MARPAC marchers win Nijmegen award

Members of MARPAC’s marching team complete the last five kilometres of their journey during the Victory Parade on Annastaadt Street on day four of the 2016 International Four Days Marches Nijmegen. Photos submitted by Lt(N) Marianne Knai.

Peter Mallett, Staff Writer ~

Sore feet aside, the Maritime Forces Pacific (MARPAC) Nijmegen marching team are elated to have won the prestigious Woodhouse Trophy at this year’s Four Days International Marches Nijmegen, July 19 to 22.

The trophy is awarded to the top Canadian military contingent at the march who best represents the spirit of Nijmegen, and has the most positive impact on the Canadian contingent.

While it is an honour to win the award, office in charge of the contingent, Lt(N) Marianne Knai says the real victory is the camaraderie among all Canadian Armed Forces personnel that kept them united and crossing the finish line each day.

“We didn’t compete for the trophy, but instead our focus was working together with all of the teams to achieve 100 per cent completion for the entire Canadian contingent,” she says. “We also marched to remember the fallen and to connect with the locals who appreciate our presence.”

The 11-member team representing MARPAC participated in the 100th version of the march through the Dutch countryside. They covered over 40 kilometres a day in hot and humid conditions alongside approximately 50,000 other participants.

“The performance of the team was excellent and I could not be more proud,” says Lt(N) Knai. “We dealt with extreme weather conditions with temperatures of 35 Celcius or above for three of the four days, and torrential rain on day four. We suffered heat exhaustion and other physical fatigue but managed to pull through and fulfill the Commander’s intent of 100 per cent completion.”

From the outset of their training Lt(N) Knai was quick to quash any talk of competing for the Woodhouse Trophy.

Instead she wanted her team “fully focussed” on representing the Canadian Armed Forces, and the overall historical significance of the event. She wanted them focused on marching into the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery on day three, and their final five kilometre Victory Parade on Nijmegen’s historic Annastaadt Street on day four, which commemorated Canadian soldiers who liberated the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.

“The experience is like no other experience I have been through since joining the CAF,” she said. “From all of the camaraderie [among the marchers] on opening day to the last leg of our march on day four, where the streets were lined with 100,000 people waving and cheering. The spectators carried us to the finish line. They provided us food, water and energy with their smiles, music and unending hospitality.”

Lt(N) Knai encourages military personnel who are “team players with positive attitudes” and interested in the experience of a lifetime to consider trying out for a spot on next year’s team when training begins in early 2017.

Members of MARPAC’s marching team display the Woodhouse Trophy they were awarded after the completion of the Nijmegen March in Holland, July 19 to 22.