Home > Runs & Races

Maritime Race Weekend welcomes 65 sailors from British aircraft carrier

The HMS Queen Elizabeth is currently in Halifax on its deployment to test the new F35 fighter jets. The ship's company took advantage of some shore time to participate in Maritime Race Weekend

The biggest warship ever built for the British Navy was anchored in Halifax Harbour over the weekend, and while its sailors are definitely not pirates, some 65 of them were welcomed with open arms at Maritime Race Weekend’s 5K, 10K and half-marathon this weekend. The sailors of aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, who had been at sea for two weeks, welcomed the chance to mix it up with some local runners during its Canadian stopover before carrying on to the US’s eastern coast, where it will run trials of the new F35 Lightning fighter jets before going into operation in 2021.

RELATED: Maritime Race Weekend: multiple course records broken

Photo: Facebook

“Getting alongside is always good for the ships company, who have been at sea for almost 14 days now,” Chief Petty Officer Physical Trainer Darran Hoare told us late last week, “so it’s nice to relax, but a lot of the ship’s company love to do sport. We always look out for runs as the team on board like to get involved.” The ship set sail from Portsmouth, UK on August 30.

Photo: Facebook

By all accounts, the sailors enjoyed their experience racing at Maritime Race Weekend.

“In the Navy we have a thing called C2DRIL, meaning Commitment, Courage, Respect, Integrity, Loyalty, and Leadership,” Chief Petty Officer Physical Trainer Darran Hoare told us. “If our sailors show all this, they are doing really good. And in personnel notes we have… PFS (Personal Functional Standards)–there are loads of things we have to give to our sailors such as time off for fitness, sport, leave, adventurous training…

Photo: Facebook

“…That run would have promoted all that is good with PFS… just seeing the smiles on their faces, even though they are away from family, friends and loved ones, this is something they will remember for the rest of their lives… Over the next three weeks at sea, during hard times that happy memory of Fishermans Cove and the love shown to the ship’s company from everyone there at the race will never be forgotten.”

 

 

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The best trainers in Canada under $150

We curated the best performance trainers under $150 to meet your 2024 running goals, while staying on budget