RAF Active November - January 2012/13

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ctiveISSUE 54

November-January 2012/13

Inside this Issue:

7 marathons in 7 countries in just 7 days

Becoming an Ironman in France

A cycle challenge in the Italian mountains

A cross Channel kayak challenge

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Contents

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ContentsCross Channel ChallengeWhat started as ‘pub-talk’ became reality for RAF Active’s Secretary and all in support of charity.

RAF Equestrian Team at Royal Windsor The RAF team, watched by Her Majesty the Queen, produce yet another fantastic performance.

Ironman Nice This is definitely not about an Ironman being nice. Its the location in France for 6 intrepid RAF Physical Training Instructors, to have a go at the ultimate triathlon distance.

Ladies in TOWThat’s Tug Of War (TOW) and covers the journey from novice to Inter-Services competition for the RAF Ladies team.

Active8 Our regular interview feature is all about RAF Ski Team Development Coach, Flt Lt Steve Puckering.

7 Marathons in 7 Countries in 7 Days Yes the title is correct! This unbelievable endurance challenge helped to raise a staggering £75,000 for a very worthwhile cause.

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Deadline dates forsubmission of your

material to the relevant

Issue 55: 23 Nov 12

London 2012Following on from Flt Lt Mike Masters’ journey to an Olympic official role, as featured in the last issue. We find out what it was really like.

Dunc’s Dirty Dozen Part Two The concluding part of Dunc’s year long running challenge for charity.

Tandem Tribute How one close friend of the late Sqn Ldr Ant Downing, chose to pay him a special tribute.

On the Pull at the Highland GamesNow it is the turn of the RAF men’s tug of war team.

Maratona Dles Dolomites Hmm, something physical involving the Dolomite mountains in Italy, sounds painful, I mean memorable . Involving our very own Triathlon Sub-Editor.

Camp Bastion to Selly Oaks Cycle Challenge Could you cycle 35 miles a day for 101 consecutive days, whilst OOA?

It’s Only Natural.... Luge Did you know natural luge is one of the top 10 most dangerous sports in the world?

What’s OnSome interesting opportunities available to get out there and be active.

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Officer-in-CommandStu Clarke

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Webmaster Martin Harris


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What’s On EditorVacant

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Deputy EditorDavid Hirst

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Fighting SportsKev Frisby

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Water Sports Gill Rodwell


Features EditorAlfie Stirlingassistanteditor

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Deputy Features EditorDave Hanson

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CyclingLee Dillon


Winter SportsSimon Day


Motor SportsMax Rundlemotorsports

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MANAGEMENT

Ball & Racquet SportsDave Sellers

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Running/AthleticsDave Hanson

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Triathlon & Adventure Racing Editor

Matt Tope triathlonadventureracing

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EditorSimon Nelson-Kirby


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TreasurerMark Radbourne


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Welcome to the penultimate issue of RAF Active for 2012 and speaking of penultimate things, I will be, sadly, handing over my editorial reigns to Dave Hirst (currently our Deputy Ed) after Issue 55. I won’t bore you with any facts/amusing anecdotes/heartfelt thanks etc. - I’m saving that for my final editorial

Onto what’s inside this issue and I’ve noticed a charity theme appear in six of our stories. Whilst five of these events have commendably raised a considerable amount of money for charity, one of them in particular (7 marathons in 7 countries in 7 days) raised a staggering £75,000. This is just incredible and shows what you can achieve if you really put your heart and soul into something.

I’ve been keeping myself pretty busy too, preparing for my next posting to RAF Marham, running the Chester marathon (Personal Best cost me a bruised second metatarsal) and I was very fortunate, in my RAF Active capacity, to participate in a motorbike track day at Silverstone. Since I absolutely adore motorbikes, this was a fantastic opportunity provided by Honda UK, who support the RAF Reserves motorbike race team. More of this story in the next issue, but to whet your appetite I recorded a video editorial whilst riding my bike around the circuit. You can see a the clip by using the adjacent QR code or access it via our RAF Active Facebook (FB) page (FB QR code below) - a huge thank you to Cpl ‘Gerry’ Gerrard at RAF High Wycombe for editing the footage. Whilst I’m on the subject of

the RAF Active FB page, it is a very easy way to keep the RAF Active community in contact. So, please help us to build this community by joining our FB group and posting comments, questions and feedback.

We also have to say thanks and goodbye to a few members of the RAF Active Team: Harriet Bowerman (What’s On) who has been a stalwart of this important feature of events/activities for 5 years and Dave Sweeney (Running/Athletics Sub-Ed) who is leaving the Service soon. This means we’ve been doing a bit of our own ‘cabinet reshuffle’ seeing Dave Hanson stepping into the Running/Athletics role thus leaving a vacancy in our What’s On feature. So, any self-motivated volunteers who are looking for a rewarding high profile secondary duty should make themselves known to the OIC. Many thanks to Matt Tope, who stepped into cover the Deputy Ed Role for this issue and providing me with some great editorial support.

November see’s the next big event for the RAF Active Team in the guise of our AGM swiftly followed by the RAF Sports Board Conference. It’s here that there will be the presentation of our RAF Active Article of the Year award. I’m really looking forward to seeing which stories make it to our judge’s short list from all the articles received in the last four editions, so good luck to everyone.

http://youtu.be/DQvhY650fBk

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It was at this point that I asked myself, “Whose big idea was this anyway?” and my mind raced back to a conversation with Paddy in the pub, about a year ago…

Paddy: “Fancy doing something challenging next year?”

Me: “Yeah why not, what are you thinking?”Paddy: “Something for charity, something

difficult, slightly unnerving and something I have no idea how to do.”

Me: (nervously at this point.) “Ok, go on.”Paddy: “How about kayaking the Channel.”Me: “The English channel?”Paddy: “Yeah.”Me: “….The busiest shipping lane in the

world?”Paddy: “Yeah.”Me: “But you don’t sea kayak; thinking

about it, you don’t kayak at all.”Paddy: “You do; and I’ll learn.”Me: “…Fair one; lets do it.”And that was the start of an 8-month

slog to train, gain experience, sponsorship and support for the Cross Channel Paddle 2012 in aid of Help for Heroes.

With a huge amount to organise we brought in a third team member from RAF Brize Norton, Mark Muddiman. Mark has a great deal of sea kayaking experience, so would be invaluable to the team; although I have paddled for the past 14 years, 99.9% of this has been on

CROSS CHANNEL CHALLENGE

By Flt Lt Mark Radbourne

After approx 22 miles the headland of Cap Gris Nez came into view. This was our finish line. We were now paddling into the tide and for the next 1.5 hrs that headland did not look any closer. We were making painfully slow progress. With one eye on the clock and a visible change in the weather to the west, we needed to get on. Heads down and some big efforts were needed…

flat water in sprint kayaks and not on the open ocean, where there are tides, waves, ships and things can get bad very quickly. Paddy on the other hand plays Rugby and was a total novice when it comes to kayaks. At 17st and 5’ 7’’ he is more at home in the front row than 15 miles out to sea.

RED TAPE AND FUNDING

So now we had a team, we needed to select a charity and start planning for the challenge.

Help for Heroes was the obvious choice; all three of us have connections to the Services. Mark and I are both RAF and although Paddy is a civilian, he grew up in an Army family and has a brother serving with 3 Commando Brigade.Organising the event proved to be more difficult than expected. We very quickly realised that simply pitching up at Dover on a sunny day and just cracking on to France was not going to happen. What we hadn’t anticipated, was the amount of red tape involved for an unorthodox crossing; permissions from UK and French authorities, insurance, registering with the small ships register and finding a certified escort boat were just a few. We

also needed equipment, transport and costs started to spiral. The escort was £1500 alone and we faced a heavy personal bill to uphold our pledge that 100% of donations go to charity. Our solution was to sell advertising space on our rash vests to cover costs. One hundred and twenty letters later and we had five sponsors. The Worshipful Company of Carmen, The Office Solutions Organisation and Norbar Torque Tools covered the escort boat costs, P&H Kayaks kindly donated equipment and JayJay Sports provided and printed our rash vests.

Mark and Muddy

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A LONG WINTER OF TRAINING

With a mix of ability and experience we trained weekly from Sept 11, this consisted of long distance inland sessions on the River Thames and Oxford Canal during winter and sea sessions as the weather improved.

By May 12, the whole team had gained a great deal of experience and our novice member was becoming a half decent paddler.

THE GREAT BRITISH WEATHER…

We set a window for week starting 11 Jun to do the crossing. This offered favourable tides and a shorter crossing of about 22 miles. Leave was booked, equipment ready and the escort boat prepped; however, the Great British weather had other ideas. High winds and rough sea conditions made the crossing impossible. With another batch of bad weather due the following week and ever increasing tides, things were looking bleak.

18TH JUN; LAST MINUTE CALL.

However, early on 18th Jun I got the call from our Escort Skipper. A break in the weather was forecast for 19th June and this was our only opportunity before another front rolled in. A quick call around the team and we were packed and heading down the M40 by 1300 that afternoon.

Arriving at Dover we were met by high winds and rough seas; we kept our fingers crossed for the next day.

THE CROSSING: SHAKESPEARE BEACH TO CAP GRIS NEZ.

Following a bad night’s sleep (our camp site was situated beside a railway line) we

woke at 0600 to blue skies, low winds and a very calm sea. A quick call to our skipper and the crossing was on.

We met the escort boat at 0700 and began to prepare our kit for the day ahead; by 0800 we were in the water at our starting point off Shakespeare Beach. Having never paddled significant distances from the shore (and with most of my Kayaking experience inland), the stretch of water in front of us looked daunting.

Big tides meant we would be paddling a lot further than the planned 22 miles, and with bad weather due later that day we knew we had a tight window to get across. With one eye on the clock we started to paddle. Setting a pace of 3-4 knots we aimed to be in France 7 hrs later.

Conditions were ideal; with 0.5m of swell and no breaking waves we made good progress for the first 2 hours. Surprisingly at 8 miles, the White Cliffs still loomed over us and there was no sight of France. We rafted up and had a 2 minute break.

It was shortly after this that we lost our novice team member. Despite a strong

start, the increasing swell and a few rough waves caught him off guard and he took a swim. The safety crew onboard our escort boat, pulled him out and that was the end of his day.

Now down to two, we pushed into the shipping lanes. We were now heading into the middle of the Channel and conditions were noticeably bigger. Sticking close to our safety boat we navigated between cargo ships, which approached us at a surprising pace. The bow waves towered over us and we could see them coming a long way off. The kayaks coped well as we popped over with no problems.

We had now paddled some 15 miles with the tide pushing us up the channel yet were still only half way across. Here we hit the sand bank; this stretch of shallow water throws up choppy conditions with breaking waves. Heads down and paddle through, no problems.

We could now see the French coast, a fuzzy line on the horizon. After 4 hours of near constant paddling, this gave us something to aim for, passing more cargo ships and breaking through their bow waves as we went.

“We were now heading into the midd le of the Channel and conditions were noticeably bigger. Sticking close to our safety boat we navigated between Cargo Ships, which approached us at a surprising pace. “

One of the many super tankers we had to avoid

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After approximately 22 miles the headland of Cap Gris Nez came into view. This was our finish line. We were now paddling into tide and for the next 1.5 hrs that headland did not look any closer. We were making painfully slow progress. With one eye on the clock and a visible change in the weather to the west, we needed to get on and some big efforts were needed.

After 6.5 hours we were finally in the shelter of the headland and thankfully our speed increased, we could see the beach

at Cap Gris Nez. Leaving our escort in deeper waters of the bay we went on alone, we were only minutes from our finish line and morale was high. After almost 7 hrs of constant paddling we paddled onto the beach to be met by a few seals and a surprised looking local with his dog.

After a quick photo and a much needed stretch of the legs, we paddled back out into the bay and our escort boat. Thankfully our route back to Dover would be much easier.

Mark and Muddy in close formation

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A huge thanks to all those who made donations, supported the event and to our corporate sponsors (OSO Buckingham, Norbar, P&H Kayaks, Worshipful Company of Carmen and JayJay Sports) who made the challenge possible.

The Cross Channel Paddle 2012 has raised £4500 for Help for Heroes. If you would like to donate please check out our page at www.justgiving.com/crosschannelpaddle2012.

Edited by Flt Lt Si Nelson-Kirby

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Each year in May the Royal Air Force Equestrian Team have the honour of competing in the Royal Windsor Horse Show, (RWHS). The show is run over four days in the grounds of Windsor Castle, and an entire morning is devoted to the Services Team Show Jumping where teams from the Royal Navy, Army, RAF, Police and school CCFs compete for Her Majesty’s Cup; presented by none other than Her Majesty the Queen.

A team consists of three members who each jump one round, incurring penalties for each pole knocked down, a refusal, circle and exceeding the time allowed. The twelve teams with the lowest number of penalties go forward to a second round, where one rider is chosen from each team to complete a round against the clock in front of Her Majesty. The team with the lowest total penalties from the two rounds is crowned the winner. Inbetween rounds there is a parade of all the teams in full uniform before the Queen; a great honour for all the competitors. RAF

team selection takes place at a training camp held 2 weeks prior to the RWHS. This training and selection is held by ex-Army instructor, show jumper, eventer and equine dentist James Arkley, who has an exceptional amount of experience in the show jumping world. This year the training was held at Vale View EC near Melton Mowbray. Owing to Op OLYMPIC and people struggling for time away from work we had just one day of training; James definitely had his work cut out to decide the final selection, especially when seeing some riders for the first time! This year’s event saw ten squad members making it to the training with nine riders then going forward as 3 teams to the RWHS.

It was a very bright and warm start to the day, which is always good when competing in full uniform outside! With the class starting at 0730 an early start was required to ensure that horses were fed and groomed, manes plaited, course walked, and riders ready. ‘C’ team

got off to an unfortunate start with Sqn Ldr Fieldhouse’s horse ‘Antrim’s Shadow’ choosing to sit down and refuse at the ‘bogey’ oxer that had been causing many problems all morning. This meant elimination. Sqn Ldr McCreary on ‘Colorado’ had a steady round but unfortunately incurred 12 faults, and last up was Sqn Ldr Randall riding ‘Dexter’, her talented five year old. This was the first big show he had been to; he behaved and jumped very well, but two poles down incurred eight faults. Thus ‘C’ team were eliminated but still had the parade to look forward to

by SAC M Humphries

Her Majesty the Queen enjoying the show

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later on in the day.‘A’ team got off to a good

start with Flt Lt Wroe riding her own experienced show jumper Little Chamonix, with just a pole down at the last incurring four faults. The next member to ride was Flt Lt Fleming jumping a steady clear round. I was the final member of ‘A’ team riding the experienced 15 year old Ufo who jumped well to produce a magnificent clear round. ‘A’ team finished on just 4 faults and were assured of a place in the jump off.

The ‘B’ Team unfortunately did not fare so well. First was Flt Lt Moore with her own talented six year old Montgomery Z. After only a very short time in partnership they put in a good effort and just had two fences down incurring eight faults. Second to jump for this team was Sqn Ldr Martin riding Cruise who put in a good performance with just one very unfortunate pole, scoring four faults, and last to go was Cpl Marshall riding Dino who incurred eight faults. There were a number of teams who finished on the same score but unfortunately a number of later teams finished on less than 20, meaning that the ‘B’ team were also unsuccessful.

By the afternoon, the sun

was very hot and the crowds had built up so much that all the stands were full; there was little standing room at the sides. This made us nervous about jumping again! The tension was amazing, all the teams including our own had paraded in front of Her Majesty, and then it was time for the jump-off! I (currently in 3rd place and selected for the jump-off) had gone to walk the course while Wg Cdr Elson had the job of trying to calm Ufo down as he had got a little worked up. by the parade. We decided just to go for it, looking for a speedy clear round that could push us up to second or first place as the teams sitting in those positions only had one pole in hand!

As I trotted into the ring to see the crowds and Her Majesty, Ufo didn’t want to stand for the salute as he was very worked up. We were confident he could jump a fast clear round - and that’s exactly what he did! We had the fastest jump off time out of all 12 teams to stay on a score of four faults. It was an amazing feeling to jump round

and hear the crowds clapping and cheering as I cleared the last fence – it really did make all the training worthwhile.

The team lying in second had a couple of fences down so we were now in second place. A member from the Household Cavalry Mounted Regiment was last to go with a zero score from the first round - a pole down and a slower jump off time than me and we would be the overall winners of the class. It wasn’t to be as he went clear so we finished in second place. As the highest placed non-mounted unit, the RAF ‘A’ team were winners of the Queen’s Plate (it also meant we won a Land Rover rug!) Ufo decided not to stand still and was doing his rearing circus act on the side, unfortunately, I never got to meet Her Majesty, but Flt Lts Wroe and Fleming were presented with the Queen’s Plate and various rosettes. It was an amazing experience for us all and a day the team is unlikely to forget.


“The tension was amazing, all the teams including our own had paraded in front of Her Majesty, and then it was time for the jump-off!”

SAC Humphries during her final round

Flt Lt Wroe flying high in the sunshine

The RAF A Team with their prizes by the river at Windsor

Sqn Ldr Martin kicks up some sand Flt Lt Moore in action

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Any Ironman is an arduous and robust endurance triathlon event. Ironman Nice in the summer heat of the South of France is a good one; for 6 RAF PTIs, failure was NOT an option! With backgrounds in football, rugby and javelin, were we even suited to triathlon? There were certainly some trials and tribulations along what turned out to be quite a journey…

The idea started after a few drinks in the Junior Ranks Bar one Saturday evening in September. Wind the clock forward to early on a bitterly cold Sunday morning in January and we found ourselves in Rochdale. We were there to start our training by taking part in an organised 70-mile road bike race across the Pennines. With 4 inches of snow on the ground and an altered course it was a big wake-up call. Typically we dived in with enthusiasm and confidence - but was this confidence misplaced? As we cycled wearily over Crag Vale Hill (the longest continuous climb in England), we resigned ourselves to frozen hands and numb feet. HOW was this even relevant to an event in the sub-tropical south of France!? We needed some sort of proper plan.

We could all run, and swim a bit, so we concentrated initially on getting better on the bike. As the largest constituent of the event it made sense. In Ironman the 2.4 mile swim is followed by a 112 mile bike, then a marathon.

We consolidated our

training and came up with a plan involving all 3 disciplines. Useful - but we were left feeling that this Ironman was NOT going to be that easy. Tom summed it up well during one of the harder and longer climbs. He leant over to me and said, “So Si, how much are you putting your bike on eBay for tomorrow?”

Tempting… Our team comprised RAF

Shawbury PTIs Cpls Liam Salt, Chris Duffy, Tom Healing and Simon Williams, with Cpl Mike Jones from the Outreach team at AFCO Liverpool, plus RAF Cosford PTI Cpl Olly Dunk. The team were raising funds for the RAF Shawbury and DHFS charity of the year (SSAFA) and for Tushinde Children’s Charity. Tushinde provides schooling and support to children in the slum towns of the Kenyan capital, Nairobi.

This was a powerful motivator throughout both the months of prep, and the day itself.

Some fairly cheeky road miles followed over the next few months, often on hills, often in Wales or northern England. The Cheshire Cat, the Motion in Mercia and the

by Cpl Si Williams

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Liam Salt

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Not so nice!Wild Edric were all either hilly or long or both. Most rides would be between 80-110 miles. We would also ride to work, ride at lunchtimes and even conduct spinning classes; on one occasion even a 24-hour charity spinathon!

Our swimming was the next challenge. Undertaken in indoor pools over the winter, the first exposure to outdoor swimming was bitingly cold. The Mere at Ellesmere was cold, dank and murky – the open sea off the coast of the Lleyn Peninsula in Wales was just painful. Especially in sleeveless wetsuits.

We were confident about running, but less confident about running a marathon. Keen to get this particular ‘monkey off our backs’ we entered a reasonably flat Greater Manchester Marathon, reasoning that the end of April would be balmy. Wrong again. Winds gusting to 50mph, 5 degrees and driving rain made the event extremely testing. The spinathon 3 days earlier did not help either…

Our training programme culminated with a blustery, cold training weekend in north Wales 8 weeks from the event itself. Cold temperatures, punctures, poor weather and mechanical breakdowns initially made us think it was a failure - but in many ways we learnt so much.

For example, we all recognised the fact that although we may be getting physically fitter, our admin needed sorting out. A mad rush ensued to get our bikes through a major service, sort out bike fitting, change our tyres from the bike manufacturers’ standard issue to those more durable and of better quality, which are easier to remove in a hurry. Luckily we had Sgt Stick Ballard, who is effectively Yoda with

anything cycling. He showed us how to repair bikes, index gears and to lube a chain properly; straightforward things that we had been ignorant of up to that point. His wife Wendy is a dietician and jumped in to help us by providing diet plans for the build-up, race and for post-race recovery.

So, bike training, swim training, run training, bike servicing, nutrition….tick.

Into the last eight weeks we were feeling OK, but nerves increased as the days counted down, and ‘tapering’ (where you increase the quality but decrease the quantity of training), left us feeling increasingly anxious that we were losing fitness and piling on pounds.

Seven days out we received a race brief and our numbers – this was getting real! With two days to go we nervously watched our bike boxes disappear into the hands of the airport baggage handlers, thinking that we just wanted to get on with it. Unfortunately we arrived on the day of the Fete De Musique, the only day of the year when anyone in Nice can make as much noise as they want until 3am. Although it was a fantastic experience, it did nothing to help us prepare for the 7am swimming session planned for the following morning!

Preparation is key, and the lads spent a decent interval acclimatising on the beach in

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Si Williams still smiling

Liam Salt enjoying a hill climb!

Tom Healing in the transition area

Liam Salt at the finish

Nice. The next morning was the big one! So followed an awkward night of tossing and turning, constantly looking at the clock to see whether it was time to get up, only to find it was still just gone mid-night. Through the night we all felt a little sick, and we all woke up constantly. All of us were nervous, which hadn’t been helped by the discovery the previous evening that many competitors were letting air out of their tyres due to the heat, then would re-inflate them the next morning. Why? When? How much. We had not trained in the heat – what else had we missed? We did not sleep well.

Suddenly it was 4 am and we were woken by the strangely catchy ‘Yodelling Songs of the Swiss Alps’ from our ipod resounding through the apartment.

Very soon we were walking down to the beach and the start area ready to re-inflate our tyres and don wetsuits. Transition preparation can take forever. The nerves began to really kick in when, in the gloom of the approaching dawn, we were confronted by thousands of other competitors looking extremely fit, lean and confident, with bikes that seemed so much better than ours. As the sun began to rise we started to make out the marker-buoys out to sea. The race would be starting with a big loop of 2.4km, followed by a shorter loop of 1.4 km. As

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our natural rhythm, following currents and trails from the mass of swimmers in front. The day passed in a blur of sea swimming, transition, a long, lumpy bike ride, eating, drinking, running….and more running. The largest ascent of the bike race was hard – but amply rewarded by the long descent; it felt like 20 miles without having to turn the pedals!

We didn’t really notice the heat on the bike as the wind had cooled us, but we were aware of the full 30 degrees on the run! It was taking its toll on the competitors – as we collected wrist bands for

the buoys came into view, we all remarked that it seemed a long way! Then it was pointed out that they were the closer, shorter buoys. The others were even further away, behind them!

A melee ensued at the start line 2500 swimmers crammed into 50 metres of beach. It was chaos! The DJ counted down, the crowd cheered, the tension mounted…. It was a fight for survival. Divers were ready below the surface in case anyone was knocked out, and there was little idea as to which way was up or down. It all settled down fairly soon, and we found

The mass swim start - chaos!


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through the finish line. Each of us admitted to being a tad emotional at or near the finish line – not a reflection of ‘going soft’ or needing to ‘man-up’, but rather a reflection of the sheer effort that had gone into the last 7 months. Times will be forgotten – but that pride in finishing can never be taken away.

The event raised £3100. The team were all ultimately successful in the event and well within the 17 hour cut-off. Cpl Liam Salt came in first in 11:21. He was followed by Cpl Chris Duffy (12:30), Cpl Tom Healing (12:46), Cpl Mike Jones (13:20), Cpl Olly Dunk 13:45) and Cpl Si Williams (14:15). The team were assisted with kit from SSAFA, Sunglasses from Foster Grant and help towards their costs from the RAF Sports Lottery. Three of the team got IM tattoos – and are not discounting undertaking another Ironman!

Edited by Sqn Ldr Matt Top

each lap of the marathon, you would gauge how many bands other competitors, and more keenly, your team-mates, had displayed on their arm. Everyone seemed to have more than we did.

As the race progressed, there were a lot of casualties from stomach cramps, dehydration, D and V, or ‘just’ fatigue. One competitor was being defibrillated! This was more serious than we thought – and harder. We tried to maintain our nutrition plans, but as fatigue mounted, concentration wavered. Sheer guts and determination were required, especially in the last couple of hours.

Eventually, all 6 of us were across the finish line, and the times we achieved are less important than the pride we have in ourselves, and each other, at becoming ‘Ironmen’. Although there was a spread of 3 hours between the first of us and the last, we were all there to cheer each other

We are now officially Ironmen

The complete team


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LADIES IN TOW

Due to the hard work and coordination

of FS Gareth Davies, the RAF held an

RAF Championships Tug Of War (TOW)

event at DCAE Cosford on 20 Jun 12,

and an Inter-Services event at RAF High

Wycombe a month later. Not only were

these successful events, but Service

history was made as the RAF entered a

Ladies TOW team in the Inter-Services

for the first time!

For a number of years the RAF have not convincingly competed in an Inter-Services TOW event. The Army have dominated the sport and were thirsty for some good

competition. Flt Lt Colleen Brown was tasked with corralling ladies to make a TOW team. This is their story……

I had a nucleus of 4 ladies who were willing to give it another go after the RAF Champs. I needed to confirm 8 ladies for training and the competition, using the resources I had ( ie the only friends I had in my phonebook) I managed to get the names I needed. Fairly swiftly, FS Davies confirmed with the Army Coach that the competition was on.

The majority of the team were novice; Sgt Jennifer Harrison had the most experience of us all, she had coached the men’s team, and had competed in charity events. I had watched the sport for a few years and pulled for the Army team at the Herts County Fair in 2011. Fg Off Katy Steed had coached the Army’s Int Corps team, in a previous life. The rest of the ladies were… ‘roped in’. Pardon the pun.

On the 3 Jul we met at RAF High Wycombe, set up the competition area, and started training. We had to learn the basics and pretty much start from scratch. We had the privilege to be trained by the Combined Services Coach, SSgt Chris Orr, and the now-longest-serving puller in the military, Chief Tech (Taff) Edwards. We had a nervous start to training as the hype of the event became clear; our presence had generated interest from the Stn Cdr, the President of the Sports Board, the Army team, and the Stn Photographer! We had a lesson on etiquette (hand shakes, no swearing, and three cheers for the other team) and with practice we mastered the skill of dropping in unison when the judge signalled to pull. The day’s training complete we were sent back to rest, eat, and complain about our “visible bruises.”

The combined weight of the team was ideal but Cpl Lyndsay Roberts had an establishment in mind that was known for enormous cheesecake (good ballast!). We spent the evening discussing tactics; we had the confidence that we would surprise them with our ‘drop’ and that our RAF stubbornness would see us through the rest. Failing that, we would distract them with ‘girlie like’ behaviour (“OMG it’s like a proper rope and everything” gasped Cpl Caz Froggatt).

On the day of the competition we nervously waited for the Army ladies to arrive and, like a scene from the movie Dodgeball, the lights dimmed, intimidating music played, and a spotlight focused our eyes on the enemy. They wore matching Lycra leotards and performed acrobatics into the hall. Slight exaggeration aside, the ladies arrived and we realised they had the height and weight advantage that we had feared. Whatever the result, we knew that the Army ladies were glad of the competition; they had recently held their Army Champs and this was a mix of the successful pullers.

The gents pulled first in the 600 Kg event and the Army ‘A’ team won. It was decided that we would pull in a catch weight (no weight limit). Flt Lt Jane Brocklebank was our coach and we went into the arena.

“PICK UP THE ROPE, TAKE THE STRAIN, STEADY…..PULL!”We surprised the Army girls with our ‘drop’ and made the most of that advantage. We started to pull them in. They dug in and so did we. Ten seconds on the rope felt like an hour. The Army

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By Flt Lt Colleen Brown


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LADIES IN TOW

THE LADIES TEAM WERE:

Flt Lt Jane Brocklebank, Admin

Flt Lt Colleen Brown, RAFP

Flt Lt Sarah Carrigan, RAFP

Fg Off Katy Steed, RAFP

Sgt Jennifer Harrison, A TECH M

Cpl Caz Froggatt, Caterer

Cpl Lyndsay Roberts, RAFP

SAC Emily Burns, Trg Nurse

SAC Pauline Short, Admin

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girls got themselves in unison and started to pull us forward. Being No1, I could see the line coming closer but the strength of the girls behind, and the shouts of “dig in, dig in”, resulted in us having one of the longest ends of the competition. Not even the pouring rain could dampen the enthusiasm and we displayed the RAF stubbornness we’d discussed the day before. In the end the Army had the skill that made all the difference and they took the gold. Although we wanted to make history by winning, we were not disappointed by our efforts. We were pleased that we had given them a challenge and overwhelmingly we were thirsty for more.

A successful event thanks to FS Davies, Taff, and all of the ladies and gents involved.We are looking to formalise our team and

recruit more. We intend to apply to the Sports Board for partial funding for kit and get TOW into RAF Stations, through the CO’s Cup, funs days, etc. Some of us are joining local civilian teams to train, and all of us have the determination to win next year.

If you would like to get involved, ladies or gents, please contact me at RAF Henlow (95371 7425) [email protected]. The outdoor season is coming to a close but with a little training and a lot of determination we firmly believe we can credibly compete in next year’s season.

Edited by Sqn Ldr Matt Tope

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ACTIVE8Flt Lt Steve Puckering is responsible for recruiting and training new talent for the Ski Team, seeking out skiers of levels of all experience and giving them the chance to have a go, see if they like it and if they do, guide and develop them as ski racers in the Development Squad.

1. Why do we have a Ski Team?The best way to explain is to look at our priorities. First and foremost we are competitors in the sport of ski racing so we want to train and select the best possible team to challenge the Army and the Navy at the

RAF Active profiles the RAF Ski Team Development Coach, Flt Lt Steve Puckering

“Athletes can hit jumps at 50 mph flying 50 metres through the air and, when back on the hill,

reach speeds of 70 mph. This shouldn’t be taken lightly but with the right training and attitude this

unrivalled experience is accessible to any keen skier.”

Inter-Services. By promoting ski racing in the RAF and beyond we hope that the benefits to leadership, initiative and physical fitness are more widely recognised. People are working harder than ever in their day jobs so in their precious down-time they want an exciting, enjoyable and rewarding recreational activity and ski racing ticks all those boxes.

2. Why are you involved in ski racing?Having been a racer as a junior, I am extremely passionate about ski racing and the RAF has given me the

opportunity to stay involved with ski racing. It’s an exciting sport that requires skill and dedication to ski fast and aggressively in challenging environments. As a coach, I find it really rewarding to be able to promote this exciting sport and develop the skills of new athletes. There are few organisations outside the RAF that offer the opportunity to take part in ski racing at such a high level. You simply cannot race down a dedicated piste at speeds up to 70 mph without significant cost and being part of a national level team but the RAF offers this opportunity to its people.

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ACTIVE8

3. What level of fitness is required?Fitness is critical as an athlete or coach. Our training regime works on cardio-vascular fitness by including activities like cycling, running and swimming and also strength conditioning in the gym. We have developed specially tailored programmes for the athletes, working with PTIs and Remedial Instructors to ensure that they reach their peak physical condition for the ski-racing season.

4. What are the greatest challenges?Probably the greatest challenge to our ski racers is keeping fit and injury free to make it through the season and compete on the world-class race pistes of the Inter-Services and British Championships. Personally, I have faced many challenges during my career as a coach, but probably the biggest has been sustaining a severe knee injury on Op HERRICK in 2009. After medevac and two operations it took me two years to recover to full fitness and resume my coaching duties.

5. Isn’t it just like one long skiing holiday?Most people’s experience of skiing is an enjoyable holiday in the mountains but becoming involved in ski racing allows you to take skiing to the next level. You get the opportunity to spend time in the amazing alpine environment but also challenge yourself physically and mentally on a daily basis. Ski racing is addictive; the excitement of racing down a mountain, the challenge of going faster and improving your times and the competition against your teammates and other teams all lead to an experience that just leaves you wanting more.

6. Is it a team or individual sport?We have to work together as a really close-knit team if we want to be successful. By sharing fears or breakthroughs in skiing technique and helping with the hard work of training, strong bonds develop and you feel the same kind of camaraderie that you feel in a unit on Ops. There are times when you have to stand on your own as an individual though, and during the race you only have yourself and your skills to get you down the mountain as fast as possible.

7. What is the most exciting thing about ski racing?There are many aspects of ski racing that are exciting but there is one occasion when you always reach a peak of excitement and that is when you line up in the start gate. Your heart is pounding, you adjust your equipment for the final time and you see the start referee calling you forward. You hear the beeps of

the timing equipment and the pit of your stomach churns but all the time you have spent training is for this moment and as you power out of the gate you have only one aim - to ski as fast as you can down the mountain in front of you.

8. How can somebody get involved in RAF ski racing?The Ski Team is always looking for new talent. We welcome keen skiers from all walks of life and with any level of experience, from a few weeks of holiday skiing to experienced racers. We run two training camps during the year and the starting point for most new athletes is the Summer Camp during July on the glacier in Tignes, France. We give potential athletes the opportunity to try racing on this Camp to see if they like it and train them in the basic skills they will need to join our Development Squad. With the right amount of energy and commitment I strongly believe that any skier could make it to the Team and represent the RAF at the Inter-Services. The training journey to the Team can be a long one but you could look no further for inspiration than the current men’s captain, SAC Gary Smith, who joined the system as an enthusiastic skier with only a couple of weeks experience on skis.

If you would like to get involved in ski racing the first step would be to make contact with me or the Team Manager, Squadron Leader Bruno Wood.

Flt Lt Steve Puckering, RAF Ski Team Development Coach ([email protected])Sqn Ldr Bruno Wood, RAF Ski Team Manager ([email protected])

Steve Puckering and Bruno Wood

Steve Puckering


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If someone asked me, “What was the hardest part of the challenge?” I’d have to say, in one word, Belgium. It was the most miserable day and running along 26-miles of seemingly never ending coastline from Oostende to Nieuwpoort was the most mentally challenging. My brother and I hardly spoke to each other and I just focused on the horrible pains in my legs; the bizarre thing was the pain constantly moved from knees to shins to ankles. Fortunately, this was the only real major low point of the whole challenge and what an adventure it was!

My brother Alex and I have been involved with the 5th Dartford Scouts since we were both toddlers, our father was the Group Scout Leader for more than 20 years. After he passed away in 2009, we decided to help fundraise for the Scout group, spearheading the effort for a new hall. To raise enough money we both agreed that the challenge would have to be something pretty outrageous to make people curious. We agreed on a Marathon Challenge that would take place over seven consecutive days and run across seven European countries. Our team was to be sel-sufficient and consisted of four people. Two runners, me (an RAF Engineer) and my brother Alex (an Army Officer), a support cyclist (a lift fitter from Dartford), and a driver (an IT specialist). The plan was to run all marathons at a 10-minute mile pace allowing us to maintain a decent marathon time as the inevitable fatigue set in. In order to fully prepare our bodies for this endurance event we undertook an unorthodox training plan, with the first two-months spent mainly on the indoor rowing machine (to avoid injury & fatigue). Then the last month was all about core fitness and running.Day 1 - Prague. 0430hrs and I was getting into my running kit, whilst shaking the others out of bed, not at all in the mood to be banging out a marathon. Outside it was pitch black, misty and around freezing, not the Prague I was expecting. An hour into the run and we were still on the cobbled streets of Prague’s river tow path and my ankles were sore from constantly rolling over and to make matters worse I had pins and needles in my hands from the cold. I dug in choosing to ignore the irritations. We arrived back at the hotel 4 hours and 38 minutes later after dealing with the frustrating route on cobbled streets, five dead ends and a wrong turn onto an island where the support rider (Matt) was misplaced. Despite this we were all in high spirits and a short time later we found ourselves wedged into the back of a car arriving 6 hours later in Slovakia.Day 2 - Slovakia. 04:30 and this time with an effort I opened my eyes. After a quick look round Alex stated the opposite of what I was thinking, “Are we good to go?” It was clear that we were exhausted with the

7 marathons in 7 countries in 7 days

travelling and lack of sleep; had we completely underestimated the effects of travelling and fatigue? With only one hour’s travel time to Vienna for the next marathon it was quickly decided that we would delay the start to 09:00. As we stepped into something that represented a run, we both limped along forcing the blood to move around our legs. In an effort to get our legs loosened up we went through a repeated cycle of stooping to touch the ground before sprinting for 10 metres then back to a jog, much to the amusement of our support crew. The route along the edge of the River Danube was a much more pleasant experience compared to the ankle breaking cobbles of Prague; we were actually surprised we felt relatively comfortable. The route offered some amazing sights taking the edge off a growing psychological battle. We were happy to get a time of 4 hours 19 mins, 21 mins faster than the previous day.Day 3 - Austria. 0730hrs and we were up packing the car ready for the dash to the Austrian border. Conscious of the large travelling distance between Vienna and Bergen we chose to run the Austrian marathon along the banks of the River Inn, the natural border between Austria and Germany. This meant a 3-hour drive to the start line then a further 9-hour drive to Bergan, Germany. The Austrian marathon was thoroughly miserable. Although a stunning route with castles, churches and a mountain railway, from mile 12 I hit my first serious wall of pain. I was pretty despondent and to be honest I could not have been any less interested in the scenery. Without the help of Matt’s constant supply of nuts, jellies, mars bars and quick witty chat it could have been a different story

By Flt Lt Mal Medcalf

The final marathon and the initial loop of London

Getting into our stride in Slovakia

The worst day in Belgium

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7 marathons in 7 countries in 7 days

The worst day in Belgium

Off around the docks to Dunkirk

Trying to shake out the legs in Slovakia

Quotes from

the survivors

of Belsen

concentration

camp

The early morning mist in Prague

Great scenery, which didn’t quite take my mind off the running

but we finished in 4 hours 12 mins. Nearly half way!Day 4 - Germany. We arrived in Bergen at 03:00hrs and after a quick shower, post marathon, retired to bed. By this stage, neither of us was keen to run, but both realized that the sooner we started the sooner we would finish. We were quickly finding the first 3 miles of each marathon were always the worst. Our route followed the walk that the Jewish communities made on their arrival at Bergen rail head to Belsen Concentration Camp. Quotes from survivors were marked on the pavement along the route, unsurprisingly these helped put into perspective

our relatively small and very temporary suffering. We both found this run was much easier than the last in Austria; unconsciously we were beginning to accept the pain. As we passed the 21 mile point I looked over to my brother saying, ‘I’ve had enough for the day! Let’s just get this done now mate!’ We both promptly picked up the pace. 4 hours 33 mins, happy with that!Day 5 - Belgium. Quite simply the hardest day began with a 6-hour drive from Germany to Belgium. During this leg we hardly spoke to each other and there were only a few times that we ran together; preferring to focus on individual thoughts, that seemed to be largely based around the pains in our joints and legs. I can honestly say I have never felt such slow progress and I must admit that we had to stop to ‘get a grip of ourselves’ on several occasions. We finished in 4 hrs 42 mins, both agreeing it was good to get this one done and move on to France.Day 6 - France. After enjoying a traditional French breakfast we moved to the Town Hall to meet the Mayor and the local councillor. The Gravelines’ Scout Group were excellent hosts, and arrange for local media to be at the start of the marathon. Scouts and leaders from the 5th Dartford Scout Group had also made the journey across the channel to run the 6th leg. The car escorting us out of the town set off at an epic pace. After a few miles we again settled into a lumbering stride and headed off around the docks towards Dunkirk. The Scout Leaders running with us provided a welcome relief and change of conversation. The scouts who met us in France really kept us mentally strong, allowing us a different focus, away from the monotonous pain and the sheer boredom. Finishing under the castle gates after 4 hr 17 mins running, we bid France a quick farewell and headed directly for the tunnel, England, home and the final leg.Day 7 - England. We arrived at the start line in Trafalgar Square to be greeted by a wealth of supporters, which lifted our morale. For the initial loop of the city we were accompanied by members of the 5th Scouts who set off at a brisk 8 minute mile pace! Leaving our scout escort we continued across to the South Bank and through Docklands. During this section I hit a big lull only able to think of the pain ebbing up my legs. In Greenwich Park we were met by close friends, runners and support cyclists whose support was essential as we pushed on up the steep climb of Shooters Hill. Entering Welling, the 20 mile point, we were cheered on by groups of supporters who stopped traffic enabling us to pass unhindered. As we descended the final hill into Dartford the pace increased again, we knew the final stretch was ahead! On entering Central Park we headed for the bandstand and the finish line. As we saw the welcoming party our hearts were lifted. I can honestly say I have never had such a mix of emotions seeing my family among the supporters. Time 4 hrs 59 mins.We did it and completed 7 Marathons in 7 Countries in 7 Days (a gruelling 182 mile challenge). There were quite a few injuries of note including, shin splints, ankle ligament damage and potential deep vein thrombosis. I lost two-stone and had to take quite a few weeks off training, but more importantly, Alex and I helped to raise over £75,000 for the Scout Group and a huge thank you to everyone who has supported us. For further info and details on how to make a donation please visit http://www.5thdartfordscouts.org.uk/?page_id=47 and scroll down to the bottom of the page where there is a Virgin Money link.


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The Games really started for me in February 2012 with official notification that I was included as a technical official. Over 450 people world-wide applied to be triathlon Technical Officials; from the 75 UK applicants only 10 were selected. To make matters interesting I was due to be at the World Long Distance Championships in Victoria-Gastiez, Spain as an Assistant Delegate only 7 days prior to the Olympics Triathlon events commencing!

LONDON 2012by Flt Lt Mike Masters

Whilst the whole nation was gripped with Olympic fever over the opening days, I was flying to Bilbao to the join the team with whom I had been in regular contact with over the last 8 months. Time zone differences, language barriers, technical issues and distance complicated things in the run-up; thank goodness for Skype!

Flying back on the Monday still fatigued from the event I returned to Brize for a quick turn around of kit before heading to London to pick up my Olympic uniform and join up with the 42 Technical Officials

who had converged in Kensington for the event. Collecting the uniform was an experience in itself. Stuck in traffic, we turned up late; the volunteers stayed late to kit us out. The photos reveal that the 1950s are still fashionable…..

We started work on what was Day 4 of the Olympics. There are many special things about the Olympics which make it hard and demanding; one of these is Rule 50; branding guidelines. The Olympics has very strict branding guidelines and if they are broken the athletes, coaches, officials and volunteers can be removed from the venues and prevented from taking part. It was not glamorous but my first couple of days were spent checking kit, uniform, bikes and athletes and photographing and measuring everything. Twice.

On the flip side the athletes were fantastic. Former Olympic Champions joked around and played up. Simon Whitfield, CAN (Gold, Sydney 2000 and Silver Beijing 2008) was the main culprit with Chris Gemmell (NZL/ Athletes Ambassador) just as playful. The big stars from GBR stayed away from the pre-events as much as possible, for fear of being swamped by autograph hunters. Throughout the first week many famous people passed through the small village at Hyde Park. Daley Thompson, Matthew Pinsent, Steve Redgrave, Seb Coe and even the regimental goat from the Welsh Guards, who were looking after the security of the site.

On race day my roles were simple; - Register all 55 athletes and ensure

all their kit complied with the Olympic branding guidelines.

Mike in RAF Triathlon colours

Mike competing in a triathlon

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”

”

London 2012 will not be just another Games. It will be memorable, it will

inspire a generation to choose sport and leave a lasting legacy for London, UK and the world. The Games will be hard work for everyone involved but also hugely rewarding. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity.

Lord Seb Coe,

Singapore, 6 Jul 2005

‘‘

LONDON 2012- As a Start line Official march on with the

other delegates and position the athletes correctly.

- Watch the race on TV and report any incidents or infringements that might have been missed. One of the main infringements from the female race was Paula Findley (CAN), a pre-race favourite for a medal. For anyone not in the know, the first rule of Triathlon is not to touch your bike before putting your helmet on. Then there was the most talked about incident of the Olympic Triathlon, Johnny Brownlee mounting his bike fractionally before the transition line - breaking the second rule of Triathlon! The multi-national team were worried for the entire race that the decision we made would have an impact on the final results. In the footage it is clear to see that he is still inside the transition area when he mounts his bike. Afterwards, Johnny would show understanding and support of the penalty after watching the footage, which also caught another athlete doing the same thing a few seconds later. Both athletes were awarded 15 second penalties to be served in the penalty box on the 10km run.

- Collect the third-placed athlete after the race and escort him to the presentation room and medal presentation, then escort him through the chaos of TV cameras and reporters to dope-testing. All the time I

had to be aware of what the athlete was eating and drinking and who it came from….

It was exciting to be working so closely with the athletes, a friendly group of people who oozed confidence. In the final kilometre of the womens’ race there were 4 athletes tightly bunched with GB’s Helen Jenkins just dropping off. As the athletes entered into the final 100m 2 athletes alternated the lead before both crossing the line at the same time. No matter which camera you see it from you see a different winner. Only by enlarging the photo finish do you see how close it was; 15mm was the official measurement! Little would anyone know that shortly after the race the Swedish government would appeal against the decision and ask for a joint gold, only to be turned down by the Court of Arbitration.

The Mens’ race was the one everyone was anticipating. Ali and Johnny Brownlee were hot favourites for a first and second finish, and the race did not disappoint. From the moment we marched out onto

the pontoon the atmosphere was charged. The crowd, 5 deep for the ladies race was 10 deep today. People were chanting and the athletes were nervous. Even Simon Whitfield, the double Olympic medallist, said the atmosphere was greater than the 4 other Olympics he had been to. Then they were off, and I was heading into the TV suite to watch the race on 9 different screens. I was disappointed to see Simon Whitfield crash out and be taken away to hospital. Soon the athletes were running and only 3 names were ever in contention; Brownlee, Brownlee and Gomez. No one was expecting that sort of pace; Alistair Brownlee only 90 secs behind Mo Farrah’s gold medal 10km time after swimming

1.5km and cycling 40km. He is hoping to enter both the 10km race and the triathlon events in 4 years’ time in Rio….! Collecting Johnny after the race and chaperoning him through to the presentation, he took a turn and collapsed with exhaustion. Only 40 minutes later he was accepting a medal and brushing it off as part of the job.

My proudest moment from the games was the final presentation. Every athlete and official is presented with a medal to commemorate their involvement in a once in a lifetime opportunity. Whilst the memories might fade over time, the medal will act a constant reminder of what I had achieved in 8 years and where my travels had taken me.

Hard work? Certainly. Rewarding? Definitely……


Mike’s Olympic commemorative medal

Mike competing in a triathlon

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DUNC’SBy Duncan Charles part two

So Batman and Robin now took on the Sherwood Forest 10k (plus!) Multi-terrain Night Run. Bizarrely

joined by ‘Catwoman’ for this race we were now a Dynamic Trio! A sizeable field gathered to make merry in Sherwood. This course presented some strange and unique obstacles, namely the ‘Spooky Wood’ and the ‘Ooze Pool’ not to mention the ‘Slippy Slope’. Nearly 400 merry men and maids crossed the finish line and swiftly tried to clean off the oozing mud and re-hydrate themselves in the post-race party tent. The bucket collections of the Notorious Night Runs raised £437.78 and a massive thanks to all the Night runners and Rat Race Crew for their donations.

A sunny, warm but windy day dawned for our first handicap chase; the Haughmond Handicap Chase 9-miler. Each runner was allocated a start time with the slower runners leaving first, the idea being that we would all finish together. At times, due to the staggered start it felt like I was running by myself but I came in at 1:16:26 with my wife Tracy coming not too far behind in 1:32:49.

The scenic Forest of Dean hosted the next race; a little windy but reasonably sunny. I am proud to say that this was the scene of my first ever sub-50 minute 10km; any runners amongst you will recognise this as a significant milestone!

Injury crisis! The left knee finally called time on my running. As a sports therapist I had to take my own advice and REST! With 8 weeks to the next event, the Adidas 24 hour Thunder Run it was touch and go. Eventually the crisis was resolved and we entered 2 teams of 8. The weekend weather was fantastic; brilliant clear blue skies and a burning sun! If anything it was too hot, but running through the night brought cooling relief. Our teams completed 24 laps and 23 laps respectively in an average time of 56 mins.

Race 10 was a deviation from the norm. One of the ever-popular Mens’ Health, Survival of the Fittest; 10km

plus 10 obstacles. Why are so many of these events billed as 10k and then on the day you find it’s actually 12k? My new running partner for this latest ‘assault’ was my new son-in-law who found it all very misleading. The idea is to run 10km (or 12!) with a major obstacle every 1k or so. The obstacles varied from giant hay bale steps, Army style assault courses, traversing a lake without a boat to running up and down the stands in the Nottingham Forest ground. The final obstacle was a 10-foot high wall! Needless to say we both completed the course finishing wet, dirty and very tired ….but “Survivors”!

The last 2 races are collectively known as the Lakeland trails ‘Dirty Double’.

I offered my wife a ‘dirty’ weekend in Ullswater and delayed telling her about the races, in particular the profile of the particularly demanding Fell runs. The Helvellyn 15km Trail Race on the Saturday

"Twelve races completed and approximately 190k run climbed, crawled waded and in some places swum..."

At the finish of the ‘Survivor’ Duncan and Pete ‘Trigger’ Guard at the Blymill 10K

3333

was followed by the Ullswater 14km Trail Race. Glorious clear blue skies with brilliant sunshine, coupled with the amazing views made both runs breathtaking and extremely enjoyable, although the steep mountain tracks also took their toll! I can think of no better way to end this 12 in 2011 challenge. Both runs were comfortably completed and allowed us to take in the views at a leisurely pace. All that was left was to retire to the pub for a well-earned drink and celebratory meal.

So there you have it, Dunc’s Dirty Dozen. Twelve races completed and approximately 190k run, climbed, crawled, waded and in some places swum. A Personal Best, a 1st Vets place, and lots of memories. I’m still collecting sponsorship and have passed my target of £2400; it would be nice to reach £3,000!…

I’m not sure if family, friends and colleagues will join me next year!? Thanks to Tracy, Paul, Stefan and the Just Run It teams from Cosford and massive thanks to my dynamic partner Bat Man, better known as Pete ‘Trigger’ Guard. My thanks to each person that has sponsored me, Brian Blakemore who got my online account off to a flying start, Lye Town FC and Shifnal Town FC. My son-in-law, Stefan for a large and generous donation and I’m sure he’ll never forget Nottingham. The RAF Weapons Technicians down on the Falkland Islands, who donated over £720, bless you all. The list could go on forever and if I’ve not mentioned you, I’m sorry; each and every donation is greatly appreciated.


Batman and Robin at the ‘Deerstalker’

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TANDEM TRIBUTE: Remembering Ant Downing

across the USA. Suddenly, in August, I had the

opportunity to get on and do the ride. I’d assembled some maps and the extra bits of kit I would need, but I hadn’t planned the ride in any detail and there was no time to work out a route. Like Ant, I would travel alone, light and unsupported, staying mainly in hostels. I took shorts, a t-shirt and sandals for the evenings, and carried a spare set of cycling gear, a lightweight shell jacket, a puncture repair and tool kit, a small wash kit, a lightweight towel, sun cream and first aid kit. I spent my spare moments over the next three days trying to figure out how to squeeze this into a rackpack and handlebar bag (a combined total

of 18 litres). My husband drove me from Shrivenham

to Lands End, and we sat in the car for a while and stared at the rain lashing the windscreen. ‘No backing out now’, I thought. We assembled the tandem in silence in the relative shelter of the tailgate of our van. The rain subsided to drizzle. Maybe I wouldn’t get too wet after all. At the famous signpost, the photographer asked me how far it was to Dover. “Well, it depends which way I go… Can you put the distance as ‘450-ish’?”

Against the odds, it turned into a lovely afternoon, and after a pleasant 12 miles of cycling along country lanes in the sunshine, I arrived in Penzance feeling optimistic. When a seagull pooed on my head I saw it as a good omen. As I

36

By Sqn Ldr Helen Wright

“You’ve lost someone!” a man shouted as I cycled past. I glanced at my bike computer, which showed I’d covered 18 miles since leaving Lands End. I decided I was lucky to have got so far before someone pointed out that I was riding a tandem on my own. In 477 miles I never quite worked out what was the best way to respond to this. “Yes, I have” seemed blunt. “He was killed in Afghanistan”, was perhaps too much information? Or perhaps, “Gosh, so I have, I wondered why the bike felt so heavy!” In the end, I found the best way was just to give them a wave.

Regular readers of RAF Active might remember an article from Edition 36 where my friend, Sqn Ldr Ant Downing, describes how he spontaneously decided to cycle across the USA. Twenty-five days and 3,091 miles after setting out from San Diego, he arrived in Ocean City, having crossed the USA on his own, by bike. It was typical of Ant; he was always after a challenge. Tragically, on 22 December 2011, Ant was seriously injured while serving in Afghanistan. He was flown back to the UK, but died the following day.

It didn’t take long for the idea of a long-distance tribute bicycle ride to form. I hadn’t done any serious cycling for years but a solo tandem ride with the empty seat being the equivalent of a ‘Missing Man’ formation seemed appropriate. The finish-point was obvious: Ant’s home village of Kingsdown near Dover which is also where he is buried. For my starting point, I settled on Lands End which, although ‘only’ 450 to 500 miles of cycling and well-short of Ant’s distance, nicely mirrored his West-to-East journey

Starting at Lands End

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“settled down for the night in a hostel in Falmouth, I felt I’d made a good start: I’d only covered 40 miles, but it had been tough, with over 900 metres of ascent. I was on my way!

Whatever people thought about my sanity over the coming days, I was blessed with many little kindnesses. I hadn’t realised that the tiny ferry from St Mawes to Place was landing at low water which meant tackling 20-or-so steep steps and a rough and narrow track to reach the road. I was grateful for some help from a fellow passenger. Several ferry operators even waived the fare; on other occasions, fellow passengers insisted on paying my fare for me. One night I stayed in a pub, where I even got a free meal and a reduced room rate. I was a bit of a novelty and was rarely short of someone to talk to.

The countryside was beautiful and I passed through many lovely seaside towns and villages from Fowey through Sidmouth to Hythe. Cornwall, Devon and Dorset were also very hilly! I had hoped to complete around 50 miles each day and this proved a good target, although bigger days of 60 or 70 miles were sometimes necessary to reach my bed for the night. The tandem was, of course, much heavier than a road bike, and I had some nerve-wracking moments on steep descents because with no weight on the rear saddle there was a risk of losing the back. Watching the miles click past while working my way through six counties was very satisfying though; it was only as I arrived in Dorset that I realised I hadn’t had a single Cornish or Devon cream tea! I swiftly made up for this with home-made ice-cream and milkshakes, counting it as legitimate nutritional fuelling…

That night, I enjoyed the hospitality

of Royal Marines Poole, and visited a memorial at their base on which Ant is remembered.

Getting from Poole to Portsmouth, via the Isle of Wight, and avoiding the mass of motorways and major A-Roads around Southampton was a low point. Bournemouth and Christchurch were the most cycle-unfriendly places I had travelled through, I had picked up a minor injury, and it was raining heavily: I felt a bit glum. On the ferry, I ate a Rocky bar and allowed myself a cup of tea. Ant had believed there was nothing which couldn’t be improved by a cup of tea and a Rocky bar, and I soon thought of something positive: I had reached Hampshire! The cycling on the Isle of Wight would have been delightful had it not been so wet and windy. As it was, the rain poured down in sheets and for the first time I felt envious of car drivers. I was glad to make my ninth and final ferry crossing, and arrive at HMS Nelson where I was very well looked after.

I climbed Beachy Head and visited the new Bomber Command Memorial which is in a spectacular location overlooking the lighthouse. That evening, I reached Kent, the final county on my journey and it began to feel quite surreal. It was a pleasant ride along the seafront at Hythe and there were some final testing hills on the way around Dover before my final few miles into Kingsdown and an emotional welcome party with Ant’s

Mum. I finally got the cream tea I’d been fantasising about and we took the bike to the churchyard with us; I think Ant would have approved.

As well as being my own personal tribute to Ant, the ride was really enjoyable. Ant had suffered a ‘numb bum’ on his trip, but I was fortunate and never had that particular problem thanks to a British-made saddle and some excellent Swiss cycle shorts. Eight days of cycling on a tandem, on my own, was hard work and most parts of me hurt at some point, it’s amazing how far you can get if you just keep on pedalling. OK, so 477 miles isn’t quite the 3091 miles completed by Ant, but there was still a satisfying symmetry with his US trip: one-sixth of his distance in one-third of the time he took, with a bike twice the weight. The sums work out and I feel I’ve done him justice. So many things are ‘mind over matter’ and on the steeper hills I just focused on an absolute desire not to be beaten, not to have to get off and push, and I panted along chanting the mantra, “Dig in and dig deep…”

By the way, I can absolutely recommend a solo tandem ride as a great way to train, because when you get back on your road bike afterwards it feels as light as a feather!

If you’d like to help remember Ant and support the RAFBF, then please visit www.justgiving.com/missing-man.


The tandem was, of course, much heavier than a road bike, and I had some nerve-wracking moments on steep descents because with no weight on the rear saddle there was a risk of losing the back.

Visiting Ant in the churchyard

Setting off from HMS Nelson

On the ferry from Falmouth to St Mawes

Spectacular weather at Beachy Head

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ON THE PULL AT THE HIGHLAND GAMESBy FS Gareth Davies

personnel. A relatively novice side was assembled at RAF Leuchars prior to the games and following some training and agreeing a game plan we made our way to the Highlands. The competition was intimidating, to say the least, with the Inter-Services Champions and the Army Champions drawn in our league. Our first ‘pull’ was going to be a baptism of fire!

We were indeed given a lesson in clinical pulling in the first end which lasted only 10 seconds! The shock and realisation was not wasted on us and the second end shocked them as we immediately responded taking distance and holding their efforts. Experience told in the end and we lost, but learnt some valuable lessons.

The second match saw us up against the Inter-Services Champions and again we were

far from favourites but they weren’t to win easily and they were clearly tired from the experience. The RAF team were to get stronger as the day progressed and competed in what was the match of the tournament against 10 Sigs Regt that had the crowd on their feet as both sides battled for ground over the longest match of the day. The other side was to be victorious but both teams were exhausted from the experience, yet elated by the encouragement from the crowd. More credible performances saw the RAF reach the semi-final for the first time in many years; the crowd once again created an amazing atmosphere but a well-drilled Army side wore them down in a very tactical encounter.It was an enormous privilege to

be invited to such a prestigious event and the RAF acquitted themselves very well in front of a Royal audience. The RAF is always looking for new talent or those with any previous experience to take the sport forward. The new season starts again in the spring and includes an RAF Championship at RAF Cosford in June as part of the RAF Athletics championships. The sport is open to everyone as there are a variety of weight categories to compete in, if you’re interested in one of the fastest growing sports in the Service then please contact FS Gareth Davies at gareth,[email protected] or visit us at the RAF Athletics website.

The most prestigious event in the Tug of War calendar has to be the Highland Gathering (known as the Highland Games). Set in the town of Braemar with its impressive mountain landscape, the event has been contested for centuries hosting cabre tossing, Highland dancing, fell running and bag pipe playing. The ‘Gathering’ centres around a traditional oval arena with stands holding thousands of people creating quite an atmosphere! The historical Royal connection brought Prince Philip and Prince Charles as well Her Majesty the Queen.

The Royal Air Force has traditionally been invited to the event but rarely fares well. In 2012 things were about to change as the sport is being brought on by a small band of dedicated Service

Team in pulling order:Jones, Davies, Tench, Higgins, Baron, Evans, Young, Brown.

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ON THE PULL AT THE HIGHLAND GAMES

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The busy starting pens

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Starting the final hill, I was in the easiest gear from the outset and down to half a bottle of fluid. The sweat was literally pouring from the front of my cycle helmet (I took it off in the end as I was going so slowly), my legs were grinding painfully round and round, and they just felt completely empty. This happens when the body is out of available carbohydrate, and is a schoolboy error.

The reason I had to endure such a physically demanding challenge was all down to a cycling event I’d entered called the Maratona. Each year 29,000 people apply to enter the race and about 9000 are successful, with half of those are drawn from outside Italy. I was delighted to be selected; until I saw the course outline. 12,500 feet of ascent, 138km over 7 mountain passes in one day. ‘Great’.......

Now in its 27th year, the Maratona is televised live on Italian TV for their cycle-hungry audience. The winner would normally complete the course in about 5 hours - I just wanted to get around.

Bright and early the next morning we drove as close as we could to the start, abandoned the car and cycled into the

village of Corvara. Corralling 9000 eager cyclists into 4 different holding pens in one small village requires an aggressively early start; thus we found ourselves jammed into the ‘eager amateurs’ pen at 0545 on a Sunday morning. The previous 2 days had been glorious, hopefully the weather would hold. We had heard Miguel Indurain was racing, but I couldn’t see him.... I expect they had put him in a different pen.....!

It only took 11 minutes to clear the start, and after that you are straight into the Campolongo; the first long, steady climb, followed by a sunrise descent into the first valley. It really was spectacular. For the Maratona you choose one of 3 laps, all integrated to provide a ‘get-out’ if it becomes too hard. The shortest is still a test at 66km, the middle lap is 106km and is the one the majority undertake - but “The Maratona” was what I intended to complete and is a

cheeky 138 km long. Keeping it very steady over the first 2 passes helped with keeping something in reserve. At the top of most of the hills were refreshment stops, and whilst these were as crowded as you might expect, I viewed it as worthwhile to spend 2 minutes at each and fuel up; particularly as energy drinks, bananas, limes and apple strudel were all on offer!

The morning sped away in a heady mixture of reasonably long, steady ascents combined with exhilarating descents. The Italians were clearly more used to even hotter weather (it was 32 degrees) and spent time at the top of each descent putting on coats and in many cases gloves. As the descents were so fast it meant you were only going to be a bit chilly for 10-15 minutes, we pressed on - I needed to get the time back!

At the 66km point the field thinned slightly at the first option point. This was a relief as all morning I’d been riding in a giant peleton, requiring constant group riding awareness. Maratona employs a cut-off strategy for the first loop - you had to be back in Corvara within 5 hours. As we proceeded I picked up the pace a little - whether this was a smart policy or not I was to find out later.

The only main difference between the first and second Maratona loops is a lengthy spell of ‘lumpy’ riding and just one testing hill. Consequently this lulls you into a false sense of security for the longest leg, which begins at the 87km point; 2 of the stiffest climbs I have ever completed, plus a disconcerting 8km uphill leg back into the village.

A vivid yellow sign warns you of the reassuring facts about the hill as you proceed up the first of these giant climbs (for the bike geeks, it was called the Giau, 10km long at a gradient of 1:10). It’s a long, slow grind, which seemed to go on and on. And on. The timing chips were activated at top and bottom, and some

By Sqn Ldr Matt Tope

Matt in the peleton

One of the amazing hill top views

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folk treat it as an uphill time trial. At the top is a very welcome

refreshment stop, where I ate a lot whilst the Italians dressed in full thermal winter warmers. I then began one of the best descents of my life. I am an average cyclist at the best of times, but this really was something else, and made sweeter as I had thoroughly earned it over the previous hour. This is also where the wisdom of reading up on an event became apparent. I managed to forget every single tiny little snippet I have ever read on the Maratona, and it failed to register that I’d already covered 100km in reasonable heat, over hills, was fairly tired, and wasn’t even racing, just taking part. In a crazy, race-induced dive for the line I decided not to stop, but to press on and ‘knock off ’ the next hill. Why not?! I’d

save two minutes by not stopping. It was the last one. It was only half the gradient (though twice as long!), I was feeling fine, and I could be back for tea and medals in no time. I was “nearly there”.

The last hill was hard. Really hard. It was a long, slow, lonely dark hour or so! I am not a fan of gels, but over the ascent I had no choice but to consume the four I carried- I paid for this the next day with a dodgy tummy! That last hill is not an experience I would ever like to repeat. Still, all good things come to an end, and I eventually got to the top.

Only one more invigorating descent and a last limp into town to the finish. The descent was again fantastic, and the last 8 km took an embarrassingly long time. I finished the race after 8 and a half-hours, coming 3376, about a third of the way

down the field, 483rd in my age group. A pasta meal, a beer, a free cycling gilet, a lie-down in the sun - and then we had to cycle back to the car!

Was I shattered? Yes. Was I impressed with the Maratona race experience? Yes again. For 80 Euros it was one of the best-value and very well organized races I’ve ever come across, and the setting was genuinely world-class. I really would recommend the race to anyone. Just take some food onboard before the last hill!

I undertook the Maratona through the group entry scheme under the banner of the Cycling Weekly Magazine, and was grateful to receive funding from the RAF Sports Lottery.


I am one month into a 6-month detachment working in the Joint Force Support HQ, responsible for the deployment of the Defence Welfare Package. There’s a lot going on with many people going the extra mile to raise money for so many deserving charities. I will endeavour to cover as many events as possible, especially those where RAF personnel are participating. I will also comment upon what the servicemen and women are doing to get or keep fit out here.

The first inspirational example is Cpl Julie Harden. Her challenge was to cycle back from Camp Bastion to Selly Oaks Hospital, Birmingham, in 101 days, and it came to a successful end a couple of weeks before her end of tour!

Heading for breakfast one morning I was introduced to Julie. We started talking about the gym and the excellent facilities here at Camp Bastion. The main gym is incredibly clean, the technicians keep it spotless. It transpired that Julie was about to complete an amazing feat of determination and endurance by riding a static gym bike the equivalent distance from the Role 3 Hospital at Bastion, to

the Field Hospital at Selly Oaks; 3591 miles.

She started on 27 May and finished on 6 Sep 2012, a total of 101 days. That is 35 miles every day for 101 days. Julie managed to achieve this by, ….‘‘hitting the gym twice a day” she says…. “more often if needed in order to make up for any missed rides because of the numerous 24 hour duties I’ve had to do”.

It is certainly no mean feat. Even avid cyclists would shudder at this mileage every single day. The summer temperature has been up in the 50 degree Celsius range and whilst some of the ac units work, they often have little impact in cooling the gym down. Julie therefore hit the gym in the early hours, and again after sunset.

“I don’t think my room mate was too impressed with the early starts” Julie said with a wry smile. (Her room mate is standing next to her shaking the charity bucket). “It’s been hard work and I have certainly lost loads of weight” she adds.

Cpl Julie Harden is a Supplier normally based at RAF Marham. At Bastion she has been working in the Aviation Support Group. Her detachment is about to draw to an end and she is justifiably proud of her achievement. I asked her what’s been

the hardest part of the challenge. “Without doubt the countdown from 800 miles to 400 miles” she replies, “it didn’t seem to go down; I thought I’d never get there”!

As she pedals the last few miles away outside the Mess facilityw with beads of sweat on her brow, and the sun about to set on another warm day, the Bastion ‘inhabitants’ generously donate money as they walk past heading for their evening meal. She is a quiet young lady and had I not sat with her at breakfast that morning, I would probably not have known of her valiant achievement.

Up to today she has raised £1153 for the RAF Benevolent Fund. The bucket was almost full as she drew to an end, so I imagine there’s a good amount to add to her total tonight when she finishes the ride and counts the donations.

Well done Julie for your achievement and for flying the RAF flag in Afghanistan.

Written by FS Kev FrisbyEdited by Sqn Ldr Matt Tope

Camp Bastion to Selly Oaks Cycle Challenge

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By Sqn Ldr Claire Adamson and Sqn Ldr Mark Vickery

“It’s like no other extreme sport that I have done. You have to think rapidly whilst putting out short bursts of extreme physical effort to control the sled. It’s both exhausting and exhilarating. The buzz of the ride is unbelievable - you just have to shout out when you get to the bottom!” said SAC Sam Budd.

From our beautiful setting close to the Italian Dolomites an eerie sense of calm prevailed as we contemplated the daunting Luge track in front of us. The ice had been perfectly prepared by our hosts in Lusen and it was time for 14 athletes to take part in the RAF Novice and RAF Luge Championships.

It was an early start for the first day of training in temperatures of minus 15. Sliding on the ice for the first time is nerve racking even if you have taken part in the Street Luge. As SAC Jay Newton stated,

“….To stop looking at the boards is hard and it feels like you’re against them; if you look at them, they win and you run the risk of getting hurt. I’ve experienced a lot of sports but none scared me like Luge; the buzz is immense.”

“Sliding down the ice at 60 mph, millimetres from the ground

with wooden boards closing in on you requires one minute of

total concentration and rewards you with hours of exhilaration.

It can only be Natural Luge, one of the top 10 most dangerous

sports in the world!’’

With only one week available to learn the one km track the pressure was on. Coach Flt Lt Eddy Dunlop had us mastering the basics (braking and turning left and right!), and the competition was run over three slides with the fastest time counting. Training had gone well with eleven athletes making the grade to start the race. The track conditions were perfect, making the ice very fast. Staying in control was the order of the day, driving smooth lines and scrubbing off speed to carefully steer through all eleven bends!

SAC Ben Mackintosh blitzed his last run to take the RAF Championship for the second year with an impressive time of one min 2 sec. Cpl Tex Greer was runner up with one min 3 sec. SAC Steve Forgate put in a blinding performance posting 1 min 7 sec and winning the novice championship. SAC Sam Budd was novice runner up with a time of one min 13 sec and Michelle Jude took the third novice place, despite crashing in the second run and injuring her ankle with one min 17 sec. She was the fastest RAF female in the 15 years the event has been running!

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From here the senior squad members headed to Russia for the World Cup and European Championships. Sqn Ldr Mark Vickery and Cpl Ian ‘Tex’ Greer embarked on this a once in a lifetime event, despite some organisational difficulties! After mammoth efforts to get visas, ensure DHL sled delivery and a lengthy and costly customs hold, they found themselves a day late but raring to go. Leaving the UK in cold and snowbound conditions did not prepare the two RAF lads at all; they were taken aback by the minus 25 temperatures. Training for the World Cup race went well and Tex completed both of his race runs in a very credible combined time of 2 min 24. This was within 10 seconds of the race leaders which is a huge achievement considering the relative lack of track experience.

Following training both RAF sliders launched straight into the European Championships and this time both Tex and Mark posted times around the one-min mark, with Tex achieving 28th place and Mark 30th place overall. This was way beyond the goals they had set for themselves and the knowledge and experience they gained can only help to improve their chances in the future.

If you think you got what it takes and crave adrenaline, contact Flt Lt Eddy Dunlop 95751 6803.


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ACTIVE WHAT'S ON?

Welcome to What’s On

[email protected]

Compiled and edited by Flt Lt Harriet Bowerman

Welcome to the Autumn 2012 edition of “What’s On?”. I’m sorry to say that this is my last contribution to RAF Active after 5 years of editing “What’s On?”. I would like to pass on a massive “thank you” to all those of you who have read and contributed and made it such a pleasure!

RAF Canoe Association Many Stations have a Canoe Club, and whether there is one at your unit or not, you are welcome to come along to RAF Canoe Association events. The RAF Canoe Association organises Inter-Stn and Inter-Service events for the majority of disciplines within canoeing and kayaking. Here’s what’s coming up in the next few months:

RAF Slalom Championships 13-14 Oct 12, Llandysul, South WalesSlalom is paddling on white water with the additional challenge of having to go through gates, both upstream and downstream. Just like the Olympics, but they make their course a little easier so it’s open to all, from novice to expert. They will provide boats, paddles and safety equipment, as long as you can swim, and you’re willing to give it a go, please head on over. The RAF Inter Station Canoe and Kayak Slalom Championships

will be held at Llandysul Paddlers Outdoor Education Centre, Llandysul, over the period 13-14 Oct 12; pre-event training will take place at the same location over the period 10-12 Oct 12. The competition will held alongside the Inter-Service Championships but will also aim to introduce relative novice paddlers in the exciting slalom discipline. For further details please see the RAFCA Championships Admin Order on the RAF Canoe Association Airspace site, to enter, please complete the entry form provided in the Admin Order.

RAF Wild Water Racing Championships 3-4 Nov 12, Llangollen, North WalesWild Water Racing is on white water, but rather than following a line through a series of gates, you just have to get down the course in the fastest time. The RAF Inter Station Canoe and Kayak Wild Water Racing (WWR) Championships will be held on the River Dee, Llangollen, 3-4 Nov 12; pre-event training will take place at the same location over the period 31 Oct-2 Nov 12. The competition will held alongside the Inter-Service Championships and a BCU Div A and B competition. The River Dee is a grade 2-3 river which can become grade 4 in high

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water conditions; this competition is therefore not suitable as a development event for relative novices. For further details please see the RAFCA Championships Admin Order on the RAF Canoe Association Airspace site, to enter, please complete the entry form provided in the Admin Order.

RAF Polo Championships 23 Nov 12, HMS Temaraire, PortsmouthThis type of polo has nothing to do with horses. It is most like playing basketball, but in a kayak, in a swimming pool, and was initially designed as winter training for Slalom paddlers. The RAF Inter Station Canoe Polo Championships will take place at HMS Temaraire, Portsmouth, PO1 2HB, on 23 Nov 12. The event will run directly into the Inter-Service Polo Championships on 24-25 Nov 12 at the same venue. The very nature of canoe polo makes this an ideal event for clubs to participate in and is suitable for complete novices to attend; moreover, the majority of competitors will be selected to joint the RAF Team for the Inter Services competition. For further details please see the RAFCA Championships Admin Order on the RAF Canoe Association Airspace site, to enter, please complete the entry form provided in the Admin Order.

For more details about the RAF Canoe Association please see:Website: http://www.raf.mod.uk/rafcanoeing/Airspace site: https://airspace.raf.mod.uk/sports/rafca/index.cfmFacebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/10317189455/ (or search Royal Air Force Canoe Association)

Or contact the Communications Secretary, Flt Lt Jo Owen, on:Mil: 95531 7462Tel: 01939 250351 ext 7462DII: SHY-SptWg Stn AdjtEmail: [email protected]

RAF Akrotiri Kart Club re-opens following resurfacing The only purpose built Karting track in the RAF has finally been given a new lease of life thanks to substantial resurfacing and a new fleet of Adult and Junior Karts.

For over 40 years the Akrotiri Kart Club has played host to tens of thousands of military personnel, including those returning from operations. After three months of major refurbishment, the club held a grand re-opening day in April and the punters came flooding back in. With a re-laid surface and a number of new karts the club are aiming to re-establish themselves as one the foremost attractions on base. From when it opened in 1969 to well into the 1970’s the Akrotiri Kart Club was popular with both the military and civilian community in Cyprus - with hundreds of race meetings taking place and an annual championship being held. Today the racing side has died down

but the club remains a favourite activity for the personnel based here. It also accommodates decompression troops returning from theatre and that’s a large part of the reason for its refurbishment. Halfway down the beach road at RAF Akrotiri, the Kart Club is situated in very picturesque surroundings but for the early months this year it has been a building site. Years of wear and tear meant part of the track had been closed off because of cracks and potholes.? Despite a concrete strike halfway through the project, local contractors finally re-surfaced the track and a fleet of 10 new Biz karts and a new timing system were purchased together with maintenance to the buildings and the clubs infrastructure. Whatever age or skill level everyone has been catered for with the junior karts being used


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to give the very small their own share of the karting experience and thrilling rides in the clubs two-seater karts available to the very young or those who would rather take a back seat view of the track.

The future looks bright for the Akrotiri Kart Club with exciting new packages available to book including the very popular children’s parties.

For more information contact the Akrotiri Kart Club on Cyprus 00357 97790137

Hangliding and ParaglidingRAF Hang Gliding And Paragliding Association Win Gold In National Final!

British Clubs Challenge. RAFHPA pilots, as part of a tri-service team, have won the National Paragliding Final in an unprecedented performance! www.flybcc.co.uk shows the league table with commanding performances by international medallist Jerry Thwaites, Oli Fisher, Sean Simmons, Dave Neal and Tom Garner that were critical in positioning the team for gold!!

Learn to fly! Our top pilots have all benefitted from the Joint Services Adventurous Training (JSAT) scheme - so can you! You can learn to paraglide independently in as little as 3 weeks with the JSAT scheme in Wales, all whilst on duty status. Course dates and application forms are available from www.raf.mod.uk/rafhpa or your station gym now! Start off with the Paragliding Elementary Pilot (PEP) course first and then you can apply for your Paragliding Club Pilot (PCP) course afterwards.

Beginners Paragliding Courses03 Mar - 08 Mar 13 PEP 2810 Mar - 15 Mar 13 PEP 2917 Mar - 22 Mar 13 PCP 3024 Mar - 28 Mar 13 PEP 31

Want to fly free? Once you have gained your Club Pilot paragliding rating, you can join the RAFHPA for free and begin

flying independently straight away; free equipment loans are available for members with 5 RAF Sports Lottery tickets! This is so popular the association has had to purchase more equipment to meet demand! Brand-new, fully insured equipment with the most advanced flying technology is ready for your use – what are you waiting for?

Helping you soar. The RAFHPA will support you in training and competitions at all levels from novice to international contender. They can also provide financial assistance to help with the costs of competing in many UK and European events.

Visit www.raf.mod.uk/rafhpa for more information

13-23 Mar 13 TBC Jun 13 Ex Granada Glide XI Joint Services Paragliding Sports Tour to Annecy, FranceJoint Services Paragliding Sports Tour to Spain. www.escapexc.com/courses/[email protected] [email protected]

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For more information please call Damian on020 8440 0505 or E Mail: [email protected]

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Documents

RAF Active November - January 2012/13