Arctic Wolves run away with Winter Games

FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, UNITED STATES

03.27.2015

Story by Spc. Corey Confer 

1st Brigade, 11th Airborne Division

FORT WAINWRIGHT, Alaska – Soldiers from across U.S. Army Alaska competed in the annual USARAK Winter Games. This year’s games saw 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team “Arctic Wolves” take the top spots. The 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment took first place followed by 1st Battalion, 24th Infantry Regiment and 3rd Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment.

The USARAK Winter Games, held at Birch Hill Ski and Snowboard Area, Fort Wainwright, Alaska, on March 27, 2015, featured a two and a half kilometer ahkio pull, a 10-kilometer cross-country ski trail, a biathlon range and downhill ski slalom.

Ten Soldiers made up each of the 21 teams that competed in the timed event. Each team had to wait at the end of each event for all of their teammates before they were allowed to continue onward. They also gained 30 seconds to their overall time for each missed target at the biathlon range.

First Lt. Joshua Sandler, a Soldier with B Company, 1-5 IN, was a part of the winning team and said his group trained heavily on the ahkio and skiing to prepare for this year’s games. He said his team spent countless hours snowshoeing up the face of Birch Hill and skiing down its slopes.

Added emphasis on ski training paid dividends for 1-5 IN as a majority of the timed trial was skiing. In fact, the general consensus amongst the competing Soldiers was a need for more ski training.

Overall, it was a great showing for the Arctic Wolves at this year’s USARAK Winter Games, swiping the top three spots.

• Date Taken: 03.27.2015
• Date Posted: 03.27.2015 20:45
• Story ID: 158431
• Location: FORT WAINWRIGHT, AK, US