Sergeant David Elliot from B Battery brought home second place in the Men’s Masters category winning 14 overall, with a time of 5:54:51 at the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1CMBG) Exercise Mountain Ram, held in Edmonton on Aug. 30. (Photo: supplied/Thomas Goodwin)
Submitted by: Capt. Nicholas McCabe
A 17-member team from CFB Shilo returned with victory from the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1CMBG) Exercise Mountain Ram, held in Edmonton on Aug. 30.
Sergeant David Elliot from B Battery brought home second place in the Men’s Masters category winning 14 overall, with a time of 5:54:51. Warrant Officer Trevor Lane, team captain, finished in fourth place in the Men’s Masters with a time of 6:29:23.
In what participants describe as a gruelling test of grit, determination and excellence, the race is a 1 CMBG standing tradition dating back to 1991.
“It consists of a 29-kilometre rucksack march with a 15-kilogram rucksack, a 3.2-kilometre portage, an 11-kilometre canoe paddle down the North Saskatchewan River and a final gruelling 4.8-kilometre rucksack march to the finish line. Typical completion times for the event sit between seven to nine hours,” Capt. Nicholas McCabe, Shilo team member, explained.
Each participant competed individually among 281 competitors from numerous units.
McCabe said the team was a “dedicated contingent” of 1 RCHA members who took on the challenge to represent the regiment “extremely well.”
Once notice of the event was received, the team quickly came together to work a comprehensive training plan developed under the leadership of Lane, team captain and Shilo PSP.
The team members began training in April for the competition, said McCabe, after the competition had a four-year hiatus due to COVID-19.
“Despite the regiment’s high tempo commitments to the Immediate Response Unit (IRU) and other critical tasks over the summer, 1 RCHA soldiers received quality training to prepare them to put their best foot forward when the horns signalled the start of the race,” McCabe said.
The team finished in high spirits, with many members already setting their sights on next year’s competition.
The Shilo 1 RCHA team was made up of seasoned veterans of the event, such as Master Corporal Ryan Sandve, who has competed nine times previously.
As well, there were plenty of first-timers.
“Some junior members of the regiment took the leap of faith themselves into what is, for most participants, the longest physical challenge they have ever faced,” McCabe said.
“Congratulations to all members of 1 RCHA who took on the challenge.”
The running team of 1 RCHA members are: Gunner Cole Walters, Gunner Robert McHugh, Pte. Juan Coulombe-Duval, Cpl. Hayden Authier, Cpl. Mark Mulrooney, Cpl. James Fairhurst, Master Cpl. Ryan Sandve, Master Cpl. Pierre Hebert, Sgt. Sean Clancy, Sgt. David Elliot, Warrant Officer Trevor Lane, Lt. Isaac Jarvis, Capt. Nicholas McCabe, Capt. Matthew McGall, 1 RCHA RSM Chief Warrant Officer Sean McGowan and 1 RCHA CO Lt.-Col Joe O’Donnell.
Warrant Officer Trevor Lane, team captain, finished in fourth place in the Men’s Masters with a time of 6:29:23.at the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1CMBG) Exercise Mountain Ram, held in Edmonton on Aug. 30. (Photo: supplied/Thomas Goodwin)
Corporal James Fairhurst participated in the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1CMBG) Exercise Mountain Ram, held in Edmonton on Aug. 30. (Photo: supplied/Thomas Goodwin)
Canadian Forces Base Shilo team members at the 1 Canadian Mechanized Brigade Group (1CMBG) Exercise Mountain Ram, held in Edmonton on Aug. 30. (Photo: supplied/Thomas Goodwin)