A FASCINATION with speed and a slightly "mad streak" proved a winning combination at the annual Army Snowboarding Championships on the Stubai Glacier in the Austrian Alps. More than 130 soldiers, including 60 first-timers, made the most of the pre-Christmas snowfalls in the glacial resort, near Innsbruck.

The championships span nearly three weeks and involve five disciplines, including giant slalom racing and the challenging boarder cross, which involves jumps and stunts. This year, making it extra special, the army was also celebrating its 25th anniversary of winter sports in the Stubai Valley.

Soldiers from the Royal Artillery dominated the seniors’ giant slalom event, securing first and second place, and in the intermediate Plate competition REME led the way. With a big focus on training beginners at the event, there was also plenty of opportunity for the novice riders to show off their skills.

Scott Kirkcaldy, 19, a vehicle mechanic in the Royal Electrical Mechanical Engineers, stationed in Hampshire, was part of the novice squad. He started boarding a week before the championships started. He said: "The closest I’d ever been to this was a sledge. It’s a bit daunting at first but once you get the hang of it you build up a lot of confidence and from then on it’s a lot of fun. Falling down is another story though." Within two weeks, Scott was racing his first giant slalom, where he finished in 36th place from nearly 50 riders.

The Army Snowboarding Association, which organises the championships, formed in May 1999 when a group of enthusiastic amateurs turned up to race together. One of those first-timers was this season’s competition chairman, Major Mark "Ray" Charles, a Royal Engineer.

Major Charles admits you need a "mad streak" to be a good snowboarder. Talking at the event, he said: "There are a lot more people now and it’s more organised and the standard of boarding has improved.  Back then, we just turned up, put some flags out and raced down. Most of us could already ride, now we spend a lot of time training people from scratch."

The teams get at least a week’s basic training before hitting the slopes. For soldiers who have spent time away on operations snowboarding offers a welcome respite from a busy work schedule. The plentiful snow and the beauty of the Austrian mountains combined with growing popularity of the sport in the UK have seen the competition grow in size.

The championships were held from December 2 to 19, 2006.