A new champion has been crowned at Gallipoli Barracks following the annual 7th Brigade King of the Hill challenge.
Private Ethan Takac, of 6th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (6RAR) completed the roughly three-and-a-half kilometres to the top of the 284-metre-high Enoggera Hill in a time of 18 minutes 20 seconds.
“It was pretty tough. It never gets any easier,” Private Takac said, whose training included running between 70 and 90 kilometres each week.
“I hit a personal best on Tuesday for five kilometres, so I was feeling pretty strong. I tried to get out in front from the start and then just hoped for the best,” he said.
Private Miranda Hamilton, also of 6RAR, was the fastest woman up the winding track, crossing the finish line in a time of 22 minutes 16 seconds, winning two years in a row.
“I was pretty keen to keep the winning streak alive,” she said at the finish line.
“You have to stay humble up the hill. I stuck to my own race pace, let a few of the guys burn out then slowly overtook them.”
8th/9th Battalion, The Royal Australian Regiment (8/9RAR) took unit bragging rights at the awards presentation on the summit.
‘Mastering the hill is a great opportunity to test the brigade’s overall endurance and a good gauge to see where we are as we prepare to undertake upcoming brigade and division warfighting activities.’
About 1500 personnel from the brigade took part, with many wearing unit colours and mascot costumes for the event.
8/9RAR Regimental Sergeant Major, Warrant Officer Class One Dave Nicholas, said the race played a key role in promoting unit esprit de corps and fostering competition within the brigade.
“It brings a lot of bragging rights because, this hill, it really tests your mental fortitude and physical endurance, which are essential qualities for a combat soldier,” Warrant Officer Class One Nicholas said.
“It’s about pushing yourself past your limits, and this hill is unrelenting; you can’t hide from it, it exposes everybody’s weakness.”
Warrant Officer Class One Nicholas said the King of the Hill event had been testing soldiers’ mettle for the past 20 years.
“They’ve been coming up here for a very long time. This mountain looms large over Gallipoli Barracks and getting up it, surviving it, has become a rite of passage,” he said.
Commander 7th Brigade, Brigadier Jennifer Harris, said she was thrilled with the individual and unit effort.
“It’s a great event. It’s a big hill, and it requires members to dig deep and, when necessary, to help their mates,” Brigadier Harris said.
“Mastering the hill is a great opportunity to test the brigade’s overall endurance and a good gauge to see where we are as we prepare to undertake upcoming brigade and division warfighting activities.”
