Exercise Pitch Black takes to the skies in the Top End

AIR F RCE August 2, 2012
Sp rt
VESTED INTERESTS: Warrior workout participants started off the
challenge with an 800m sprint, wearing 10kg vests just to make the race a
tad harder. Photos: LAC Mark Friend
FLTLT Cath Friend
THERE was no lazy Saturday morning
for some eager members of
82WG – instead they pushed their
bodies to the limit in a CrossFit
challenge to raise money for
Legacy.
The event happened on July 7
when about 100 people, comprising
civilian visitors from a CrossFit
gymnasium in Brisbane and 82WG
personnel, challenged themselves
with a massive CrossFit at RAAF
Base Amberley, and raised about
$1500 for Legacy.
CO 6SQN WGCDR Terence
Deeth was pleased with the results.
“The Charity Challenge was a
great opportunity for the civilian
attendees to enjoy a guided tour
of a Super Hornet and an F-111 as
well as view a military working dog
display,” he said.
“The event itself was very well
FEEL THE EFFORT: SGT Mick Derricott, left, and FLTLT Adam
Grinyer take on chin-ups.
It ain’t heavy, they
are our brothers
HOW MANY TO GO?: FLTLT Joel Stitt on his push-up quest in the warrior workout.
FLTLT Erin Rinaldi
NUMBER 4 Squadron raised more than $5000 for the
Commando Welfare Trust Fund through a warrior workout on
June 29.
The workout was a team event, in which groups of four
competed in combat or open heats.
Members who participated in the combat division had to
add a 10kg vest for the 800m run, 20 pull-ups, 30 push-ups
and 50 squats. It was all for a good cause, though.
The trust fund supports the families of personnel killed or
wounded in action while on operations with 2nd Commando
Regiment (2CDO), and 4SQN started its charity workouts last
year.
4SQN B Flight personnel have been deployed continuously
on operations since 2008 in support of Army Force
Elements. As a result, 4SQN now shares a close working relationship
with 2CDO and its soldiers. This year the workout
was held in memory of commando SGT Todd Langley who
was killed in action in July last year.
Teams from all units across RAAF Base Williamtown, as
well as a contingent from 2CDO, donated money to participate in
the event. Money was also raised through gate collection and
donations from deployed combat controllers.
CO 4SQN WGCDR Stuart Bellingham said: “We really
value our relationship with 2CDO Regiment, and this event is
an important part of our annual calendar that is gaining more
and more support each year.
“This year we again received outstanding support from
the Williamtown PTIs, and I would like to pass on my sincere
gratitude to those who came and participated or donated to the
event. It was a great success and we are looking forward to an
even bigger and better event next year,” he said.
Hard yakka for another good cause
received by all participants but the
highlight for me was to see the military
personnel experience a fitness
session that few (especially those
new to CrossFit) will forget in a hurry.
“To end the event the 6SQN Social
Club put on a hearty barbecue for the
hungry participants,” he said.
PREPARING FOR PAIN: FLTLT
Brendan Preston warms up.
GET READY: 82WG members warm up under the supervision of Doug
Armstrong, owner and principle trainer of Crossfit Rocks, before their
intense workout. Photos: LAC Dan Pinhorn
23
November
return for
Defence
cricket
From Back Page
The Malaysians will be hosted
at RAAF Base Glenbrook, and
the Royal New Zealand Air Force
(RNZAF) will be based at RAAF
Base Richmond. The RAAF teams
will also be based at Richmond
from November 6-11 for trials and
team selection.
On November 9, RAAF, RMAF
and RNZAF will hold an air forces
round-robin competition in Sydney,
followed by a function that evening.
IDCC12 will start in Canberra
on November 12 with a series
of Twenty20 games and 50-over
one-day games, culminating in the
IDCC grand final at Manuka Oval
on November 23.
A World Defence XI will then be
selected to play against former Test
and first class cricketers from the
Australian Cricketers Association
(ACA) Masters at Manuka on
November 24 in a Twenty20 game
to be known as the International
Challenge Shield. The match will
coincide with the launch of the
Stand Tall (for Post Traumatic
Stress Disorder) awareness campaign.
PTSD Limited is headed by
Vietnam veteran Tony Dell, who
was the ADF’s last serviceman to
play Test cricket (he was a bowler
who played two Tests in the early
70s).
Mr Dell has suffered for more
than 40 years with PTSD and this
campaign aims to put the focus back
on this battle so that others do not
have to wait that long to find help.
Army won the first IDCC in
2007 but lost to RMAF by 65 runs
in the final the last time it was held
in 2009.
The IDCC will be conducted
under the direction of the Australian
Services Cricket Association
(ASCA) president, RADM Mark
Campbell.
CDF GEN David Hurley is the
ASCA patron.
At the time of going to print,
the participation of the Pakistan
Defence team was still awaiting
approval from the Pakistan Defence
Minister.
“It promises to be a great couple
of weeks of Defence sport playing
against cricketers from New
Zealand, Malaysia and Pakistan,”
WGCDR Pinder said.
For more information, email ASCA.
cricket@defence.gov.au or ASCA.
cricket@defence.gov.au, or contact
RAAFCA vice-president FLTLT Justin
van Beuningen on (02) 4588 1140.
Calling on the
soccer crowd
THE Air Force Football Association
(AFFA) is calling for nominations for
players, coaches and team managers
to represent the Air Force at the
open men’s, over 35 men’s and open
women’s sides for the interservice
soccer tournament in Sydney from
November 2 to 6.
Air Force won the open men’s
title last year.
Expressions of interest for players
close on October 12.
Air Force will hold a training
camp at RAAF Base Richmond from
October 27 to November 1.
For more information, contact FLTLT Ben
Cowan, ben.cowan@defence.gov.au