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Holiday Break and Ski Team Sponsorship

The WGPlus editorial team is now signing off for its Christmas break with Seasonal Greetings to all our readers.  We're currently giving the newsletter a much needed re-vamp so look out for the new-look newsletter, the first of which will be published W/C: 13 January 2014.

In the meantime, we thought you’d be interested to know that  Wired-GOV is supporting the alpine ski racing team from 105^th Regiment Royal Artillery, the Scottish and Ulster Gunners, by providing funding to help towards the purchasing of specialist alpine racing equipment.

 
Giant Slalom training on the slopes of Les Deux Alpes, France.

105^th Regiment RA (105RA) is a Reservist unit geographically spread across Scotland, Northern Ireland and the Shetland Island.  The Regiment is equipped with 105mm Light Guns, with trades including communications and logistics.  The Regiment has sent a number of Individual Augmentees to Afghanistan in support of Operation HERRICK and has a very high profile across Scotland and Northern Ireland, firing Royal Salutes and the famous “One o’clock Gun” at Edinburgh Castle.

The ski team consists of:

Major Brian Robson.  Having served 22 years as a Regular soldier, Brian left the Army as a WO2.  Having trained as a heating engineer and personal fitness trainer, Brian joined 105RA and commissioned as a Late Entry Officer.  He is currently serving as Battery Commander of 212 (Highland) Battery Royal Artillery.

Captain Richard Butler.  Rich commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2008 and served as 39^th Regiment RA and 4^th Regiment RA.  Rich left the Army in 2012 and upon moving to Scotland joined 105RA when he realised he was not quite ready to give up his Army uniform.  He is a Fire Support Team Commander and the Regiment’s Operations Officer.

Captain Chris Wane.  Chris is a Regular Officer posted to 105RA.  Chris commissioned from the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst in 2008 and has served in a number of units.  Chris participated in and won the Royal Artillery Overall Championships in 2009; unfortunately injury, operational deployments and foreign exercises have prevented him from participating since.

Lance Bombardier Louisa Smith.  Louisa joined 105RA and the Army Reserves in 2010.  Her motivation was part adventure and also the desire to serve her country.  Louisa’s civilian profession is a Software Test Analyst for the Royal London Group, basedin Edinburgh.  Louisa is currently on a year’s sabbatical, during which she has deployed on a number of exercises in the UK & Europe and completed adventurous training in Norway.  Her role in the Regiment is a light gun operator and gun line safety assistant.

105RA have just completed the first week of the Royal Artillery training scheme. The first week was held in Les Deux Alpes, France, which has glacier providing excellent snow conditions.  The week allowed Chris to refresh basic racing skills, whilst introducing Brian, Rich and Louisa to new race training techniques.  The training covered giant slalom, slalom and a morning of speed training. 

The weather conditions have been excellent with clear blue sky, however France is in need of some more snow.   On the Thursday a time trial was held on the Giant Slalom course.   Chris managed to post the fastest time, with the competition closely behind.  Brian, Rich and Louisa all posted very respectable times themselves, allowing them to identify their competition over the next few weeks.

Sport and adventurous training forms a vital part of the opportunities open to those in the Regular and Reserve Army, and a welcome wind down from operations - Chris was in Afghanistan this time last year.

Update, 23rd December 2013: The Royal Artillery alpine training scheme was concluded in weather significantly different to that which was experienced for the duration of the programme. Having conducted nearly three weeks of training under sun & blue skies on rapidly depleting snow, the weather finally produced two days of snow dumps on the last two days. Whilst greatly received, the timing was not the best for racing. The course for the seeding race, held on the 20 December, was drilled into 10 inches of fresh powder snow. The fresh snow had to be cleared, however not having the time to bond to the old snow pack, immediately went through to the icy under layer. The snow, combined with the weather producing flat light, resulted in some of the toughest race conditions going; a fact commented on by even the most experienced of racers.

Run 1 saw a number of individuals coming out of the course, which unfortunately included Chris after he hit a snow bank at the side of the course; the result was a pretty spectacular crash. Brian, Rich and Louisa all posted good, safe runs. Sport provides opportunities for people to push themselves in new ways. As testament to this, Louisa commented on how nervous she was in the start gate, only to overcome this fear and feel ecstatic after achieving a successful run.

Brian, Rich and Louisa posted two safe runs with very respectable times; the publication of their results will hopefully be out shortly. Due to his crash on the first run, Chris had to conduct his second run in over 100th place. Knowing he needed to complete the run on a very rutted course, Chris still managed to post a the fourth fastest time for the run and the tenth fastest time overall.

The team are now enjoying Christmas back in the UK, and are now thoroughly looking forward to the competition phase.

Date Posted

19/12/2013