CF team up to challenge of military pentathlon

At the four-week training camp, athletes push themselves to the limit for a chance to represent Canada at the competition.

Saturday, October 03, 2009

Sofia, Bulgaria —Eight officers represented Canada in the Interallied Confederation of Reserve Officers (CIOR) Military Competition in Bulgaria.

Pentathlon requires a high degree of teamwork. If a team member is having trouble during an event, the other two must come to the rescue.

Athletes from across the country trained for four weeks in Farnham, Quebec prior to the military pentathlon this summer.

“I decided to participate in CIOR for the challenge and the experience. It’s not every day that we get the opportunity to take part in an international competition with so many athletes from all the NATO countries,” explains Captain Kimberley Ficke of the 39 Canadian Brigade Group Headquarters.

Canadians continue record of success

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This was Lieutenant Fillion's seventh year competing with Canada's CIOR team. Canadians have performed extremely well in the obstacle course for a number of years. This year, the veteran Canadian team of Lieutenant Francis Fillion, Sub-Lieutenant Devin Harper and Lieutenant Julien Bouchard-Bourdeau outpaced the other 42 teams to win the gold medal again in the land and water obstacles courses.

The Canadian women’s team placed second in a field of six for the overall competition and won the Law of Armed Conflict event. In addition, Lt Cheng Peng and his team brought home a medal, placing first of the five international teams.

Competition skills developed in military training
Founded in 1948, the organization represents Reservists from 34 countries. CIOR plays two key roles: provide support to NATO and foster the professional development of Reserve officers.

A military pentathlon is held in conjunction with each CIOR Congress to test the military skills of Reservists. This year, 43 teams from 17 countries gave their all in five events, i.e. pistol and rifle shooting, orienteering, and land and water obstacle courses.

Each event requires specific skills and abilities, such as concentration, endurance, strength and ability, to name just a

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Lt Cheng Peng wins gold in the international team category. few. For example, the land obstacle course is made up of 20 obstacles over a distance of 500 metres. Each obstacle requires a different technique that the athletes have to learn until it becomes automatic.

“It’s exciting to see how the athletes progress during training camp. A certain level of physical fitness is needed, but they still must learn all the techniques,” says Simon Gasse, the Canadian team’s head coach.

Challenging experience an annual event
Canada’s CIOR team is inviting officers as well as senior NCO Reservists to apply for next summer’s competition. There’s only a few months left to get in shape! For more information, visit the Canadian CIOR Team Web site at www.armee.dnd.ca/CIOR/.

Article and photographs by Corporal Julie Turcotte, Army News, Montreal