LAUNCESTON College closed this year’s Ten Tors season with very strong performances in the 56th annual event on Dartmoor.

The Ten Tors Challenge is organised by the Army from its Moor Group Headquarters at Okehampton Camp.

It is assisted by the Royal Navy (with manpower and helicopters), the Royal Air Force and the Dartmoor Rescue Group.

Although there are many challenging events in Britain today, Ten Tors is still alone in catering solely for young people. Many of its participants will remember the event with pride for the rest of their lives, and for some it may even be a life-changing experience.

The Ten Tors Challenge takes place annually and is limited to 2,400 individuals — four hundred teams of six teenagers.

The teams, depending on age, face expeditions of 35, 45 or 55 miles (56, 72 or 88km) visiting ten nominated tors over two days.

The teams must be self-sufficient, carrying all that they need to complete their route safely despite the terrain and the weather.

The event is not run as a race as there are potentially sixteen non comparable routes that participants could be assigned for the 35 mile event (eight for the 45 mile and four for the 55 mile), and teams enter with different aims. Some will enter purely to complete the challenge as a team, others will treat it more competitively and race to cross the finish line as early as they can on day two. No teams are allowed past their 8th tor on day one.

Individuals crossing the finish line receive a medal and teams that complete without having any team members ‘fall out’ for any reason such as injury also receive a team certificate.

In order to prepare, students undertake a demanding training programme, which started back in October and ran throughout the winter. They develop the navigation, camp craft and team work skills needed to be successful.

A strong team of volunteers has given up a lot of time over the weekends to train the students.

Launceston College’s 2016 teams have both done exceptionally well, completing as full teams and still smiling!

Charlie Tummon led his team with Monty Duncan-Adams, Archie Clarke, Max Dinnis, Geovann Labial and Jack Webb across the finish line at 09:30— a very impressive time and the 8th team across the finish line. They managed to walk all the way to their 8th tor on Saturday leaving only two tors to check into on the second day.

Gabriella Asman led her team with Jonathan Henwood, Saffron Bishop, Cian Baker, Grace Blackwell and Ollie Johnson across the finish line at 12:30 on Sunday, May 8 with the sun beating down making the walking even tougher.

Caroline Reade, team manager, said: “I couldn’t be more proud of both teams; they have worked so hard throughout the training in order to gain their place on one of the teams in the first place and did so well at the event itself, I couldn’t have asked for any more. I want to say a huge thank you to my amazing volunteer staff team for giving up their weekends to share their experience and knowledge with the students and inspire them to get involved.”