and part two a day cross-country event. RAPTC team members competed in the senior short courses which consisted of a ‘line’ format competition. SSgt Mark Beverley won the M45 Short Course, Lt Col Steve Collinson was runner up in M50 Short Course night event and Capt Al Harris was runner up in the M40 Short Course - day event which was good enough for the RAPTC Orienteering team to take the runners up award in the Men’s Short Course competition. A great result considering the small pool of orienteers we have to draw from.
The RAPTC Orienteering team is continuously looking to increase its numbers. Military events are held around the country on most Wednesdays throughout the year with all info on the BAOC website. RAPTCIs who would like to take part in a new sport and hone the key military skill of map reading should contact the RAPTC Secretary.
From Left to Right. SSgt (SSI) Harrison, Sgt (SI) Steele, Capt (MAA) Sweatman, SSgt (SSI) Moody, WO2 (QMSI) Moss, Capt (MAA) Logan, Maj (MAA) Deed, Lt Col (SMAA) Collinson, Capt (MAA) Harris and WO2 (QMSI) Blackburn
Lt Col (SMAA) Collinson presenting Maj (MAA) Deed the RAPTC Orienteering 2019 Champion Shield