Cornish Pirates

Jan Trains The Coldstream Guards
22nd June 2010

 

Team manager, 'Chris 'Jan' Rendall, has had a busy summer.

Shortly after celebrating the British & Irish Cup final win against Munster in May, Jan was off with the 'North 2 South' charity cycle ride as driver and medical support.

A team of cyclists undertook a successful 900 mile journey from Dunnet Head to the Lizard Point which raised over £32,000 to help the Lizard Lifeboat, Cancer Funding for Cornwall, and Mullion Gymnastics Centre.

Back to base at RNAS Culdrose, Jan - a training support technician - has been working with Coldstream Guards attending an Adventure Training week.

Jan led the mountain biking and fire fighting training, whilst other activities included scuba diving, coasteering (jumping off rocks into the sea) and football.

The mountain biking saw the Guards complete the mineral trail, which took them from Portreath to Devoran and back, a total of 22 miles.

They were impressed with the scarring of the landscape caused by tin mining, and the breakfast at Smokey Joe's!

The fire fighting training was conducted at the Royal Naval school of flight deck operations, where the Guards were put through their paces in the confined space cages, wearing breathing apparatus, and then carrying out a rescue within two smoke-filled rooms.

They were also shown the effects of a 'flashover' flame (an intense heat layer passing over the ceiling).

The Guards totally enjoyed themselves throughout the week, which provided 'a bit of down time' since returning from Afghanistan.