Fan dance (exercise)

The Fan Dance is part of the Fitness and Navigation phase of the selection course for the British Special Air Service Regiment, it has also been used on courses run by the Infantry Training Centre, Wales (Brecon). It is a 24 km tab in the Brecon Beacons of Wales that takes place at the end of the first week of the selection course. [Curtis, Mike: "C.Q.B.", 1997] It is used as the first major indicator of whether a candidate has the physical aptitude to complete the selection course.

The soldiers are divided into two groups and each starts from opposite sides of the Pen y Fan, an 886 m high peak. One group starts at Torpantau Station, the other at the Storey Arms Mountain Rescue Centre. [McNab, Andy: "Immediate Action" 1995] Each carrying a 35 lb backpack, the soldiers summit the Pen-y-Fan and descend on the far side. They then turn around and reverse the route. The Fan Dance is distinct from the Long Drag, a 64 km march with a 55 lb backpack that is the culminating event of the Fitness and Navigation phase of the selection course. [Kemp, Anthony: "The SAS, Savage Wars of Peace", 1994] [ [http://www.specwarnet.net/europe/sas.htm Special Air Service ] ]

The time allowed for the run is 4 Hrs.

Coordinates

* Start: SN 983204 coord|51.8728682086848|-3.478635919333042|display=inline|format=dms|region:GB_scale:100000
* Rendezvous 1: SO 012216 coord|51.88417568650846|-3.4368707643043637|display=inline|format=dms|region:GB_scale:100000
* Rendezvous 2: SO 032206 coord|51.87553875704706|-3.4075415351006355|display=inline|format=dms|region:GB_scale:100000
* Final rendezvous: SO 049168 coord|51.84167606831822|-3.3818077512257334|display=inline|format=dms|region:GB_scale:100000

References