Two Army officers from the Swindon area, Lieutenant John Arkell from Hannington Wick, and Lieutenant Matthew Blakiston from Lydiard Millicent, have won gold medals during the Army's UK divisional ski championships in France.

Along with 120 other soldiers, they were testing their nerve and fitness to the limit in the Alpine section of Exercise Spartan Hike in the ski resort of Serre Chevalier.

John, 24, and Matthew 25, of The Light Dragoons, are normally Troop Leaders responsible for Scimitar armoured reconnaissance vehicles based in Swanton Morley, Norfolk. But over the two-week exercise they were standing on top of a snow-covered mountain and pointing their skis downhill to compete in the formidable Slalom, Grand Slalom, Super G, and Downhill competitions.

Their combined results contributed to the Light Dragoons four-man team winning gold in every one of the four races, as well as being the Army's 5th Division Alpine winners and winning the Land (UK) Ski Alpine Combination Championships overall.

The two Cavalry officers have known each other since they were six years old when they went to the same Newbury prep school and attended the Vale of the White Horse Pony Club together. After attending different schools and universities they both read Geography they joined the Royal Military College Sandhurst in August 2005 having both decided to join the Light Dragoons.

"We've been friends for such a long time we hardly think about it now," said Matthew, "But it's great being part of the team together and we complement one another in our skiing. It's the first year we have done competitive skiing and it's very different and challenging. I enjoy the racing but not the waiting around at the top before you start."

Both men served in Afghanistan and returned in October having planned their skiing tactics while they were out there. Matthew spent the six-month tour working as a liaison officer for the Jordanian Army and John spent three months in charge of Force protection after completing the All Arms Commando Course.

Matthew's parents, Lieutenant Colonel and Mrs John and Sally Blakiston, live in Lydiard Millicent, and John's parents, Mr and Mrs James and Carolyn Arkell, live in Hannington Wick, Highworth.