Up to the challenge

Winners: Cross-Training Challenge winners Lt-Col Dean Franklin and Ms Loretta Mellows. Photo by Bill Cunneen

By Pte Andrew Williamson

SINGLETON PTIs have held their annual Cross-Training Challenge, pitting the strength and fitness of Army members against their civilian counterparts.

The event was designed to locate Singleton’s fittest individual from within both the civilian and Defence communities.

It was also aimed at promoting health and fitness while strengthening the ties between soldiers and civilians in the local area.

The challenge took the form of a circuit activity and consisted of a 1.5km cycle, a 500m row, lat pull-downs, hip flexors, push-ups, box step-ups, abdominal crunches, seated shoulder presses, an 800m run and, finally, bench presses.

Teams of five were timed on how long it took the team to complete all of the activities.

Contestants were allowed to rest for as long as they wished at any stage, however the clock didn’t stop.

All of the categories were hotly contested with the lead changing at regular intervals, making the event a spectators delight.

The Swim and Gym Team from Singleton won the women’s event in a time of 20min 56sec, while the Army’s team, the SOI Bears, won the men’s team event in 15min 48sec.

Loretta Mellows from the Singleton Swim and Gym won the individual women’s event with the fastest time of the night, 17min 21sec.

The individual men’s event had no civilian competitors and was won by the CO/CI of the School of Inf, Lt-Col Dean Franklin, in 18min 30sec.