9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2000 - Page 0065
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2000 |
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64 REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9th/12th ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) Ski Team 2000 elayed only by French fishermen up to their usual tricks at Calais, the Alpine Ski Team arrived in Verbier Switzerland at the end ofNovember 1999 for EX WHITE KNIGHT, the annual seven-week alpine skiing exercise that culminates in the RAC Championships. The exercise consists of six weeks training with the Swiss Ski School, followed by a frantic week ofracing in which every competitor competes in Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super-G and the fearsome Downhill experience. The championships were a great success for the Regiment with the 9/12L A Team beating all but the I-ICR A Team, to whom we lost by a whisker in the last race. The ultra successful 9/12L B Team beat all other contenders including the majority of the A Teams to win their group. We were undoubtedly the Regiment all other teams aspired to beat so the I-ICR had better ‘stand by’ next year! The 9/12L team was an eleven man effort consisting of veteran racers and complete novices. Capt Durie led the team along with Capts Simpson and Clifford, Lts Inglefield, Croft and Lort- Phillips, Cpls Rutherford and Swain and Tprs Knowles, Barnacle and Pook. Lt Lort-Phillips amused the whole exercise by turning up on Day One sporting a pink and blue all-in-one ski-suit of which Prince Charles would have been proud! For a fashion-influ- enced sport, L-P should have known better! Tprs Pook and Barnacle enjoyed an active social life involving team-work with several local chalet girls. Tpr Barnacle quickly became known as the ‘Bus Driver’ owing to his unique style ofskiing which looked as if he was permanently grappling with a large steering wheel. Unfortunately Capt Clifford and Tpr Pook sustained knee injuries which prevented them from competing in the races but afforded them much pampering by the female Army Doctor! (MO(F) ? - Ed) Indeed the practice of Medical Science had not until then encountered a knee injury that required as much attention as Capt Clifford’s! Our own T 2000 Terminator (also known as Tpr Knowles) had an extremely successful season with the racing but there was genuine concern that the millennium bug would cause self-termination at the turn of the century. Thankfully he ‘powered-up’ as usual on New Year’s Day so our concerns were ill-founded! Sailing 2000 he 2000 season has proved successful and adventurous for Regimental Sailing. Two teams represented the Regiment at the RAC Regatta in Seaview, Isle ofWight and a further team competed in the RAC Kiel Regatta in German and Danish waters. Opportunities to gain qualifications have been enjoyed in abundance with the move to Germany and our new proximi- ty to Kiel Yacht Club. Capt Durie and the Brothers Croft in one yacht and Lts Doherty, Vale and Lort—Phillips in another competed in an exhilarating and very competitive regatta in Seaview Mermaids in May. Capt Durie’s team held the lead throughout much of the races spread over two days culminating in a nail-biting cli- max in the final race. With only the Royal Mercian and Lancastrian Yeomanry and 9/12L in the running for first place a close battle ensued, with the Captains taking the lead early on. However, on a course that left much of the fleet a little too close to the bottom of the Solent, Capt Durie’s team was stuck aground for a short while, the RMLY were able to pip 9/12L to the finish, and left Capt Durie’s team in second place overall. Capt Dupe sport/hg h/s Geht/ehnéh’s raw/7g smt We had many visitors during the exercise, many ofwhom came to experience the Verbier Millennium Party. At one stage our 12- man chalet housed 24 people which caused OIC I-Iealth & Safety, Mr Inglefield, a certain degree of stress! We were privileged to host the Commanding Officer and Adjutant who came to watch the final races and the prize giving. My hazy recollection of the penultimate night in the infamous Farm Club saw the CO teach- ing the subalterns a thing or two about Vodka! Despite having a broken pelvis, the result ofa hunting accident, he was still able to get to the slopes to watch the racing. Owing to strong results at the RAC tournament, the A Team qualified to go on to the Divisional Championships in Serre Chevalier where again we came a close second to the HCR. We then went on to come sixth in the Army Championships, an excellent achievement. Roll on next year and a chance to win the RAC Championships! RD il- n._ _ . ’ , . Pt/zes for work/17g out where the photographer was stand/hg |
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