It took the winners one hour, six minutes to complete the 2023 edition of Shilo’s Amazing Race, with eight teams having to navigate the on-Base pitstops where participants had to complete their challenges, before moving on with another clue plus a dinosaur sticker on their passport.

Despite the summer-like heat outdoors, the Range Rovers featuring Aaron Bull, Tyrus Cobb, Lt Adam Johnson and Rob Shearer were the winners.

Unfortunately due to injuries, the defending champions from 2022 featuring the likes of BComd LCol Chris Wood and BRSM CWO Jeremy Abrahamse, were only there in spirit as they wished this year’s competitors good luck. And CWO Abrahamse acknowledged he only had three hotdogs this year, so he knows his record of nine still stands from ’22.

The runner-up team, crossing the finish line in one hour, 19 minutes, was the Ohm Boys foursome of Milo Harrison, Reuben Doerksen, Enrico Pinales Grondin and Bredan Groom.

The Free Range Chickens from 17 Wing Winnipeg finished third, also covering the course of eight stops in one hour, 19 minutes. This foursome from Winnipeg’s Transition Centre, with no knowledge of the Base’s geography and venue locations, featured LCol Andrea Keeping, Maj Melissa Boatman, Capt William Hong and Selena Fritsch.

Their counterparts from the CFB Shilo Transition Centre (Team TC) did not best their Winnipeg counterparts, but they did win the airband contest held at the Junior Ranks Mess. Lip synching Bon Jovi’s It’s My Life, the winning team featured Kean Venasse, Case Williams, Courtney Tennant, Justin Kirkpatrick. This foursome also featured a participant dressed in a Star Wars outfit, which went over big at one of the stops on the Amazing Race, O’Kelly School.

Best costume honours went to the The Dutchies, as ranked by Cathy-Jane Green’s Grade 4/5 class at O’Kelly School. This foursome of Dutch-speaking participants was captained by Shilo MFRC executive director Willie van Lankvelt.

“I think it was a fun day for everyone and was certainly fun to watch. Very worthwhile,” said organizer Ryan Blackman, who spent time observing the action as each of the locations.

The other stops on the course included CANEX, Shilo Barber Shop, Transition Centre, 11 Health’s hospital, Base Supply, and Shilo Country Club for blind golfing.