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April 7, 2014, Abu Dhabi – Through the heat, the dust, the jet lag – and did I mention the heat? – Canadian firefighters did us very proud in Abu Dhabi at the first UAE World Firefighter Challenge.
April 7, 2014
By Peter Sells
April 7, 2014, Abu Dhabi – Through the heat, the dust, the jet lag – and did I mention the heat? – Canadian firefighters did us very proud in Abu Dhabi at the first UAE World Firefighter Challenge. Below are the final results in all categories.
These individuals and teams all went home with their split of US $150,000 in total prize money, as well as medals, plaques and memories. Canadians not only swept all of the first place finishes, but there were only three medals awarded to non-Canadians in any of the categories. OK, four, if you include the third-place finish of Frederique Forgues, from Strasbourg, France, in the co-ed tandem with Brian Klassen of Barrie Fire & Emergency Service in Ontario, to go along with her third place result in the female individual race.
There were a number of people who left Abu Dhabi with some significant coin, but everything is relative. In my mind, the big winner was Lambton College graduate Tabitha Siegfried. No longer a student, but not yet hired by a fire department, Siegfried would not have met the occupational requirements for most of the competitions in North America. With her victory in the co-ed tandem with Justin Couperous from the Hamilton Fire Department in Ontario, she was able to not only pay for her trip but also put a big dent in her student debt. Congratulations to Tabitha, and all of the competitors!
And speaking of significant coin. . . I’m not superstitious, but early in the week I felt obliged to hide a lucky loonie at the finish line during the construction of the course. I had every confidence in the Canadian firefighters, but what’s the downside of continuing a winning tradition?
Retired District Chief Peter Sells writes, speaks and consults on fire service management and professional development across North America and internationally. He holds a B.Sc. from the University of Toronto and an MBA from the University of Windsor. He sits on the advisory council of the Institution of Fire Engineers, Canada branch. Peter is president of NivoNuvo Consulting, Inc, specializing in fire-service management. Contact him at peter.nivonuvo@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter at @NivoNuvo
UAE World Firefighter Challenge 2014
Male individual results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Graham Ronald Mackenzie | Kamloops Fire Rescue | 1:25.38 |
2 | Louis-Felix Boiteau | Hamilton Fire Department | 1:25.68 |
3 | Trevor Fera | Greater Sudbury Fire Services | 1:27.34 |
Female individual results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Amber Kathryn Bowman | Central York Fire Services | 2:20.50 |
2 | Carla Penman | North Vancouver District Fire Services | 2:32.25 |
3 | Frederique Charlotte Forgues | Strasboug, France | 2:41.53 |
Over 40 individual results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Darren Hillman | Windsor Fire Rescue Services | 1:33.59 |
2 | David Bowman | Charlotte, N.C. (U.S.) | 1:42.00 |
3 | Ricardo Antonio Stephens | Miami Dade Fire Rescue (U.S.) | 1:43.22 |
Male tandem results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Justin Couperous & Brian Klassen | Team Canada 1 (Canada) | 1:22.03 |
2 | Trevor Fera & Louis Boiteau | Bert & Ernie (Canada) | 1:23.71 |
3 | Darren Hillman & Mark Dainton | Super Canadians (Canada) | 1:27.14 |
Co-ed tandem results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Tabitha Siegfried & Justin Couperous | Team Canada 1 (Canada) | 1:39.19 |
2 | Amber Bowman & Trevor Fera | Fit by Fire (Canada) | 1:39.97 |
3 | Frederique Forgues & Brian Klassen | Winner/Gagnant (Canada/France) | 1:43.94 |
Relay results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Moncton Fire Department | Canada | 1:09.79 |
2 | Hamilton Fire Department | Canada | 1:10.97 |
3 | Kamloops Fire Rescue | Canada | 1:09.50 (bronze medal race) |
Team time results:
Rank | Name |
Team/Country |
Official time |
1 | Kamloops Fire Rescue | Canada | 4:31.38 |
2 | Hamilton Fire Department | Canada | 4:42.19 |
3 | Moncton Fire Department | Canada | 4:43.92 |
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