 |
Digging
for treasure |
| Photos:
LSPH Damian Pawlenko |
 |
| The
sack race. |
Photo:
LSPH Damian Pawlenko |
 |
| Jockeys
and horses. |
| Photo:
ABPH Jarrad Oliffe |
 |
| Competitors
line the pool. |
Photos:
LSPH Damian Pawlenko |
By
LSPT Andrew Corbett
The
first Tuesday in November is an important day in the HMAS Stirling
sporting calendar.
Apparently there is a horse race over on the east coast, but more
impor-tantly this is the day of the annual Stirling Shield.
The Stirling Shield is a novelty relay event, consisting this
year of ten challenges.
Nine teams accepted the challenge, some finding the going tougher
than others but it was HMAS Canberra who went on to win.
The starters pistol signalled the start at the FBW pool but it
was eve-ryone’s favourite leg, the Consumption Catastrophe,
which provided a high-light and many more lowlights.
The horse and jockey steeple chase, with jockeys guiding their
valiant and blind steeds around the challenging course, provided
many laughs, while a large group of spectators surrounded the
beach volleyball court cheering on the competitors as they attempted
to find their teams treasure and claim a winning position.
In just 16 minutes it was all over, the dust settled and the smoke
cleared, revealing the final positions.
The winning team was HMAS Canberra, with Say Hi to your Mum (High
Power) in second place.
From third to ninth were, in order: Stirling Detention Centre
(Skills Development), Flying Spanners (FIMA Building 18), Metal
Militia(Pipe and Plate), Fester Fixers (Health Centre), Command,
Deep Sea Racing Prawns (Wardroom) and in last place Blame Shifters
(Bosuns Store).
Canberra is only the second ship to win the Stirling Shield, which
was first contested in 1979.
The only other ship to win was HMAS Swan in 1989.
