Yellowknife (Sep 19/03) - For seven Con Mine workers, last weekend's victory at the Western Region Mine Rescue Championships was a bittersweet accomplishment.

Team captain Luc Normandin said team solidarity played a huge role in the win. Several miners received their pink slips on the day they started training for the competition.

"We had just begun training when someone tapped me on the shoulder and told me," said Normandin. "It was hard, but we everyone relied on each other."

The team beat some of the top underground rescue units in North America, but come Nov. 30, six of the miners will be without jobs when Con slashes operations.

"We tried to forget about it, but deep inside you know that you don't have a job," said Normandin.

"But we managed to put all that stuff behind us and pull together as a team."

It was the third major rescue competition win in three years for the Con squad, which won the territorial championships in 2000 and 2002.

But coach Jesse Adair said the most recent win, which came in Fernie, B.C., was the most satisfying.

"We had a meeting and decided it was best to just forget about (the closure) and concentrate on what we had to do," he said.

"The team gave an incredible effort. I'm so proud of everyone." Con's win came over some of the toughest competition in North America. All of the teams in Fernie were either provincial or American state champions. "We beat some good teams," said Adair. "I think that's a testament to the character of our group."

The rescue competition featured seven separate events based on real mine disaster situations.

In one scenario, teams were charged with rescuing several miners trapped underground during a simulated fire.

Clouds of smoke

Rescuers had to battle their way through clouds of smoke while hauling more than 40 pounds of gear to locate their injured co-workers.

Despite the fact that the team faced gruelling physical challenges, Adair said the key to victory was being able to evaluate a situation and form a plan of action. "It's the mental aspect that makes the difference in the end," he said.

"It takes a lot of coordination, especially when you're faced with a situation and given very few details. Communication and trust become the key."

The win guaranteed Con a berth in the 2004 world championships, but with six of the seven team members set to lose their jobs, Adair said it was unlikely they would be able to attend.

"It's too bad," he said. "But I'm still so proud of the way the team performed. It was a remarkable effort."