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HMS Collingwood triumphs in the battle of the bases
5 December 2017
The famous battling instinct of the Royal Navy was displayed recently at an Inter-Establishment sporting contest held at HMS Collingwood.
The Battle of the Bases pitted Phase 2 trainees from HMS Collingwood in Fareham against their counterparts from Gosport’s HMS Sultan in competitive but friendly rivalry via a range of sporting activities including football, rugby (including female tag rugby), hockey and timed assault course runs.
There was also a “Superteams” event that saw two teams of ten trainees on a timed relay around ten stances including squat jumps, rowing, cycling, press-ups and kettle-bell swings.
Having failed to beat their rivals in the last fixture held during the summer term, HMS Collingwood was determined to redress the balance.
Gusty conditions made for a challenging contest but Collingwood’s tactic of selecting the strongest players at each discipline from heats the week before paid off as the Base fielded a formidable side for each event.
This fixture not only gives opportunities for those involved to play competitively but also an opportunity for showcase Navy sport for both HMS Collingwood and HMS Sultan’s newest sailors.
Taking full advantage of home turf, HMS Collingwood won the football, rugby, superteams and assault course events with the hockey clash ending in a draw. HMS Sultan triumphed in the Female Tag Rugby event.
The Commanding Officer of HMS Collingwood, Captain Rob Vitali RN, presented the trophy to the proud team and a welcome hot meal at the end of the contest rewarded winners and the defeated alike giving rivals the chance to socialise and compare notes on their performances.
Leading Physical Trainer (LPT) Sam Howard who helped organise the event said afterwards, “This fixture not only gives opportunities for those involved to play competitively but also an opportunity for showcase Navy sport for both HMS Collingwood and HMS Sultan’s newest sailors.
"Since the fixture, HMS Collingwood has seen a huge increase in training sessions put on in the evenings. Many of the recruits are now seeing how our core values are used within sport.”
Photos courtesy of Keith Woodland.