On day 10, with just four days of the selection course to go, recruits were physically and psychologically drained while tackling the first task: a surf immersion and beach beasting in bitterly cold water and wind.
After a torturous two hours, Olympic swimmer Geoff Huegill chose to hand in his number, telling Chief Instructor Ant Middleton he was spent.
“I’ve achieved more than I wanted to,” said Geoff. “It’s nice to know that I’ve still got it. I’ve gone through a lot of setbacks and challenges over the last couple of years but to be in an environment like this where success breeds success… Opportunities like this don’t come in your life on a daily basis so I’m going to take that energy and that drive and apply it to a lot more things.”
The seven remaining recruits courageously shared their most shameful secrets with each other, an exercise designed to break down their emotional walls and build essential bonds.
Riana Crehan opened up about the anger she felt towards her father; Darius Boyd reflected on the resentment he felt towards his mother; and Melissa Wu revealed the shame she felt at not being there more for her younger sister, who tragically took her own life seven years ago.
Recruits were split into teams for a bush survival test to secure shelter, fire and clean drinking water – for which a condom proved the surprise key to success.
The exhausting day ended with a cold water beasting in the early hours of the morning on the parade square. Recruits were paired up and told if they chose to withdraw, their partner must also leave the course.
Anna Heinrich struggled immensely in the savage, freezing cold beasting – even showing signs of hypothermia – but pushed through the pain to ensure her partner Locky Gilbert wouldn’t be forced to quit because of her.
