British defence forces participate in ‘gruelling’ taster of traditional race

Members of the military take part in the tri-service Gurkha Doko race, carrying a Doko, a traditional Nepalese bamboo basket, weighing 15kg over five kilometres, at the Army Training Centre in Pirbright, Surrey. The Doko race was introduced in 1989 and is regarded as a rite of passage that all Gurkhas must go through to be selected for the British Army’s Brigade of Gurkhas. Picture date: Tuesday October 21, 2025. - (PA Wire)

Members of the British defence forces were pictured participating in a “gruelling” taster Gurkha race carrying weighted baskets in Surrey.

Participants attempted to carry a traditional Nepalese basket, or “Doko”, weighing 15kg on their back over a five-kilometre (3.1-mile) uphill course at Army Training Centre Pirbright on Tuesday.

Staff from the British Army, air force and navy were pictured looking exhausted as they carried the weighted baskets over the hills covered in autumn leaves.

The Doko race was introduced in 1989 and is a rite of passage for aspiring Gurkhas to be selected for the British Army (Brigade of Gurkhas).

The real race takes place on a gruelling course in the foothills of the Himalayas, where aspiring Gurkhas carry a Doko loaded with 25kg of sand.

A traditional Nepalese bamboo basket, weighing 15kg, is carried over five kilometres at the event (Gareth Fuller/PA) (PA Wire)

Participants are expected to complete the 5km climb in 43 minutes to progress to the next round of selection.

The practice stems from Nepal’s mountainous geography where Dokos have been used for centuries to transport goods up steep hillsides.

The tradition continues both in Nepal and within Gurkha military units worldwide.

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