 The historic seafaring port of Plymouth is the setting for the BG Energy Challenge 2008 - UK. Twenty-seven teams from across Great Britain and Europe have arrived at Plymouth University, their home for the next few days, for a weekend of challenges and tasks that will test participants in a range of skills.
There was a buzz of mounting excitement during team registration with participants speculating about the anticipated challenges ahead and likely tasks they would face. Teams did not have to wait long to hear what was in store for them. Registration and event briefing complete, team captains were whisked off to be given their mission notes and told to prepare for the first stage that evening.
21:30 hrs and the excited teams gathered at Smeatons Tower on Plymouth Hoe, a renowned local beauty spot with up-lit lighthouse and commanding views of Plymouth coastline. As darkness fell Course Director Amy Whiteley fired the starting shot to begin this fastest to finish stage. Teams first had to decode a morse code message, transmitted to them via a signal lamp. Cracking the code earned teams two vital maps and with these in hand, teams charged off in all directions, the different tactics obvious to see from the start. With eight compulsory Check and Equipment Points to visit and with bonus minutes on offer at nearby photo locations, it was essential for the teams to plan their routes efficiently, ensuring they collected the components required to construct an electrical circuit to power a light bulb; the objective of Stage 1.
Andy Cox of KPMG said: “We were really nervous before this stage as although we were not surprised by a night stage, we didn’t know what to expect. We hoped for a mixture of both physical and mental tasks as our strengths lie in a combination of both.”
Now in darkness, the teams used head torches to navigate along the coastal footpaths and grassy hillocks of The Hoe. Team Amec decided to maximise their time by splitting into pairs and collect as many bonus points as possible whilst others, such as the Charity Team, concluded that strategy was key to the stage and worked as a team to calculate the best route from point to point.
After just one hour Team 9, BG Group Merlions were first to the build test area to attempt to construct their circuit components. However it was Team 8, BG Fit For the Future who were the first successful team to power their light bulb and task completed, dashed to the finish line to earn them maximum bonus points and first place. One of the last to complete the stage was 2007 Champions, Western Geco showing all the signs of a tough challenge and late night as they slowly made their way over the finish line!
Mike Chaplow, Captain of winning Team 8, BG Group Fit For the Future said: “We felt we performed brilliantly, really focusing on a strategy early on. We allocated specific roles playing to each others strengths and partnered our team members accordingly. We actually struggled to decipher the morse code however our strategical planning paid off in the end.
The teams, adrenaline still pumping from the first stage, then headed back to Plymouth University for a well deserved rest, discussing tactics for the anticipated tougher challenges that lay ahead of them over the next few days.
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