9th-12th-Lancers - Year 2002 - Page 0039
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| Regiment | 9th/12th Lancers |
|---|---|
| Year | 2002 |
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REGIMENTAL JOURNAL OF THE 9TH/12TH ROYAL LANCERS (PRINCE OF WALES’S) 37 Exercise NORDIC LANCER Nordic Skiing and Biathlon is a winter sport which has been overlooked by the Regiment in recent years, and the season 2002/03 was the season this was going to change. Under the nominal leadership of Lt Willis, and with SSgt Emery providing the dynamo, an intrepid team of 8 ventured into the icy wastes of Norway in mid-November. For most, it was a journey into the unknown. For some, they would probably rather it had remained unknown. The first two weeks were spent on technique training, a period which provided much mirth as the novices initially proved more adept at toppling over than gliding gracefully along the loipes. However before long the team was, if not exactly zoom- ing, then certainly making good progress up and down the var- ious hills in the region. Once the techniques had been grasped, it was time to move onto the fitness training. Nordic skiing is without a doubt one of the most physically demanding sports one can engage in, placing enormous require- ments on heart and lungs, as well as legs and arms. This, cou- pled with the intense cold, soon saw most team members reduced to extremely lean and wiry specimens who found them- selves capable of skiing 30km in an afternoon without batting an eyelid. Just as you think you are getting to grips with that, Tpr Wat/Ker t/y/ng to tum a mounta/n mto a mo/e h/H throw into this physically demanding regime the require- ment to periodically lie in the snow and shoot a target the size of a tea cup while gasping for breath and being unable to feel your fingers, and you have the whole new challenge of biathlon. Unfortunately world events meant the team was unable to progress to the RAC or Divisional Championships (both of which ended up being cancelled). However, some train- ing races in the final week in Norway saw the team do par- ticularly well against the other units training there, and leaves one to wonder on what could have been. However, this year has seen the Regiment lay a very solid foundation on which to build in future seasons. |
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