NORDIC SKIING AT RAF BRIZE NORTON – A YEAR ON SKINNY SKIS

by Wg Cdr J I Hughes

Nordic or cross country skiing, or langlauf as the Germans phrase it (ever descriptive – long striding) has a limited season in most ski areas, being confined in most resorts to the lower slopes and valleys. However, the season can be extended, and skills considerably improved, by using roller skis; with these all that is needed is an area of reasonable tarmac and minimal risk of conflict with other users, especially cars. So much for the brief explanation, what follows is a description of Brize Norton’s Nordic Skiing activity over the year 2004/2005 March to February, and the plans for the future.

My arrival at Brize coincided very neatly with Exercise Nordic Pain 2004. A Station expedition to the Haut-Savoie area of France, based around the La Feclaz ski resort. Nordic Pain 2004 was a week long Nordic Skiing exercise carried out under AT rules using self drive MT, and self-catering chalet accommodation. A mixed group of seasoned downhill skiers, capable cross country skiers, and an elderly “gasthof” skier, under the skilled instruction of Cpl Gav Petrie, tackled a wide variety of trails within the 3-centre ski area from the technically easy blues to the more demanding black routes. Daily distances varied from 12 to 30 km, with instruction and guidance as required. Although the ski conditions were on the icy side of good, everybody coped well, skills and techniques developed well and there were no significant injuries. Fitness levels increased, and fatness levels decreased despite the local cuisine and outstanding teamwork in the kitchen. There was even time to improve British/French relations, with the recently retired mayor of the village coming to dinner one evening – he cooked! All in all an excellent expedition, but one which heralded the effective end of the season.

A brief period of relative inactivity then followed before the regular roller-ski training sessions started, based around whatever suitable bit of reasonable and infrequently used tarmac was available. In the darker early evenings this tends to be in front of base hangar, where the security lights create an effective, if rather limited in scenery and terrain, training track. Roller skiing is excellent “closed season” training. There are some similarities with roller blading, but the “skis” employ real ski-bindings and real cross country ski boots. Much of the technique is directly transferable, and therefore means that “ski legs” and balance take little time to develop once out on the snow in the season. In fact the roller skis are far less forgiving than real skis, and mastery of the former is highly recommended, not least because the tarmac is also less forgiving than snow should a serious technical skill malfunction occur. However, again with the coaching skills of Cpl Petrie available, a wide range of people were able to try out roller skiing through the Spring, Summer and Autumn, and even into early winter. Unfortunately, the Station’s range of ski boots was limited to one pair of each size within a “reasonable” range, and some of the roller skis have seen their best days. The preparation did pay off though, with Station involvement, and success, in the “real” season.

A total of 20 personnel went from Brize to the annual RAF Blue Vixen cross country skiing expedition/development activity based in Zweisel in the Bayerwald region of Northern Bavaria, Germany. A week’s worth of intense instruction and track skiing, under the guidance of German and British teachers. Part of the focus of the week is achieving a recognised standard with various skills being tested on the last day; success leads to the prize of, a Bronze, Silver or Gold Award. During the week personnel cover a range of tracks and terrain, and even trying a cross-country ski race, all within the stunning surrounds of the untouched German countryside. Blue Vixen is suitable for all levels of ability from first time on skis to potential instructors and RAF representative sports women/men, it brings together a wide range of stations in friendly rivalry and with over 120 people taking part in 2005 is one of the major RAF expeditions. For the Brize group the event was very successful, with 19 Bronze, 2 silver and 1 gold award achieved between the 2 officers, 2 ncos and 16 other ranks who took part (the sharper eyed of you will notice that equals 21 - Flt Lt Seamus McGowan achieved both the Bronze and Silver Standard not bad for a Novice! For SAC Vincent Hoten of TCW at Brize there was even more fun to be had. His ability and commitment were recognised in the form of an opportunity to join the RAF development team at the British Championships at Ramsau in Austria the following week.

The British Championships, or Brit Week, is an annual event that attracts entries from Civilian and Service clubs across the UK and overseas. In 2005 the event was run concurrently with the Netherlands Cross Country Ski Championships. Vince Hoten, and personnel from other stations selected from their efforts at Zweisel, performed well collecting a number of top three British places in the novice and intermediate events . All credit to Vince Hoten on his first season on skis.

The final cross country ski was scheduled to be a Station expedition to the Jura region in France, based around the Mijoux resort and taking a further 10 – 12 people who had mostly been unavailable for Blue Vixen. Unfortunately, problems with timing, accommodation and instruction finally caused the formal expedition to be cancelled. However, 3 stalwarts were so determined to not waste the roller ski practice sessions that they decided to carry out a privately funded recce of Oberhof in Germany, utilising some local contacts. The trip coincided with the best snow of the season, and despite 2 of the 3 being new to this type of skiing a very successful week was had. The hours spent on car parks and in front of Base Hangar paying dividends. Rudimentary technique developed quickly into competence, and days skiing went quickly from easy tracks and 17km to technically demanding tracks and up to 30km. All of this against a background of pleasant scenery, local hospitality, and the comradeship of “Heil ski!” with the range of German, Dutch, and Russian skiers encountered on the tracks.

Cross country skiing is fun, and it can be hard work if you want it to be. It does give a chance to get away from the crowds and enable enjoyment of the countryside in ski areas under the cloak of winter snow. Brize involvement over the year has spanned the ranks from Wg Cdr to SAC and ages from 54 ½ to 17, from beginner to RAF team contenders. Unashamedly, the key focus is to identify and develop potential for the RAF Cross Country and Biathlon teams, but wider involvement and opportunity for all is available through the AT expeditions to develop both personally and as part of a team.

So what of the next 12 months? A generous Nuffield Trust grant has enabled us to buy some replacement roller skis, and some extra pairs of boots in the most common sizes, so we can offer pre-season training to more people. Appreciating the limited thrill factor of car parks and Base Hangar we are seeking access to some more varied training tracks. Again, the Station will seek to send a team to Blue Vixen, and, with an earlier start to the application process, we intend to run a separate Station Expedition to Germany. In the mean time we will also continue to support the developing athletes already identified to date. So whether young or “mature”, rambler or racing snake, Alpine skier or never skied before, get in touch and give it a try.