By
Andrew Stackpool
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SQNLDR Mark Betts takes aim during the British Army National
Nordic and Biathlon Skiing Championships in Bavaria
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The
ADF Nordic and biathlon team
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Manager
– SQNLDR Bob Schouten
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Coach
– Barry Hopkins
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Women’s
Team
FLTLT Tina Willmett
FLTLT Satya Tanner
CAPT Kathy Zimmerman
SGT Amanda Allan
LCDR Wendy Hughes
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Men’s
Team
SQNLDR Mark Betts
LTCOL Lindsay Bridgford
CAPT Rob Curtin
LCDR
Garry Lewis
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Highlights
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5km
Women’s Cross-Country Pursuit
CAPT Kathy Zimmerman 16/36
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7.5km
Senior Men’s Cross- Country Double Pursuit
LTCOL Lindsay Bridgford 2/43
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4
X 5km Cross-Country Relay ADF Women’s 7/11
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4
X 10km Cross-Country Relay
ADF Men’s 29/39
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ADF
Nordic and Biathlon team members went up against 200 of Europe’s
finest military skiers and acquitted themselves with honour.
The tri-Service team of four men, five women, manager and coach
competed in the British Army’s National Nordic and Biathlon Skiing
Championships at Ruhpolding in Bavaria, Germany, from January
22 to February 3.
Team manager Squadron Leader Bob Schouten, from Headquarters Training
Command, said the tour was a first for an official Australian
team and most of its members had not competed in Europe before.
Nevertheless, “It was a high power group,” he said. “It included
Lieutenant Colonel Lindsay Bridgford, an Army Reserve member from
Albury who is currently training for Australian Winter Olympics
team selection.
“Our team did very well, with skiers placed in the top half of
most results. LTCOL Bridgford scored best in the shooting.
[In] the men’s 20km individual race he dropped only one shot out
of 20 during the four circuits and won the ‘Toyota Best Shot Trophy’.
“No
one has ever shot a clear round and it looked as if he was going
to make it.
He dropped on his last shot. We really felt for him.”
Before the competition, the team conducted a rigorous acclimatisation
and training session in Austria and then competed in the 43km
Pustertaler Ski marathon, one of the world’s longest cross country
ski races.
After the training phase, the reasonably acclimatised team moved
to Ruhpolding for two weeks of specialised competition against
teams from the British Army Regiments, the RAF, German Military,
Belgian Military and a contingent of British Olympic development
squad members.
SQNLDR Schouten said the standard of competition was extremely
high.
“The British military plays for keeps to win some very prestigious
awards and trophies. “All the effort to get there was really worth
it.
It was very efficiently run, great organisation and a great competition.”
Meanwhile, the ADF Nordican Biathlon Association has invited British
and European teams to compete in the ADF’s National Interservice
Nordic and Biathlon Ski Championships at Mt Hotham next August.
