NR-06-002 - June 12, 2006
Ottawa, Ont. - The thunder of cannon and the excitement of military competition are coming to major events across Canada this summer. The Army Gun Race team is now in training in Ottawa, getting ready to bring its crowd-pleasing combination of thrills and skills to tens of thousands of people.
The team is made up of approximately 40 performing Regular Force and Reserve personnel, in two crews of 20, who compete to hand-carry two 1,000-kilogram field artillery pieces across a 12-metre chasm. The team that re-assembles its cannon and fires it first, wins the race. Spectators are encouraged to cheer for "their" crew, identified by their coloured T-shirts.
"The Gun Race may be entertainment, but it is also about teamwork, skill and strength," says team officer Captain Chuck Henderson. "We are bringing the Army up close and personal for Canadians, who seldom get a chance to see their soldiers go through their paces."
The team is made up of soldiers from Ontario and Quebec. Formerly based out of Petawawa, as part of 2nd Regiment, Royal Canadian Horse Artillery, and the Gun Race is this year training in Ottawa, as part of The Ceremonial Guard, under the command of Major Shawn McKinstry. Housed at Carleton University, it is training at Dow's Lake. Its first large public event will be the Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, beginning Canada Day and running until July 8th. The tattoo is "Royal" for the first time this year, having been granted the honour by Her Majesty on the occasion of her 80th birthday.
The L5 Pack Howitzer was designed and built in Italy by OTO Melara, to be fully transportable throughout mountainous regions. It has pneumatic tyres for high speed towing and the ability for it to be dismantled into 112 sections for transport. For the Gun Race, it is broken down into 12 sections, and carried across a gap between two ramps, using a system of pulleys and ropes as well as human muscle power.
"The Gun Race can be seen as the Army in microcosm," says Major McKinstry. "In essence, this is what being a Canadian soldier is all about...not only training and skill, but simple guts and determination to do the job, and do it right. Safety is always our main concern, just as it is in training exercises and on operations. But getting the mission done, and done right, comes above everything else."
Music is part of the Gun Race too either recorded or performed live. The Band of the Ceremonial Guard will be appearing with The Gun Race at selected events, and will play as the guns are raced over the course. The band is recruited across Canada each year, and this year marks its 25th anniversary.
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Note to Editors and Assignment Editors: Here is the performance schedule for the 2006 Army Gun Race. Note that the dates are those when the team will be in each location, not just the dates of the performances. Additional small performances or demonstrations may take place at venues outside the main event. Further information will be provided, by phone or e-mail, as it becomes available.
The Royal Nova Scotia International Tattoo, Halifax
June 16th to July 8th
The Calgary Stampede
July 14th to 16th
The Alberta Centennial Tattoo/Klondike Days, Edmonton
July 18th to 23rd
Old Fort Henry, Kingston (with The Ceremonial Guard)
July 29th
Montreal Alouettes Half-time Show
August 3rd
Glengarry Highland Games, Maxville, Ont.
August 4th and 5th
La Citadelle, Quebec City
August 8th to 13th
Fortissimo (Band Spectacular on Parliament Hill)
August 15th to 19th
Canadian National Exhibition, Toronto
August 21st and 22nd
International Military Music Festival, Quebec City
August 24th to 26th
For further information contact:
Major Tony Keene, Army Public Affairs
613-993-1811
