Fencers Win Again & Cadets Handle Mount Washington

Men’s and Women’s Fencing	OUA – Fencing
Hockey	OUA- Men’s Hockey	CIS – Hockey
Rugby	OUA – Men’s Rugby
Men’s Soccer	OUA – Men’s Soccer	CIS – Men’s Soccer
Women’s Soccer	OUA – Women’s Soccer	CIS – Women’s Soccer
Men’s Volleyball	OUA – Men’s Volleyball	CIS – Men’s Volleyball
Women’s Volleyball	OUA – Women’s Volleyball	CIS – Women’s Volleyball

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Cadets prepare for the worst on Mount Washington

By 26685 NCdt Graham Mater

Mount Washington, located in New Hampshire’s White Mountain National Forest, is famous for its dangerously erratic weather. Hurricane force winds, capricious changes in temperature, and treacherous terrain make it one of the most challenging and dangerous summits in the Appalachians. On the 25th of October, with astute preparation, the help of a prudent and experienced guide, and a bit of luck, seven members of the RMCC expedition Club made the 1917 metre summit. The expedition was led by Warrant Officer Richard Corneau. Warrant Officer Corneau has over two decades of experience on Mount Washington and his knowledge and expertise were integral to the success of the group.

Prior to the group’s departure, the weather report was demoralizing. The forecast showed sub-zero temperatures, extremely high winds, rain and sleet all weekend. With this in mind, all members of the group were aware that if the conditions were too dangerous, there would be a chance that they would not make the summit. After a long drive, the team arrived in New Hampshire at the foot of the mountain. They were greeted by cold winds and light rain, but decided to continue with the summit attempt. The first leg of the trek was completed in the late evening of the 25th of October. The group began the ascent in darkness, with nothing but headlamps and the experience of WO Corneau to guide them. After almost two hours of climbing over slippery rocks and overflowing streams, the weary group finally made it to the base camp, which consisted of a sheltered lean-to.

The next morning, after a cold night, the team awoke to a pleasant surprise. The sun was warm and the sky was clear, and the conditions seemed perfect for a successful hike to the summit. The ascent began with a section of steep, rocky trail through dense forest. With each precarious step, the team gained more and more altitude. All of a sudden, the group broke through the tree line, and were greeted by a biting wind and an increasingly rocky and perilous trail. But the vistas were splendid. Often a member of the group would find themselves stopped in awe by the rugged beauty of the mountain and crisp panoramic views. The group pushed on, and after almost three hours of climbing, they finally made it to the summit.

After submitting the mountain in such perfect weather, it was hard to imagine how it could be possible in adverse conditions. Even in clear daylight, the trail was often elusive and the smooth rocks that cover the mountain were dubious and slippery. The team returned to the College with sore legs but smiling faces, and was in credibly thankful to the leadership of WO Corneau and the support of the RMCC Expedition Club.

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RMC Fencing Teams Win RMC Cup For Second Consecutive Year

The Paladins hosted the 45th annual RMC Invitational team competition this past weekend at the KMCSC in an event that saw close to 400 athletes and 126 teams from universities and clubs in Ontario, Quebec and NY come to Kingston. The host Paladins put in a strong performance again this year winning medals in 4 of 6 events, which was enough to claim the RMC Cup as the top university/club at the competition for the second consecutive year. Silver was the colour of the weekend for the Paladins as they took second place in men’s and women’s epee and men’s and women’s sabre, with women’s foil finishing 5th overall and men’s foil winding up in 9th place. RMC came close to gold in each of the 4 final matches they fenced, losing 45-44 in women’s sabre, 45-43 in men’s epee, 45-42 in men’s sabre and 45-41 in women’s epee. RMC’s community program, Cutting Edge Fencing, came close to the medals in men’s epee, dropping a 45-44 overtime decision to Queen’s in the quarter-finals.

The Paladins head to Brock University this weekend for another competition, while Cutting Edge athletes Danielle Burghgraef, Michael Mussari, and Zaq Quinsey travel to Louisville Kentucky for the second North American Cup of the season, where Burghgraef and Mussari will try to maintain their positions in the top 4 of the Canadian national rankings.