SNOWBOARDING

Another year, another incredible competition. A large number of returning competitors brought strength to all the teams and, with the addition of the biggest ADF snowboard team to date, the level of competition felt higher than ever.

The competition opened with the snowboardcross on a course which the ESF had shaped to perfection. A really technical start section challenged the competitors through the training runs and ensured an enthralling start to each heat. Difficulties with the automatic start gate during qualifications prevented it from being used for the heats and all the teams showed outstanding sportsmanship agreeing to continue with vocal commands from the start referee. Huge thanks go to BFBS who continued their outstanding sponsorship and provided live streaming of the event, capturing all the thrills and spills through follow on cams and drone footage.

Snowboard Cross (SBX)

After the 2023 season, the RAF Inter-service team went back to the drawing board to ensure a successful and award-winning 2024 competition. With a new head coach, Jack Taylor, and a turn around of Team Captains, the RAF came to the 2023 season driven, aggressive and thirsty for medals, which was evident in the first race. With a hard fought knockout qualifying stage, the RAF males packed out the top riders which enabled Sqn Ldr Patrick Morris take the gold, narrowly pipping Army’s WO2 Dale Gallagher, with and Flt Lt Chris Harrington the bronze. This secured a and overall RAF team win by a one point victory.

The RN Women’s team came well and truly up for the fight this year, smashing the first competition with POSET Aaby Aldridge taking the Gold, pushing Maj Kelly Richards from the Army to silver, with AB Jasmine Maunder gaining the bronze.

Parallel Slalom (PSL)

Beautifully sunny weather and good snow conditions made for a speedy Parallel Slalom (PSL) qualification on the Mottaret Stade.

The floodlit finals followed that evening with very cold temperatures freezing the slushy snow formed during the afternoon at the Meribel Stade. As a result, both courses became complete ice luges with competitors on either or, at times, both courses falling at speed throughout all of the heats. Only the highest skilled or very lucky survived – adding to the suspense of each round. For the first time ever we had 2 sponsor forerunners, representing Qinetiq and Endace – brave runs undertaken by both with no warm up or training! This set the maximum penalty time which would be used whenever a rider failed to complete the course in the first of the two runs. All the ski, telemark and remaining snowboard competitors joined the sponsors cheering on the racers at the finish line with Her Royal Highness The Duchess of Edinburgh, who afforded the best view by joining the Chair (and commentator) in the race tower – getting a spectacular view and glass of Vin Chaud courtesy of our AIRTANKER sponsors.

Knockout after knockout, the small and big final was down to 2 Army, and 2 RAF. Sqn Ldr Patrick Morris and Cpl Samuel Brown firm favourites to win, were lucky to be against the other service, rather than each other. Army persevered however, with SSgt Dave Grant seizing the gold. Apparently – “Silver is always 2^nd loser in the RAF’s eyes”, but Cpl Brown was happy with his first medal at Interservice in his 3 years competing!  RAF took overall winners for PSL.

RAF once again took the overall winners – can they make it 3?? The ladies race was once again dominated by the RN, achieving Gold for MA Cara Gold, Silver for Lt Cdr Hana Rabuzin, with the ADF’s Sgt Ashley Watts taking her first podium place. A special shout out to Cpl Bryany Lowe from the RAF, who made her debut on the Stade after 3 years of competition. Overall prize went comfortably to the RN, with the four riders to count finishing in the top 6!

Slopestyle

The week finished with the ever-favoured discipline- slopestyle. After a training day to enable the competitors to change from their race boards and corresponding mindset, the sunshine returned for the Endace slopestyle event. A desire to showcase the event and individual’s abilities saw camaraderie and encouragement across the teams and inspired everyone to prove their ability.

RAF Men hailed a strong team effort, with the wild card Fg Off Laurie Parayre hoping for gold. Rocking backflips, 720 degree spins  and blind landings on rails – though the young junior officer came short, the seasoned pro Sqn Ldr Patrick Morris came up trumps with a backside 720, solidifying his gold medal and overall male for the competition. The ladies  competition was no less impressive, with Capt Lisa Gibson’s from the Army gave and  impressive performance including a big Method grab, earning her a bronze. Cpl Natalie Fields, coming in on her second run behind a lot of the other service females, came out with a ‘spicy’ backside 180, giving her the silver she deserved with the effort put in throughout the season. The gold went to our seasoned pro on the rails, Aaby Aldridge, winning by a small margin of 133 points out of 100 with a killer run. A closer overall competition between the services, RN took the top overall prize.

The best trick award and winner of the Nelson Pratt memorial award went to Sqn Ldr Paddy Morris, for the Front 720 with a ‘Stale fish’ grab – for those that are not acquainted with the complicated world of grabs, please see diagram below!

Best newcomer was awarded to AB (AWW) Jack Burrow (RN) who placed 4^th overall across the 3 events – outstanding result in his first year.

The women’s overall individual competition was won by PO (SET) Aaby Aldridge with 2 first places and 6^th in the final event. The men’s competition was taken once again by Sqn Ldr Paddy Morris who was streaks ahead of the competition also with 2 first places, and a 4^th in the final event.  Special shout out to the ADF team, with Cpl Ashley Watts placed second overall in the Open Women’s competition.

The UK Armed Forces Snowboard overall ladies’ team competition was won by the Royal Navy, and this year, the RAF DID take the Men’s competition.

None of this could happen without the sponsors, competitors, hill teams and committee all contributing. Their generosity and dedication created a competitive and enjoyable competition which will continue to be hard fought between the service teams at the British championships, indoor events and with, of course, their return to Meribel next year!

British Championships (the ‘Brits’)

The UK Armed Forces Winter Sports Association (UKAFWSA) is not just an organization; it’s a vibrant community of military personnel united by a shared passion for snowsports. Renowned for their camaraderie and indomitable team spirit, the UKAFWSA-sponsored Snowboard team is a force to be reckoned with at various events throughout the year.

The Brits: Celebrating Over Two Decades of Snowsports Excellence

The annual event known as The Brits is a cornerstone of the UK Snowsports calendar, attracting snowboarders and skiers from across the nation. With a legacy spanning over 20 years, it’s more than just a competition; it’s a festival that celebrates the thrill and artistry of snowboarding and skiing. This year, the Tamworth Snowdome played host to this prestigious event, setting the stage for an unforgettable display of talent and sportsmanship.

Training for Triumph: The UKAF Team’s Journey to the Championships

In preparation for the championships, the selected UKAF team embarked on an intensive two-day training session at the Milton Keynes Snowdome. These sessions were more than just practice; they were a celebration of the sport, filled with high-energy jam sessions, good-natured falls, and laughter. The team’s camaraderie was further bolstered by the presence of fellow Navy, Army, and RAF members, creating an atmosphere of unity and determination.

A Show of Skill: UKAF’s Stellar Performance at the Banked Slalom Championships

The Banked Slalom Championships were a testament to the UKAF team’s experience and skill. Both the men’s and ladies’ teams achieved remarkable podium finishes in the open and Masters categories, showcasing their prowess and competitive edge. The results speak for themselves:

Ladies Masters: Pte Megan Vowles (ARMY) taking 1st place (one to watch for the future!).

Ladies Open: Pte Megan Vowles (ARMY) clinched 1st place, with Cpl Natalie Fields (RAF) securing 3^rd:

Men Open: Sqn Ldr Patrick Morris (RAF) impressed with a 2nd place finish.

Men Masters: (BELOW PICTURE) Sqn Ldr Patrick Morris led the pack with 1st place, followed by WO2 Dale Gallagher (ARMY)  in 2nd, and Cpl Cameron Lynch (RM) in 3rd.

Slopestyle Showdown: A Display of Resilience and Skill

The slopestyle event was a battleground where young, sponsored riders showcased their exceptional talent, laying down high-scoring runs that highlighted the flourishing state of the sport. Despite the stiff competition, the UKAF team held their own, with the men’s masters category securing two podium finishes and one of the ladies narrowly missing out on a podium in the ladies masters.

Looking Ahead: Anticipation for the Next Mountain Challenge

The UKAF team’s experience at The Brits was more than just a competition; it was an opportunity to engage with the vibrant UK snowboard community and to test their mettle against some of the best. With spirits high and sights set on the future, the team eagerly anticipates next year’s challenge, ready to compete once again amidst the majestic mountains.

This year saw the UKAF ISSSC competition delayed until March, which brings its own challenges for all disciplines, and significant programme change for the Snowboarding side – all competitors adapted well, and I was particularly impressed with the flexibility that the competitors showed to the daily changes. But all enjoyed the glorious sunshine!

The addition of a combined training week pre competition enhanced team cohesion and bonded the sS teams. The ability to train on a ‘rough’ version of the SnowBoard Cross (SBX) course created the conditions for feisty competition. A large dump of snow pre event provided mild issues, particularly as the ESF course shapers were retasked  to provide avalanche rescue and clearance leaving the hill team to work tirelessly to ready the course for competition. Their quick response to the emergency and then subsequent continued support for the competition upon returning showed the extraordinary support they give to us year upon year. The finished course provided challenge (and a fair few clashes), but most importantly injury free! The women’s competition was dominated by the Army and RN, with LBdr Jordan Buckley (Army) taking firs POSET Aaby Aldridge and AB Jasmine Maunder from the RN taking second and third respectively. RN won the team prize with one point in it. The men’s competition was tight with the RN taking the overall, with their team depth coming through. SSgt Chris Marshall (Army) took first, with Fg Offr Chris Harrington a close second and POET Curtis Gale from the RN taking third. A big shout out to our BFBS sponsor, and specifically a large thank you to Simon Bucks and Lisa Mitchell, your support on the mountain was much welcomed.

The change to March, and lighter longer days meant that that the AIRTANKER parallel slalom night event could not be had at the Meribel Stade. Instead, a hard fought contest took place on the Mottaret Stade in the Day, but the scheduling allowed for much support from the sponsors, as well as a sponsor forerunner race between Qinetiq and Endace. A spread of results across the women gave an Army, RAF and RN podium result for SSgt Lisa Quinn, Cpl Jasmine Furber, and Lt Cdr Hana Rabuzin, with the team competition fairly tight across the services, with Army coming out top. Men’s results saw Army dominate with first and third (Cpl Dan Robinson and SSgt David Grant), with AB Simon Andrews taking second for the RN. The Army overall smashed the team competition with all six riders coming in the top ten. A great competition, but all teams unanimously voted for a return to the night competition for 2024, and the challenging conditions of the Meribel Stade.

The Endace sponsored Slopestyle competition saw a continuation of the format adopted in 2022 reducing the competitors to selected riders only. Much debate raged over this ensued all week – are we pushing those who are less talented at this element if they do not compete? But it does provide for a reduction in risk of injury. The competition itself was of an excellent standard, with the best trick  going to WO2 Sven Benevides with a ‘Frontboard, backboard switch-up’, and a really close competition with the RAF taking it with one point over the RN, despite RN coming first and third (AN Simon Andrews and Lt Ryan Clamp), with Army coming second (Pte Ned Hussey). Women’s competition was equally tight, with SSgt Lisa Quinn taking first, RN’s POSET Aaby Aldridge taking second and RAF’s Cpl Jasmine Furber taking third. Overall winner going to Army.

Overall Championship team prizes were won by Army for both men and women – a mix-up in the results led to the RAF being announced as the overall winner. The RAF team magnanimously declared this couldn’t be correct, and an immediate representation took place, and which could have been a disaster – showed a real sense of camaraderie and good sportsmanship between the teams, demonstrating the combined service ethos. Best Newcomer went to Cpl Jasmine Furber, who also made it onto the Combined service team to represent the military at the Brits.

Overall a superb championships, with real competition throughout, with excellent support from the Sponsors.

British Championships (the ‘Brits’)

Following the ISSSC in France, the British Snowboard Championships provided an excellent opportunity for the UK Armed Forces Combined Service snowboard team to compete against the best British athletes and raise the profile of military snowboarding. The 10-member team, led by SSgt Grant, trained under renowned coaches Sebastian Kern and Joe Mather to prepare for the slopestyle, rail jam, and banked slalom competitions. The competition was held in the Caingorms this year, allowing a larger contingent to go the Championships as part of a development.

The challenging conditions, with winds, fog, and limited training time on the features, made preparations difficult. However, the team made the most of the situation and still achieved some strong results in the competitions. Cpl Jasmine Furber led the way for the women, placing 2nd in slopestyle and rail jam and 3rd in banked slalom. AB Simon Andrews also had a good showing, placing 7th in the men’s banked slalom. Several team members pushed themselves beyond their comfort zone by attempting the larger jumps and more challenging rails. The competitions also provided important experience for those who don’t regularly compete at this level and the team received praise from the British snowboarding community for their spirit, attitudes, and contributions to the event. The exposure from competing at the British Championships will help promote military snowboarding going forward.

The benefit of a training week cannot be underestimated and is fundamental to the continued success and development of UK Armed Forces participation on this national scale.

Team selection for the UKAF team is considered not only the highlight of the Service Snowboarding calendar but also an honour and a privilege. The support and level of funding that was invested into the team this year was appreciated by all team members.

The opportunities that arise from representing at this level are priceless, and the benefit and experience that each service gains from their selected riders attending are immense. The overall level of Military Snowboarding continues to develop, and it is hoped that the public’s perception of the military has been enhanced through the team’s demonstration of professionalism, courage and team spirit.

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