Royal Marines retain Virginia Gauntlet title after going head to head with US Marine Corps
The Royal Marines have won the Virginia Gauntlet for the third time in a row.
Held at Marine Corps Base Quantico in Virginia, the Virginia Gauntlet sees the two services go head-to-head in a number of sporting events.
The US Marine Corps piled on the pressure this year with some really close results – taking it all the way to penalties in football and a narrow win in rugby – but the Royal Marines made sure the trophy was returning to the UK.
More than 250 Royal Marines this year travelled to the east coast of the United States to compete for the Virginia Gauntlet trophy.
This year was the third time the exercise had taken place, with the first in 2012 and the second in 2019, both seeing the Royal Marines return home with the trophy.
The Royal Navy said: "The exercise demonstrates the importance of sport as a tool to build relationships and develop friendly yet competitive camaraderie with our allied nations."
The Virginia Gauntlet challenges the skills and abilities of the marines in various competitive events.
This year the personnel competed in triathlon, basketball, shotgun, rugby 7s, boxing, football, rugby and golf.
Ahead of this year's Virginia Gauntlet, exercise co-ordinator Major Wayne Grounsell said: "It is an important year for the Royal Marines as we celebrate our 360th birthday, so being able to reinforce our strong relationship with the USMC through the power of sport is especially prevalent.
"It is not about who wins the Virginia Gauntlet trophy, but about highlighting and growing that comradeship and ability to work together that sport provides a platform for."
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