Former Royal Marines completed an epic 100-mile weekend Trans-Tayside challenge to cross the region by kayak, raft, bike and on foot in a major fund-raising effort.
Exhausted but exhilarated, the group of former commandos now working in the emergency services were joined by men currently serving at RM Condor, near Arbroath, for the final leg of the marathon event as they speed-marched right on cue to the Saturday evening finishing point at Montrose war memorial on the town’s Mid Links.
Behind the team of veterans from Commando 999 was a gruelling challenge which had seen them climb into kayaks at the far end of Loch Tay 19 hours earlier for the first leg of the non-stop event.
From Friday night’s 11pm start they paddled the length of Loch Tay before swapping to rafts at Kenmore for a white water ride to Grandtully. Another switch of transport into the cycle saddle set up 62 miles of pedalling through Perthshire, into Dundee where they passed police and fire HQ, and then on to Angus for a final changeover point at Arbroath fire station.
From there the group joined by 45 Commando personnel tackled an eight-mile clifftop path run to Lunan Bay before the speed march into Montrose and along the High Street for their triumphant reception before an enthusiastic crowd of family and friends.
The objective was to raise tens of thousands of pounds towards the Commando 999 target of £1 million by 2014 to support service families. So far the Tayside contingent has gathered well over £20,000.
Tayside Police Chief Inspector Conrad Trickett, a former marines officer, led the organisation of the event and said it had lived up to every exacting expectation.
“It’s been a big challenge and really tough, but we’re delighted to have completed it,” he said. “Some of us have served at Condor and settled here in Tayside, and to be joined on the final leg by some of the guys from there and have the support of other organisations such as the Royal Marines Reserve shows that it’s a case of once a marine, always a marine.
“From the start it was quite difficult. It was very dark on the loch and from about halfway got really choppy, so there were a few capsizes,” added Chief Inspector Trickett. “The first boats were in ahead of schedule in around five and a half hours for the change to the white water rafts, which were great fun through the rapids but even that wasn’t an easy stage.
“We then had some very good times on the cycle stage, with the first finisher at three hours 10 minutes for the 60 miles.”
The team, whose efforts received celebrity backing from TV presenter Lorraine Kelly, welcomed the cooling rain which met them on the approach to Montrose but failed to dampen the loud reception they received at the finish line.
“Coming into Montrose we had Ally Taylor, who is now 62 and hasn’t speed-marched since 1973, there in the front rank and I think that says everything about this challenge,” added Mr Trickett. “All the emergency services have been represented.
“It’s taken us across Tayside and we’ve had great support from current marines so it has been a lot of hard work but a great event.”Find out more at www.commando999.com