The British Cadet Rifle Team, also known as The Athelings, are a team of 18 cadets selected from the best cadet forces from throughout Britain. Every year applications are submitted in the Autumn term and a selection committee with 12 members choose the best 18 applications. These 18 cadets then shoot the National Rifle Association of the United Kingdom Imperial meeting in July before flying to Canada to compete with the Royal Canadian Army Cadets and shoot the Dominion of Canada meeting held at connaught cadet training centre.
Contents
Selection criteria
(Quoted from the official CCRS/TARA website)
History
The Athelings was started in 1910 when cadets from Australia, New Zealand and Canada came to shoot in England. This followed by subsequent exchanges that took place through the Imperial Cadet Association, founded in 1908 by Captain RJE Hanson. These early exchanges where well received and regular exchanges where started in 1928. This was also the period in which the term "Athelings" was introduced by Hanson to describe the members of the teams who go overseas to represent their country. The word is of Anglo Saxon origin and means "young noble".
Results
The results up to 2016 are as follows (Quoted from the official CCRS website)
Michael Faraday match: Canadian Cadets 39 wins; Athelings (UK) 33 wins
Alexander G Bell match: Canadian Cadets 11 wins; UK Cadets 52 wins
Rex Goddard match: Canadian Cadets 12 wins; Athelings (UK) 17 wins (1993: no match)