RHLI Exercises

National Defence and the Canadian Forces

Joint Task Force Central & Land Force Central Area

31 Canadian Brigade Group

EXERCISE RESOLUTE RILEY 2009

Capt Tim Fletcher, Unit Information Officer, RHLI

And the winner is…. well, in just a minute. First, the details!

Exercise "Resolute Riley" is the kick-off event for The Royal Hamilton Light Infantry’s fall training season. Soldiers first gather in the armouries for the task of bringing their records up to date. Then, it’s off to Valens Conservation Area for the RHLI’s "iron soldier" competition.

It starts at the pavilion about half-way into the park. Soldiers are dressed in t-shirts and combat trousers with boots. At the whistle, it’s off along the path skirting Valens Lake and through the west-side woods to the lookout tower at the north end of the lake. We say "lake" … we really mean the south end of the infamous Beverly Swamp, renowned in pioneer days for bottomless mud below the innocent-looking water.

The soldiers – Master Corporal and below paired up with one experienced soldier and one new soldier – hit the water running, facing a 400-metre swamp crossing. At the other end, it’s a run through the east-side woods to a trail, where 25-kilogram rucksacks are waiting. The soldiers don the heavy packs for a 1.5 kilometre push down the trail, across the Valens bridge to the lower shore of the lake. The packs are dropped, and the soldiers hit the water, looping around a dock (and getting rid of some of that muck!) and back out. A 400-metre uphill dash to the finish line ends the race. Total distance: four kilometres.

The physical end of the event is followed by a BBQ for the soldiers and their families, who come out to cheer them on. The Military Band of the RHLI plays throughout the run, beginning at the start line, moving to the bridge and then up to the finish line. Quite a day!

Oh yes… the winners! With a time of just 40 minutes and 13 seconds, Corporal Tyler Balansche and Private Tyler MacDonald captured the Nicolazzo Trophy for first place. Just nine seconds behind was the team of Corporal Dan Frankiw and Private Nick Reuter, and at 41:50, Private Ian Kroetsch and Private Hans Kassner crossed third.

The RHLI officers and senior non-commissioned officers tested the course with their own run the previous Thursday evening. As of publishing time there were no results available!