SA's top companies battle it out in testing terrain to find out just who rules the corporate roost

Mark Hiller, managing director at Lexmark - a leading developer, manufacturer and supplier of printing and imaging solutions for offices and homes - explains just how rigorously he is training for the event.
"We arranged coaching from Technogym and have committed ourselves to assessments and early mornings at the gym to get our bodies (and minds) into shape. As a group we run and cycle together, inspiring each other with daily doses of motivational messages, yoga tips and mind bending puzzles. We've taken part in quiz evenings to dust off the old brain.
This experience has even seen us change a few tyres and cart some individuals off to hospital."

Another of SA's top companies, Old Mutual sights its corporate values as integrity, respect, accountability and pushing boundaries. "The SIM SA Challenge encompasses all four of these values," says Trevor Pascoe, head of investment services. "The challenge allows us to respect fellow team members and competitors, be accountable within the team context, push boundaries in terms of completing the challenges - mentally, physically and strategically - and acting with integrity in following the rules and realising that winning is not everything. Last year's event also helped team members to realise that their abilities are stronger than what they thought and helped us do business more confidently."

Jeremy Yatt, principal officer of Fedhealth explains why they participate. "Fedhealth sees the SIM SA Challenge as a high profile event which attracts some of South Africa's top companies and people and we want to participate in that environment, and expose our brand to decision-makers in top businesses. But it's not a question of winning - it's a question of attitude. We want to be known as a team that plays fair, tries hard, has fun and lifts up the other competitors. We look forward to interacting with team members and potential clients in a way that can never be achieved in the office."

"Now more than ever it is going to take a combination of mental rigor, emotional stamina and physical fitness to endure and flourish in the tough financial and economic times that have descended on the world, and South Africa. As last year proved, strong teamwork, strategic thinking and a good dose of healthy fun made for a gripping and enjoyable event,"
says Fred White, head of asset allocation and macro research at SIM.
White, who is also a member of the team that won the 2008 SIM SA Challenge and was placed second in the world finals - said that this type of event is growing in popularity around the world.

The SIM SA Challenge is a two-day inter-corporate team development initiative. It is part of the Intelligent Sport World Series underway which comprises 12 events on six continents, and has won support from over 400 of the world's top 2000 companies. The event stands out from traditional team building in that it combines intelligence, strategy and fun with physical fitness - and takes inter-corporate rivalry from the boardroom to the outdoors.

Part of the corporate challenge is to fundraise for Cotlands and teams are underway to help vulnerable children in South Africa through community based projects such as paediatric hospices, places of safety, care projects, nutrition and early childhood development centres.
Cotlands provides holistic care for their children which includes medical, physical, psychosocial, educational and emotional care as well as ART programmes.

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021 683 9534, or access our website on www.challengerworld.co.za