Soldier – August 2019

http://www.soldiermagazine.co.uk AUGUST 2019 81

MOUNTAIN BIKING

MONTH

IN SPORT

WHAT: Army

v Civil Service Golf

WHEN: August

27 to 28

WHERE: Belton

Park Golf Club

NEED TO

KNOW: The

fixtures are

coming thick

and fast as

preparations for

this year’s Inter-Services gather pace.

The soldiers head to the East Midlands

for a two-day match

WHAT: Inter-Services Tennis

Championships

WHEN: August 5 to 6

WHERE: Wimbledon

NEED TO KNOW: The Army’s players

will be on the title trail in the singles

and doubles draws as the season’s key

fixture returns to the iconic setting of

the All England Club after an absence

of three years

WHAT:

Inter-Services

50-Over Cricket

Championships

WHEN:

August 1

WHERE:

Aldershot

NEED TO

KNOW: As the

tournament reaches its conclusion and,

having already claimed the Twenty20

honours, the Army will be looking to

complete a Forces double on home soil

T

HE curtain came down

on another triumphant

Army Cross Country

Mountain Bike Series as off-

road racers took to the rugged

terrain outside Minley for the

competition’s final leg.

With five stages held at

various locations across the

country the initiative has

again achieved its key goal in

attracting newcomers to the

fold and it is hoped that many

will now continue in the sport.

Sgt Andrew Horn (PWRR)

claimed the men’s overall

senior title, while Cpl Chloe

Weller (Int Corps) capped a

successful transition from

road racing as she secured the

women’s equivalent prize.

There were also wins for Cfn

Jake Diprose (REME) in the

junior category, Capt William

Matthews (RE) in the masters

and Lt Col Derek Hendry (Para)

in the grand masters.

Riders from 24 Commando

Royal Engineers won the major

units prize, with the East

Midlands UOTC taking the

minor units honours.

And with entrants regularly

stretching past the 100 mark

the level of participation has

delighted those in charge.

“We are keeping the

momentum going,” series

secretary WO1 James Cooper

(REME) told SoldierSport.

“Our numbers have

remained pretty constant in

what is a difficult climate in

terms of workload.

“It is all aimed at novice

personnel but we have Army

riders involved in a mentoring

capacity – they also see this as

a way to grow the sport.

“They are not allowed to be

part of the series; it is about

newcomers coming along to

compete against people who

are at a similar level.

“The courses are very

important. We have to ensure

they can be ridden safely, there

are more technical elements –

with A and B lines depending

on how confident an individual

is – but they have to operate

within their ability.

“Cycling is not just for those

at the elite level.” ■

RIDERS REACH SERIES FINALE

August’s key fixtures...

SERIES IN

NUMBERS

ROUNDS

IN THE 2019

CROSS

COUNTRY

SHOWDOWN

5

TITLES ON

OFFER FOR

INDIVIDUAL

RIDERS AND

UNIT TEAMS

7

ATHLETES

IN ACTION

AT THIS

SEASON’S

PEAK ROUND

190

AVERAGE

LENGTH, IN

HOURS, OF

EACH RACE

– WHICH ARE

SET ON A

VARIETY OF

TERRAIN

1

DATE, IN

SEPTEMBER,

OF THIS

YEAR’S INTER-

SERVICES

RACE IN

HAMPSHIRE

11

SURFING IN A NEW DIRECTION

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