The championships office registered 12 home and 5 international teams on Sunday to start for the four-day endurance competition arranged and supported by the University of Defence. Within the Army of the Czech Republic, seven teams will represent Joint Forces, while military schools have sent fout team to struggle and Support Forces one team. The international teams have arrived from Belgium, Germany, Poland and Slovakia, of which two have been sent by Polish Land Forces Academy.

The first event was technical meeting for the team leaders to learn competition rules, arrangements including jury members who is in charge of, among others, expelling teams from the competition, and to draw lot of team start numbers for the first day of competition. Then they left to get ready for the opening ceremony.

The XV ACR international Winter Survival championship opening ceremony started at seven PM sharp with all the military glory. The teams rolled together with the organisers for parade at the light-flooded area next to military recreation facility Ovcarna pod Pradedem.

The first address to the rally of Winter Survival 2009 participants was delivered by the deputy chief of general staff –ACR inspector brigadier general Cestmir Tesarik who said winter survival was the most challenging military oriented sport event in the Czech Republic. “The beautiful, but rough environment and fast-changing weather of winter Jesenik Mountains will deeply check your physical condition and mental strength. You will have to prove a high level of abilities and skills in special physical training along with strong will and sense of teamwork,” addressed general Tesarik the athletes.

Brigadier General Cestmir Tesarik then lit the championship fire after athletes and referees took their vows. Then the Lord of the mountains – Praded came to greet everybody with the assistance of the witches of “Petrovy kameny” Rock. This show, reflecting local traditions, was appreciated especially by the foreign participants in the competition.

On Monday, seventeen teams will go running in skicross in the vicinity of Petrovy Kameny near Ovcarna pod Pradedem organised in three-round knock-out race. In the afternoon, two members of every team will transport their teammates like “injured person” from Praded Mountain to Kurzovni Hotel.