Ex Rucksack 18 Programme
Programme now available for the Army, Inter Service and British National Cross Country and Biathlon Championships which will be held in Ruhpolding from 24 January to 9 February 2018.
The aim of Ex RUCKSACK is to provide participants with an arduous and challenging racing programme, using world class, state of the art facilities and physically demanding, technical courses to identify the Inter-Services and Army Champion Nordic Skiers and Nordic Skiing units of the British Army whilst enhancing the moral and physical components of fighting power.
The objectives of Ex RUCKSACK are:
- To run a physically demanding and varied race programme for teams and individuals to test their physical fitness, stamina, determination, courage and leadership.
- To operate world leading competition ranges to allow teams and individuals to practice, improve and test their marksmanship.
- To develop organisational, administrative and management skills amongst officials, team captains and their deputies.
- To develop a base of knowledge and skills to enable individuals to organise meetings at Corps, Divisional and Army level.
Nordic Skiing in the British Army encompasses the international winter sports disciplines of Biathlon Skiing and Cross Country Skiing plus the Military Patrol Race; conducted in military uniform to a bespoke set of military rules. Classified as Individual Military Training, the competitive phases of Nordic Skiing are conducted in accordance with National Governing Body regulations which are entirely separate from ski-touring. It is not Adventurous Training.
Nordic Skiing epitomises the true warrior ethos: tough, resilient and highly motivated. It contributes significantly to operational capability, decompression and recuperation following Operations, to the moral component and to retention. Not only does participation raise standards of fitness, marksmanship and leadership in Units, it also instils enhanced confidence, courage, teamwork and administration in officers and soldiers; delivering highly effective young officer development training and reinforces values based leadership.
