NAVY NEWS, MAY 2010

45

Boarders relish their Swiss role

ROYAL Navy snowboarders formed the backbone of the team representing the Combined Services at The Brits Snowboard

and Ski competition, writes Maj Kenny Craig RM.

The event is the highpoint of the British Snowboard Freestyle

l Holt Cup winners NA(Met) Natalie Roach and Logs(Pers) Juliet Long in FAA 1 hold off the Portsmouth team of S/Lt Alice Moore and PO(MEM) Phil Bolton

Picture: Lt Cdr Gavin Marshall

Air triumph on water

“STARBOARD!”

That was the instruction carried over the

calm waters of the River Dart as teams from Portsmouth, Plymouth and the Fleet Air Arm fought at the RN Dinghy Team Racing Championships for the coveted Holt Cup. Team boat racing is very different from fleet racing – the entire team’s result matters; even a team which has someone cross the line in first place can still lose. Teams comprise two boats, both with a helm and crew, racing against another team of two boats. The teams race in a league with races typically lasting ten to 15 minutes. The Navy Championships use the simple

two-boat team racing format: whichever team has a boat in fourth place loses. This “last boat loses it for the team” often means that whoever is in front usually has to slow down or trap the opposition to allow their team-mate through. A one-two or two-three combination is a win but a one-four or three- four is a defeat. Many of the techniques used in team racing

would be viewed as aggressive in normal fleet racing: stopping your boat at a mark; forcing other competitors to sail outside you; forcing the upwind boat head to wind; sandwiching the opposition between your two boats, thereby stealing their wind and preventing them from tacking; or simply covering the opposition and sailing them well beyond the lay line for the mark or the finish. The Holt Cup this year was hosted by BRNC

Dartmouth by kind permission of Cdre Jake Moores and supported by his river staff led by WO2(Sea) Neil Terry.

Eight teams from across the Royal Navy and

Royal Marines were fielded, with an impressive 16 sailors making up four teams from the Fleet

Air Arm alone. Sailing over two days on the River Dart, the race organisers were presented with very light and changeable winds on the Saturday, with significant challenges for all the teams caused by the steep valley sides. A complete first series of races was run on

the Saturday and the fleet then split into two, with the top teams – FAA 1, Portsmouth 1 and Plymouth 1 and 2 – forming the Gold Fleet and the Silver Fleet consisting of Portsmouth 2 with FAA 2, 3 and 4. This was the set up for the quarter finals on the Sunday. Sunday provided better winds, but blowing from the east and beneath an overcast sky, it meant there was a much colder day’s racing in store.

The main concern of the competitors waiting on a pontoon in the middle of the river, was keeping their fingertips warm. The Silver Fleet was the first to run in a series of three races for each team.

From these results, the lead team would be selected and promoted to sail in the Semi- Finals with the top three teams from the Gold League.

At the end of the sail-offs, all four teams had

two wins and one defeat. FAA 3 with the fewest points managed to sneak into the semi-finals. With the wind freshening, the comedy moment of the weekend was provided by Lt Cdr Peter Gardiner falling backwards into the river with one foot still attached to the kicking strap. His novice crewman AET Simon Philips desperately tried to pull him back on-board without capsizing. Back in the boat, both helm and crew were

greeted with rapturous applause and cheers from the other teams on the pontoon. The final of the Holt Cup saw FAA 1 against

Portsmouth 1 in a best-of-three sail-off. Once again, the event went right down to the

wire. After the first two races of the final the scores

were level. Unfortunately the decider did not live up to expectations: a substantial windshift early in the race and a poor tactical decision by Portsmouth’s Lt Cdr Sam Mettam handed FAA1 a relatively easy one-two, which they held to the finish, to be crowned Royal Navy champions. At the awards presentation, the Chris Goulding Tankard was awarded to CPO Mark Flannigan for his performance as the best novice helm. This year’s championships were contested

by a wide diversity of rank, rate and experience levels,

with national and Inter-Services champions sailing alongside complete novices. The Plymouth team was almost entirely made up of the ship’s company of HMS Campbeltown with stokers, CTs and medical assistants brought along by their CO Cdr Keri Harris.

The cream from this event will go on to

race at Inter-Service level and also on to the British team racing circuit, taking on other organisations including British universities. Despite the excellent turn-out at this year’s

event, RN dinghy sailing still needs new competitors – experienced sailors or novices looking to improve their skills or wanting to learn more about racing. There are several events coming up in 2010, including the new flagship fleet racing event, the RN Dinghy Sailing Championships at Whale Island on July 14. More details at www.rnsa.net/Dinghies/

events.aspx

Welsh camp reaps rewards

TWENTY-six members of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Cycling Association (RNRMCA) descended on the RAF Mountain Training Centre in the Brecon Beacons for their 2010 training camp.

The RNRMCA has used the centre three times before for an intense pre-season training package. The success the club has enjoyed over recent years has been attributed to the unique surroundings,

training facilities

and team-building opportunities the Beacons have to offer. The 2010 camp was organised by CPO Andy Phipps (MASU Portsmouth).

accomplished cyclist, he ensured the accommodation,

arrangements, educational briefs in the evenings and all funding requirements were met.

transport An

cycling disciplines for members of the Service and the main aim of the 2010 camp was to prepare riders who would represent the Senior Service this season from club to national-level events. The squad was split into two

The RNRMCA promotes all

groups according to ability. Team captain CPO(PT) Sean Childs (HMS Raleigh) and Mark Gorman (former CPO, associate member and British Cycling Federation coach) led the groups over the week. CPO Childs’ group rode on

average 110 miles a day, Mr Gorman’s group 70 miles. As to be expected the terrain and weather conditions were extremely challenging and it was soon apparent the week was going to be anything but easy. To complement the arduous

training rides Mr Gorman and Capt Leon Marshall RM (HMS Albion) delivered evening briefs to improve the squad’s overall understanding. Mr Gorman covered event profiling – a simple way for a rider, regardless of ability, to analyse their knowledge and skill and improve their performance – and performance monitoring, which looked at benefits, costs, advantages and usage of the numerous cycling gadgets currently on the market. Capt Marshall, a post-graduate

in Sports Science and Physics from Loughborough University, briefed on the subject of ergogenics: what can I take (and is legal) to make me go faster? His second brief covered hydration and fuelling strategies: specifically what to drink and eat during racing and training and how not all carbohydrates are

created equally. Most worthy of mention was Sally Dean (associate member) who once again catered for the team and provided support on the road. Sally really was the unsung hero who worked long hours in the galley to ensure the nutritional requirements of the 26 hungry athletes were met. When not shopping for and preparing the daily banquet or providing massages, she could be seen out on the road ferrying food and dry clothing – and rescuing those who suffered mechanical problems. In short, the 2010 camp was an

enjoyable and demanding week with riders averaging between 300 and 500 miles. The isolated environment ensured there were no distractions for the team who enjoyed maximum benefits and development.

and Freeski calendar and is the breeding and selection ground for GB’s top athletes, many of whom go on to represent their country in the Olympics, X-Games and on the World Cup circuit. The event took place in Laax, Switzerland, where competitors

aged from six to 56 battled it out in boarder and skier-x, half pipe, big air and slopestyle disciplines. The RN team members consisted of HMS Montrose’s Lt Mick Hawkes (pictured above), PO Suzie Cook (HMS Scott) and AB(AET) Ross Taylor (RNAS Culdrose), and their performances against stiff, international-standard competition were impressive.

PO Suzie Cook had the greatest success, winning a British gold in the boarder-x ladies masters category with a number of outstanding rides down a particularly gnarly course. Her achievement deservedly justified the long journey she had made back to compete from her ship in the Falklands. Mick Hawkes and reigning Inter-Service slopestyle champion

For more information on RN snowboarding visit www. snowboardnavy.com or become a fan of the Snowboardnavy page on Facebook.

Ross Taylor both gave good accounts of their talent with Mick narrowly missing a podium in the slopestyle masters. Both Ross and Mick had laboured particularly hard on their kicker work in preparation for the slopestyle competition, but sadly high winds and a resultant injury on the day closed the kicker section of the course turning the contest into purely a ‘rail jam’ (a discipline where youth tends to shine through). The event was further supported by the RN in the form of Maj Kenny Craig, the competition technical delegate, and PO(D) Peter ‘Shiner’ Wright also on the hill team. The military contingent are always warmly welcomed at the event which never fails to test and develop our athletes to the full.

Friendly fencers

The RN fencing team hosted a friendly team competition in the Portsmouth area at HMS Temeraire, aimed at providing an opportunity for various inexperienced fencers to enjoy a team competition in a friendly atmosphere. Five local teams fenced including the Royal Navy, University, Seacourt,

d’Escrime and Sway Fencing Club took part using all three weapons (foil, épée and sabre). The competition was one of the

Portsmouth Academie

first events attended by Academie d’Escrime and the first time they had been able to partake in a team competition. They form part of the Respect programme, one of the government’s ‘positive futures’ scheme which aims to reduce problems in inner city areas.

True to the spirit of the day, no results or places were given out, but the local teams can be proud of the outstanding performance from all fencers and Ibuprofen can enjoy extra sales from fencers making a recovery from all the hard work. “This was a great opportunity

for young people who do not normally get the chance to compete,” said Joanne Savage, one of the Respect leaders. “The young people from the

programme have never been given a chance to compete in a fencing competition that’s free. “It was great for them to

experience and put their training into action.” The next event for all Royal Navy

Sailors ref Army clash

FOUR Royal Navy rugby referees officiated at the Army Premiership Final in Aldershot, the culmination of the Army’s structured rugby season.

Appointed under the auspices of the Combined Services Rugby Referees’ (CSRR) Federation, the four sailors were privileged to participate in one of the most thrilling and hotly-contested finals for years as 2nd Battalion Royal Welsh narrowly overcame 1st Battalion Welsh Guards 31-26. One of the four officials, Cdr Stew Kilby, said: “We are very fortunate

to have been invited by the Army Rugby Union to officiate at such an important fixture. “The opportunity to referee the game, played with such high skill and commitment, at such a high pace in front of over one thousand passionate rugby aficionados was a highlight of my refereeing career. “The excellent work of all of our Naval referees epitomises the jointery

of today’s modern defence force and our members can be seen officiating all over the globe wherever units are playing organised rugby.”

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