Page 97 - The Bugle 2018

Exercise NORSE BUGLE 17/18
Since last season, the 5 RIFLES Nordic Skiing morning’s drive down to Serre Chevalier for
5 RIFLES Nordic Skiing Team
team has seen a complete turnaround of personnel. With 8 amateurs taking up the mantle, and a quick recovery post-Estonia, it was sure to be a challenging competition. On a cold November morning, with some trepidation, the team set off for Exercise NORDIC FROSTED BLADE 17, and their first taste of ‘uphill skiing’.
After a long drive, we arrived in Idrefjäll, Sweden. The scenery was breath-taking and the weather perfect. The following morning, we were straight out onto the snow for our first training session. With ample time to work on both our classic and skate techniques, sprinkled with slots to brush up on our .22 marksmanship, the training prepared us well for the competition phase to come.
Arriving recovered and refreshed to Bessans, France on the 2nd January 18, we were keen to strap our skis on again and continue to build our skills. However, facing some challenging condi- tions on our first run out, and inclement weather for the first couple of days, we were off to a slow start. It was a valuable lesson Alpine weather, but we had time to fit our rifles and wax our skis, ready for the first race. In total, we competed in: individual cross-country (15km), relay cross- country (5km), individual biathlon (10km), and relay biathlon (7.5km); and finished 7th overall. Rifleman Shwalbe deserves a special mention for the runner-up junior novice award – we’re all very proud of him and his efforts. Having said that, we’d all worked hard, and were delighted with our result for an all-novice team. Our next stop was the Divisional Championships.
Leaving Bessans behind, we set off on a
Exercise SPARTAN HIKE 18, what would be the final phase of the competition for us. Identical in distance and discipline to the races we’d done at the Infantry Champs, we were well prepared and had a thoroughly enjoyable time on some new tracks and routes. We also gained valuable experience from some very talented skiers. We finished the competition with the gruelling patrol race, 20km cross country with a decidedly more military twist to the stands! We received a special mention from the Exercise Director for the smartness of our turnout – we think it was the team captain’s side hat – which no doubt gained us valuable seconds.
With a steep learning curve, and a high standard of fitness required, Nordic Skiing is a daunting challenge to be undertaken by a novice. As a team, we have taken away some valuable lessons and shared in some truly remarkable experi- ences – Rifleman Robinson eating frog’s legs is one that particularly stands out. Overall, Nordic Skiing remains a unique, physically demanding and exciting opportunity for all ranks – truly it is an Infantryman’s sport.
Lieutenant D Smith
5 Platoon Commander
AS A TEAM, WE HAVE TAKEN AWAY SOME VALUABLE LESSONS AND SHARED IN SOME TRULY REMARKABLE EXPERIENCES
THE RIFLES
FIFTH BATTALION 103