ACTIVE WHAT'S ON? RAF Sailing Association Offshore

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ACTIVE WHAT'S ON?? whatsoneditor@rafactive.co.uk Compiled and edited by Flt Lt Harriet McAuliffe WELCOME TO WHAT S ON Welcome to the Autumn 2010 edition of What s On.

Hopefully the activities listed in these pages will have you forgetting about the epic weather we had and instead have you looking forward to a packed Winter programme of activities.

Please use the information contained within these pages and go enjoy, what I hope will be a fabulous season for winter sports and AT.

1 ACTIVE WHAT'S ON?? Compiled and edited by Flt Lt Harriet McAuliffe WELCOME TO WHAT S ON Welcome to the Autumn 2010 edition of What s On. I know that because this edition has gone to press Summer is officially over but now starts a whole new season of sport waiting for you to participate in. Hopefully the activities listed in these pages will have you forgetting about the epic weather we had and instead have you looking forward to a packed Winter programme of activities. We have a strong focus on AT and the many facilities on offer to you, so what are you waiting for? Please use the information contained within these pages and go enjoy, what I hope will be a fabulous season for winter sports and AT. If you have an event, exped or association you would like to promote in the Winter 2010 Edition, then me at the address above. Exercise Blue Vixen I bet you have never heard of Exercise Blue Vixen! It is said to be the RAF s best kept secret. Blue Vixen introduces people to the challenging skill of Cross-Country Skiing. The expedition itself lasts 6 days in total and is based in the beautiful town of Zwiesel in Bavaria. The aim of the expedition is to introduce novice and skiers to cross-country skiing. For the more crazy amongst you, the expedition is also used to talent spot potential recruits for the RAF biathlon squad. On the expedition, you will have the opportunity to improve your skiing, take an international ski test and gain a formal qualification, or you could just join the touring group to see more of the Bavarian countryside Groups will complete 6 days of skiing. Each group is allocated an instructor, who will take them through the basic techniques. There are lots of new techniques and phrases to take in such as diagonal stride, double pole with a kick, snowplough stop and for the really technical stop, the head plant! Of course, the instructors make it all look so effortless, but groups are always amazed at how much they have been able to achieve by the end of just one week of skiing. For more info visit the website, via Sports and Pastimes/ Winter Sports/ Exercise Blue Vixen, or contact your Ped department. RAF Sailing Association Offshore The RAF Sailing Association offers experience in all aspects of sailing to personnel at all levels. Training courses are offered which will allow people to experience this exciting yet therapeutic sport and to learn skills up to a nationally recognised Royal Yachting Association standard. These skills are very beneficial, especially if considering an Adventurous Training expedition or family holiday alike. Indeed, RAFSA Membership will offer the opportunity to charter two very well equipped offshore yachts in excellent sailing areas; unlike other service yachts, they are available for personal use of qualified members and civilian crew, providing a RAFSA Member sponsors the trip. If none of the course dates are suitable for you and you have a few colleagues who would like a week on the water, you may want to contact RAFSA Offshore about arranging a training expedition. The Training Officer may be able to provide a suitable Instructor for your exped to allow you and your colleagues to gain RYA qualifications from your week. Volunteers are always being sought for the RAF Sailing Racing Team which take part in many regatta events, mainly in the Solent Area. For further information on any aspect of RAF Offshore Sailing please visit the website www. rafsa.org.uk or contact the RAFSA (Offshore) Communications Manager, Flt Lt Roger Graham at comms@ offshore.rafsa.org.uk 56

RAF POWER KITING ASSOCIATION It s been a busy few months for the RPKA this summer.

Although the wind decided to stay away, the longboards came out and plenty of members took advantage of the club discount with Charlie and his gang there.

Over 2 weeks, 4 newcomers to kitesurfing were trained to at least level 2 standard and 4 intermediates reached level 3.

Members had barely returned before a select few headed to Goodwood in August for the Push for Heroes Roller Marathon.

In the spirit of not allowing the dust to settle, the association has recently returned from a weekend in Portreath where a new slack-wind discipline

2 RAF POWER KITING ASSOCIATION It s been a busy few months for the RPKA this summer. June saw it heading down for a camping weekend in Poole in association with King of Watersports. Although the wind decided to stay away, the longboards came out and plenty of members took advantage of the club discount with Charlie and his gang there. The following week saw 4 members head to JSMTC Indefatigable on Anglesey for some powerboat training. The sailing club were nice enough to roll out their brand new RIB to play with and everyone got their PBL2 qualifications as required to eventually become instructors on the water. July heralded the 2nd Annnual Kite Camp at Lemmings Cyprus, which was bigger and better than last year. Over 2 weeks, 4 newcomers to kitesurfing were trained to at least level 2 standard and 4 intermediates reached level 3. For the rest of the attendees, it proved a welcome opportunity to improve their skills and dedicate some real time to the sport. Members had barely returned before a select few headed to Goodwood in August for the Push for Heroes Roller Marathon. It was a good effort by all with a special mention going to Sgt Naomi Liles for being the 2nd fastest lady overall! In the spirit of not allowing the dust to settle, the association has recently returned from a weekend in Portreath where a new slack-wind discipline appears to have been introduced - tarpaulin surfing. Look it up on YouTube! As autumn nears and the weather begins to turn, the association migrates to Tiree for the RAF Champs. One of the windiest and driest places in the country, there will be plenty of scope for all-day landboarding, buggying and kitesurfing competitions. As always, more to be found on their website or Facebook page. If this new and rapidly growing sport has blown you away, then check out their website for full details. 57

RAF Biathlon 58 Biathlon is one of the most gruelling of sports, that said I am told it is a very enjoyable and thoroughly rewarding sport.

With the benefits of one ex and one current GBR athlete and decades of competitive experience, even complete novices can find themselves fully able to represent the RAF at a variety of respected

For more details contact the Team, via the website, and they will get you out on your skis as soon as possible.

Shooting The biathlete carries the 3.5kg rifle including ammunition in magazines on her/his back during the race. The rifles used are 5.6mm (.

Prone shooting target diameter is 45mm, standing is 115mm.

10 km (7.5km for women), the biathlete shoots twice (10 shots), once prone, once standing. For each miss, a penalty loop of 150 m has to be completed before the race can be continued.

3 RAF Biathlon 58 Biathlon is one of the most gruelling of sports, that said I am told it is a very enjoyable and thoroughly rewarding sport. The RAF Biathlon and Nordic Ski Team offers the unique opportunity to sample this sport. With the benefits of one ex and one current GBR athlete and decades of competitive experience, even complete novices can find themselves fully able to represent the RAF at a variety of respected competitions all over Europe. Membership is open to all RAF personnel and all equipment is provided. For more details contact the Team, via the website, and they will get you out on your skis as soon as possible. Skiing All skiing techniques are permitted in biathlon, but no other equipment than skis and ski poles may be used. Minimal length of the skis is the length of the skier less 4cm. Shooting The biathlete carries the 3.5kg rifle including ammunition in magazines on her/his back during the race. The rifles used are 5.6mm (.22) calibre and are not automatic or semi-automatic; loading must be done by the biathlete s muscle force. The target range shooting distance is 50m. Prone shooting target diameter is 45mm, standing is 115mm. The five targets are self-indicating, in that they flip from black to white when hit, giving the biathlete instant visual feedback for each shot fired Contest Format Sprint In the sprint, held over 10 km (7.5km for women), the biathlete shoots twice (10 shots), once prone, once standing. For each miss, a penalty loop of 150 m has to be completed before the race can be continued. The biathletes start in intervals (normally of 30 seconds). Pursuit The biathletes start with the time difference between them from a previous race, often a sprint. Therefore, the contestant crossing the finish line first becomes the winner. The distance is 12.5km (10 km for women), and there are four shooting rounds (2 prone, 2 standing), and each miss means a penalty loop of 150 m. Individual The 20km individual race (15 km for women) is the oldest biathlon event. The biathlete shoots four times. For each missed target a fixed penalty time is added to the skiing time of the biathlete. RelayTeams This consists of four biathletes, who each ski 7.5km (both men and women), with two shooting rounds. The first-leg participants start all at the same time, and as in cross-country skiing relays, every athlete of a team must touch the team s next-leg participant to perform a valid exchange. Health and well-being I stumbled across this website one day whilst looking for articles to fill these pages. I was instantly drawn in to the many articles and interesting information contained within its many links. The excellent format and helpful advice contained is enough for anyone to increase their knowledge and improve on their current fitness levels. It also has many great articles relating to general wellbeing too. Some of the articles contained on the website are: Training programmes, Womens weight training, Success Stories, Diet and Nutrition, Combating Stress, Smoking Cessation, Components of physical fitness and tips for successful training. I want to mention that this is not just a physical training website, but also a Wellbeing website too and as can be seen from some of the articles that are covered, there is enough there to keep all levels interested and informed. So visit this website for more info:

FDTC Crickhowell I would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness about the Force Development Centre Crickhowell.

I would highly recommend Service personnel and Line Managers to seriously consider FDTC Crickhowell as a medium for providing FD for their piers and subordinates.

Development training to the wider Air Force. The training is designed to enhance the leadership capacity of officers, airmen and women for their role within the service.

This is undertaken in an open and safe environment. Courses at FDTC Crickhowell allow you the chance to develop a greater understanding of your own strengths and potential for improvement.

FDT Courses Under the auspices of the Force Development Strategy, FDTC Crickhowell offers the opportunity to personnel to undertake personal and team development activities through the medium of

4 FDTC Crickhowell I would like to take this opportunity to raise awareness about the Force Development Centre Crickhowell. I have been fortunate enough to have stayed at the centre and experienced some of the excellent activities on offer by the highly trained and professional staff that work and run the centre. I would highly recommend Service personnel and Line Managers to seriously consider FDTC Crickhowell as a medium for providing FD for their piers and subordinates. The role of the centre is to provide Adventurous Personal Development Training (APDT) for Royal Air Force personnel and Officers undergoing various stages of formal training as well as Force Development training to the wider Air Force. The training is designed to enhance the leadership capacity of officers, airmen and women for their role within the service. Training Benefits The training develops personal qualities of team working, co-operation, self-awareness, self-discipline, self-reliance, selfconfidence, enthusiasm, initiative and drive. This is undertaken in an open and safe environment. Courses at FDTC Crickhowell allow you the chance to develop a greater understanding of your own strengths and potential for improvement. Additionally, your learning can then be transferred to your role as a leader/ member of a team and this will ultimately improve your operational performance in the Royal Air Force. FDT Courses Under the auspices of the Force Development Strategy, FDTC Crickhowell offers the opportunity to personnel to undertake personal and team development activities through the medium of adventurous activities. They have the opportunity to select the course activities so as to maximise their learning and self-development. Course duration could be from a full day incorporating two activities upto a week long package. As well as having it s own High Ropes Course, the centre can offer the following activities: Open Canoeing Kayaking Sea Kayaking Gorge Walking Mountain Walking Rock Climbing Abseiling Caving Mountain Biking Instructional Staff All instructional staff are Physical Training Instructors (PTI s) who are also qualified Adventurous Training Instructors (ATI s). This enables them to deliver the training package in a controlled environment and allow students to overcome what could be a challenging situation. The atmosphere at the Centre is very relaxed. Clean casual clothes including jeans and trainers are acceptable wear. How to Apply Force Development Training (FDT) Applications for courses, should be made in the first instance to: S02 FD (AT) RAF High Wycombe Tel: / Contact Details Force Development Training Centre Crickhowell (FDTCC) Cwrt-y-Gollen, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1TE Tel: / Another activity that is housed and ran at FDTC Crickhowell, is the JSHPC. Courses JSHPC offers a variety of courses for budding hang gliding or paragliding pilots. These range from the beginner s course for complete novices through to trainee instructor. As a Registered School with the British Hang Gliding and Paragliding Association - the BHPA, the majority of qualifications we offer are linked to their pilot-rating scheme and are nationally recognised. Eligibility The following personnel are eligible to attend AT courses: Regular Service. Reserve Forces. Officer Training Corps. Cadet Forces adult staff. Unfortunately, we are unable to take dependants of military service personnel, civil servants, or civilians. Weight Restrictions Hang gliding: Minimum weight is 60kgs and the maximum is 92kgs Paragliding: Minimum weight is 41kgs and the maximum is 110kgs Fitness There are no medical examinations required, however you should be in good health to attend the course. Should you be in any doubt then you will need to visit your Med Centre and get the doctor to confirm your fitness. Applications and Bookings Prospective students may bid for courses up until the last working day, before the course starts. A Images:

60 Image: www.cloudrider.co.uk phone call to the Centre will confirm if there are any vacancies, if there are, then joining instructions will be faxed to you on receipt of an application form.

Applications must complete as much detail as possible and include the course reference number and dates, marking clearly whether it is hang gliding or paragliding course they wish to apply for.

participation, training and competition for all cyclists regardless of ability from beginner to elite performance level for all forms of cycling.

Membership to serving personnel is FREE! Every year, RAF Cycling participate in many events and races across all of the disciplines at many different levels.

5 60 Image: phone call to the Centre will confirm if there are any vacancies, if there are, then joining instructions will be faxed to you on receipt of an application form. Bids for courses must be made on the JSAT Course Application Form found in JSP 419. Applications must complete as much detail as possible and include the course reference number and dates, marking clearly whether it is hang gliding or paragliding course they wish to apply for. Contacting us: JSHPC, Cwrt-y-Gollen, Crickhowell, Powys NP8 1TE Tel: / Fax: / RAF Cycling Association RAF Cycling provides opportunities for participation, training and competition for all cyclists regardless of ability from beginner to elite performance level for all forms of cycling. No matter your (in)ability you are more than welcome to join in the fun. Oh and you don t have to go through any un-necessary selection processes to take part either. Membership to serving personnel is FREE! Every year, RAF Cycling participate in many events and races across all of the disciplines at many different levels. To maintain friendly rivalry and the upkeep of inter-service sportsmanship, the Army Cycling Union, the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Cycling Association along with RAF Cycling compete against each other in the Combined Services Racing Series. They don t just race either. They do an annual coast to coast run as well as an overseas tour of some description. Keep an eye on the forum to see what they have got lined up - everyone is welcome. RAF Cycling covers the broad range of cycling activities. They have a growing and enthusiatic road scene. It does not matter whether you are a keen racer, time trialist, long distance rider or recreational rider, join them at one of the races or other events and have a great day out. Their extensive programme in essence covers: Road Racing at National, Regional and local level. Time Trialling at National, Regional and local level. Sportifs (non-competitive riding over 25, 50 and 100 miles through stunning scenery in the UK). And for those wishing something between MTB and Road, Cyclocross. Weekend training rides and social rides are also a regular feature year round You can also obtain travel authority if you are representing RAFCC at certain events. You don t have to represent the RAF to wear the RAF Brand Clothing. It is availiable to buy on the RAF Cycling website. It is extremely good quality gear and at very reasonable prices too! The race and casual clothing that RAF Cyclists wear are instantly recognised throughout the cycling fraternity thanks to it s eye-catching red, white and blue branding, and take it from me, if you wear it whilst taking part in any races, the support you receive is awesome. If you require further information on this subject, then contact the Clothing Member; Chf Tech Chris Tasker on Ext 8019 or him on: clothing@rafcycling.org.uk Visit the RAF Cycling website for further information and events listings:

RAF Rowing Club Rowing is a sport that takes place all year round.

In the winter, land training is a vital element to keep rowers fit but training also takes place on the water in readiness for Head Races,

In the summer there are many regattas up and down the country with some being raced using multiple lanes.

The RAF Rowing Club competes at all levels from special events for those members in their first year of rowing through to crews representing

The club also competes at Henley Royal Regatta and the FISA World Veteran Masters Championships.

So, as you can see the RAF Rowing Club caters for all levels. You don t just have to be in the first team Squads to compete.

6 RAF Rowing Club Rowing is a sport that takes place all year round. The RAF Rowing Club partakes in races and events in every month of the year. In the winter, land training is a vital element to keep rowers fit but training also takes place on the water in readiness for Head Races, effectively a time trial race, typically being around 5km in length. In the summer there are many regattas up and down the country with some being raced using multiple lanes. Generally crews will participate in various knockout races throughout the day with the winner going through to the next round. The RAF Rowing Club competes at all levels from special events for those members in their first year of rowing through to crews representing the Service against the Army and the Royal Navy. The club also competes at Henley Royal Regatta and the FISA World Veteran Masters Championships. In recent years the Club has been on tour to Russia, the United States and also to Gibraltar. So, as you can see the RAF Rowing Club caters for all levels. You don t just have to be in the first team Squads to compete. If this has grasped your interest and you would like to know more, then visit the RAF Rowing website. The site is very comprehensive and is full of useful information aimed at all levels, from Concept2 training programmes to safety on the water briefing notes; you can also purchase good quality training clothing too. For a full listing of all RAF Rowing Clubs visit: live/raf_rowing_club The home of RAF rowing is at the RAF Watersports Centre (Danesfield) near Medmenham, between Marlow and Henley, directions for which can be found at the RAF Watersports Centre website. 61

VISION FOR THE SCOTTISH ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS

VISION FOR THE SCOTTISH ROWING CHAMPIONSHIPS An aspirational Championship level regatta for Juniors, Seniors, and Para athletes that provides a platform for highly competitive, quality racing amongst the