Team Sport : Greatest Team Sports Event for the Corporate which tests Intelligence, aptitude, team spirit.

1. CORPORATE CHALLENGER
Greatest Team Building Sport
THREE LAPS OF SUCCESS
The mantra of success in the
Challenge and in life
BATTLE TO DEATH
Personal story of tears,
blood and sweat
Published by Zice Travel Services Pvt. Ltd.

2. What’s inside ABOUT :
iChallenger
Welcome aboard. Challenger Series welcomes you to the
Personal experience-1 voyage.
Lap 1: Aptitude
First let me give you an idea of who we are and what we
(Leadership and survival
do. Zice Holidays is nation’s leading organisers of adventure
skill) sports expeditions and inter & intra-business team build-
ing competitions. Our unique program of challenging mind,
Global story of
body and soul in an outdoor environment has helped in cre-
corporate challenger
ating high performance teams for businesses throughout the
country.
Lap 2: Fitness
The concept is tried, tested, proven and rapidly growing. Suc-
Personal Experience-2 cessful companies across the world today include such team
building and leadership exercises as essential part of their
Lap 3: Spirit (Teamwork training. With its growing popularity, several countries now
and endurance) host annual inter-corporate challenges involving hundreds
companies and months of training.
CONTACT:
+91 98 10 573 291 In India, Zice Holidays is the leader in that field. With our
+91 98 91 925 475
training techniques and carefully thought out exercises, we
are able to hone the very skills and qualities that make a suc-
www.ziceholidays.com cessful business team. The Challenger events organised by
us, iChallenger and Corporate Challenger, are the benchmark
in outdoor team building programs.
But that doesn’t mean there is no fun. The adrenaline rush
and excitement is what the Challenge is about. When you
are parasailing at 500 metres from the ground or trekking at
5 degrees, excitement is bound to be a critical part.
So if you are looking for adventure of a lifetime, a dash of
thrill and, in the process, improve your career and personal
life, read on.

3. iChallenger
DARE TEST
T HE LIMITS?
Check the kit bag… Check the GPS… Check the batteries
in the flash light. Do I know the guys I am teamed up
with? How far can I paddle this bike over the hill before
I fall flat on my face from exhaustion? How do I figure
out directions with a compass? Can I find my way in the
woods without any directions in dead of the night? I
am a corporate tax attorney; how on earth am I sup-
posed to build a bridge with nothing but random logs
of wood?

4. “It was a fantastic
experience,” recalls
Vikram Bajaj, CEO of Inlingua.
“The passion that the
activities and games
generated was incredible.
I think that overall the
level of activity was just
right and the pace never
flagged. I can only say that
the games gave the group
hours, if not days, of
animated talk much after
they had ended. All in all,
one couldn’t have hoped
for more.”

5. The questions just keep piling up. participants huffing and puffing on survival, on handling equipment
And there is only one way to find beside you, it’s also a day filled with and on the terrain. Each one is given
out the answers- Try it. iChallenger entertainment. At the end of the kit bags including several survival
is exactly that opportunity. day, not only do you take back the gadgets like torches, GPS, maps,
discovery of your own self, but also compass etc. Teams are provided
iChallenger is a day-long expedition a story to tell.” with vehicles, which, depending
length adventure race in which on the tasks, can be bus, jeeps or
teams of four compete. Each team “First thing to remember is that bicycles.
comprised of mix of men and iChallenger is not for everyone,”
women from different backgrounds, warns Anurag. “To participate, you These teams are then put through
races over a rugged course including must pass the basic physique test. a series of different tasks aimed
hills, jungles and river streams. As the level of iChallenger increases at challenging their team work,
They participate in a wide range the qualifying test also becomes leadership skills and physical
of challenges from trekking and more difficult.” fitness. For the next twelve hours,
jungle navigation to puzzles and the teams will climb hills, cross
engineering tasks. The teams in iChallenger are a mix jungles and rivers, solving intricate
of participants put together after puzzles to reach the finish line.
“To put it simply, iChallenger is careful profiling by the organiser to
a race,” explains Anurag Mehra, ensure right cocktail of leadership, At the end of the day, the
director of Zice Holidays. “It’s an skills and endurance. The participants will go home. But they
experience meant to push the limits participants are not only expected can never forget the experience
and test your strengths. A challenge to perform individually but also they had, the friends they made.
of mind, body and soul.” achieve coordination with in the Zice Holidays maintains a social
team. networking website and organises
“However, as spiritual as it sounds, regular reunions, specifically to
iChalleneger is not a solitary In the beginning the teams will be keep this spirit alive.
journey. With seventy to hundred taken through a brief crash course
It may be a matter
of twelve hours,
but iChallenger is
a memory for life.

6. s
tnese
personal experience
Wi ng
challe
to the
Out of suits and into the jungle
Sun is setting down at the horizon. In past twelve hours, Manoj straight hours, everyday. A life like
The team is worn out and yet and his colleagues have gone that leaves out little for fun. We
determined to finish out. The sweat through several team building and have to squeeze in as much we can
drips on their faces as the tension leadership exercises, at the Zice when we can. This trip achieved
mounts. Fifteen pair of eyes fixed camp in Dehradun. team building that perfectly.”
on blazing fire as they wait for the and leadership exercises, at the Zice
final completion of their daunting camp in Dehradun. When the day had begun, hundred
task- making a cup of tea. and seventy five employees of
“We have been through treasure Manoj’s company were divided into
It may sound easy, but the team has hunting, trekking, jungle navigation teams of fifteen members each.
put in better part of hour trying to and now this,” Manoj says pointing Each team was given a single gypsy
achieve it. “All we were given was a at the boiling tea. “Trust me, it to pile on and embark on a hunt for
tea bag and one tin cup, and then sounds a lot of fun, but it was clues in a fifty acre field full of rough
we were left in this jungle,” says difficult.” terrain. These clues were to lead
Manoj Madhu, leader for the team. them to their destination inside the
“We had to find fire and burning “When I heard about this trip, I was jungle and further instructions.
wood and then somehow light a really sceptical. It sounded a little
fire. It was… believe me, not easy. ” childish, not something a serious “No doubt it was a lot of fun driving
corporate should be looking at,” around trying to find clues. But any
Manoj and his team is part of a Manoj says as he throws another clue can mean several different
one-seventy-five-participant intra- wood stick in the fire. “But now I things. The difficult part was not
company Corporate Challenger can see how smart idea this whole finding the clue but coming to a
sponsored by their company. expedition was. Most of the guys consensus among the group what
here are used to working twelve the clue meant.”

7. orate
cocrpllenger
ha
SYNWORLD ISING S
ERGCLASS TEAM

8. “I don’t know whether that is true
or not, but this is surely a lot of fun,”
jokes Paras Jha, another member of Red Team, from behind.
Fifteen teams racing teams, Corporate Chal-
for the flag at the finish lenger allows companies
line, through the desert to improve communica-
of Jaisalmer. They have tion between their em-
known each other for a ployees, collaborative and
long time, as colleagues cooperative capacities of
in conference rooms and their teams and focused
nodded at each other at leadership skills of their
office parties. But now managers.
they are helping each oth-
er, supporting each other “It’s about team dynamics
on their shoulders. There and conflict resolution,”
is an unspoken friendship says Sunil Ataum Singh,
between them, which is leader of the Red Team.
now much deeper than “In a situation where
the casual office acquain- teamwork is crucial and
tance. consensus is required, you
can not possibly achieve
Corporate Challenger is results without under-
unique outdoor team- standing these concepts. I
building and leadership know it sounds like board
development program de- room jargon, but that is
veloped by Zice Holidays. exactly what is happening
Aimed at developing high here.”
performance business

9. LAP 1: APTITUDE
The treasure hunt led the teams to
six mile long navigation task with
nothing to guide them but a compass
(LEADERSHIP AND SKILLS)
and a map. It was after several of such
activities that the team reached to
task boiling a cup of tea.
“Mind, body and soul,” is the thousand feet hill, especially if you
Now sitting around the fire, the team often repeated mantra of Zice grew up in city and don’t even know
members are taking a break and telling Holidays Corporate Challenger and where north is,” points out Ravi.
horror stories to each other. Manoj iChallenger. The Challenge is meant
hunches at a distance discussing the to engage every aspect of the “It is not just intelligence that it
next task with the instructor, who has participant and mind is the most tested in Corporate Challenger,”
been with them as a mute observer all critical one. comments Derrik Paul, a participant
along. of March ’07 Corporate Challenger.
Corporate houses and personal “It’s also the leadership. I used to
As the VP of his company, Manoj is life, both demand aptitude. But be a very shy person, before I spent
no stranger to leadership. But still he so does the Challenge. It is not those three days in Shivpuri. In the
found his role challenging. “Leadership a coincidence that phrases like beginning, I wasn’t even speaking
is not just being the boss. It’s also about “survival skills” and “leadership” much to anyone. By the end of the
knowing strengths of each of your are part of jargon in both corporate Challenger, I was surprised to find
team members and using it effectively,” world and adventure sports. myself leading the team through
Manoj says philosophically as he walks rafting race across the river. It was
back to the team. “For example, none “The Challenge makes sure to hone truly exceptional. It has improves
of us knew how to build a fire without and develop maximum potential my confidence incredibly.”
a match. It was only Sonali who could of any participant,” says Ravi
figure it out,” he says pointing to one Dabbiroo, director, Zice Holidays. How they are important in Corporate
of the junior most team member. “In iChallenger, you can be expected Challenger and adventure sports
to break codes, build bridges, solve in general. How you are tested for
“We have learned to engage each other puzzles or figure out the shortest your aptitude in these things etc.
on a far more effective level than we way out of the jungle.” One page should be enough, with
could have in office conference room. image dominating it. I am happy
I have seen the kind of teamwork “It takes a lot of innovation to with 250-300 words. If I can get
here that would make any manager navigate your way around a more I will be happier, though.
proud,” he announces to the team,
with pride.
ESSENTIALL WE BREAK
Y,
DOWN THE EXPERIENCE
The tea finally boils. There is only one
cup and it is unanimously awarded
to Sonali for her efforts. The task is
over. And the instructor calls it a day.
There are two more days to go. But
INTO THREE THINGS,
tonight there will be party around fire,
to celebrate, not the victory of one “APTITUDE, FITNESS AND
SPIRIT.” THE KEYWORDS
team over another, but the experience
itself.
CAN CHANGE, MAY BE
“MIND, BODY AND SOUL.”
OR SOMETHING ELSE.

10. GLOBAL STORY OF
CORPORATE CHALLENGER.
December 2007, Sydney, Australia:
Team of four from IBM takes the
cup after four days of back-break-
ing challenges of biking, trekking
and mountaineering. “It was the
single most challenging experience
of my life, but also most liberating,”
said Clarke Kent, the leader of IBM
Team.
July, 2008, Marseilles, France: Team
Ford from US takes the Challenger
2008 Cup. Their tasks included
navigating through rough terrain,
building a trebuchet and swimming
across one kilometre channel. “It
was a team effort, and we couldn’t
have done it without tapping maxi-
mum potential out of each team
member in the field they were most
skilled.”
December 2007, Sydney, Australia:
Team of four from IBM takes the
cup after four days of back-break-
ing challenges of biking, trekking
and mountaineering. “It was the
single most challenging experience
of my life, but also most liberating,”
said Clarke Kent, the leader of IBM
Team.
ESSENTIALL WE BREAK DOWN THE EXPERIENCE
Y,
INTO THREE THINGS, “APTITUDE, FITNESS AND
SPIRIT.” THE KEYWORDS CAN CHANGE, MAY BE
“MIND, BODY AND SOUL.” OR SOMETHING ELSE.

11. TTLE TO
personal experience
BA
DEATH
After three forty-five minutes of
mountain biking, Devyani is on the
verge of total exhaustion. Her right
only they can understand. They
have climbed mountains and sailed
through rough rivers, parasailed and
The sweat, blood
and tears
lived my all life in Delhi. For me, places
like Ladakh are meant to be for nice
vacation, scenic mountains etc. Not
elbow is red from the bruise she got trekked along dangerous roads, all gruesome battles. But somehow, by
when she fell, ten minutes back. But through a shivering temperature of the end of it, I simply could not lose.
she can not stop to take a break. 8 degree C. There is not a single one I had to finish the race.”
Her competition already has a lead among them, who is not exhausted
of fifteen minutes which she has to and battered. Yet through sheer “It wasn’t just the excitement that
cover. willpower, every one of them is trying hypnotized me, it was the team.
to win the race. Three days ago, none of us knew
Devyani is the last one from her team each other and now we are bonded.”
in the relay race of mountain biking. “I am amazed,” says Vinay Pathak, Indeed, Devyani and her three team
Her team has lost fifteen minutes Zice Holidays land-based sports mates have spent last seventy two
because of a wrong turn her team- expert, who has been monitoring the hours together, helped each other
mate had taken and now it is up race. “I had thought at least some in overcoming insurmountable
to her to cover the gap. “We had of them would drop out, but not a difficulties. “After you have been
worked so hard for past three days. single one has looked back.” through together what we have
There was no way I could let the team gone through, you can’t be strangers
come second, after all those efforts,” Devyani Srivastva is a HR manager anymore.”
Devyani says looking back. at IT firm in Delhi. This was her first
experience of Level 2 iChallenger. “I Despite her efforts, despite the
For past three days, Devyani and had expected that iChallenger will be furious paddling in the last minutes,
thirty others have gone through a a little difficult when I signed up, but Devyani came second in the race. “I
race that has tested their endurance this is hardly what I had expected.” knew that there was no way I could
to limit. They have gone through cover the gap. They had a long lead.
miles of Ladakh’s rough terrain, “When we started out, the idea of Why then did I try so hard? Because
competing with each other and a race seemed a little silly,” Devyani there was no way, I could let my team
themselves to prove something smiles. “I mean, I have grown up and down by not trying my best.”

12. LAP 2: LAP 3: SPIRIT
FITNESS (LEADERSHIP AND ENDURANCE)
To take part in a Challenger event, you The core of the Challenge is to However, there lies another aspect
need to be fit and healthy. The Challenge create high performance teams to it, of personal discovery. The
is not meant for professional athletes that produce results. The head to tough physical challenges and need
but there is a certain level of fitness head competition and dependence of sheer willpower to overcome
essential to qualify for the Challenge. on teamwork is geared towards them allows participants to push
The organisers may take physical test imparting the participants with through the limit.
to ensure that all the participants are gaining the quintessential spirit
fit to enter the Challenge. The higher that is needed for success not “In those three days, the most
the level of the Challenge, the tougher only at the Challenge but also in important part for me was that last
the test will be. businesses and personal life. one hour,” recalls Manish Mittal,
participant of Corporate Challenger,
The Challenge, in itself, is meant to The open competition with April ’08. “In that last hour where I
inspire fitness. There will be several immediate results catalyses teams simply could not go any further, I
tasks included in the program that to multiply their performance and climbed that last hundred feet of the
would require heavy cardio-vascular tap potential of every individual mountain by sheer determination
activity or physical activity. Many member to the maximum. But and morale support of my team
individuals and companies use it also begets trust. The friendly mates. I discovered that reserve of
Challenger events as an incentive to rivalry leads to not only better strength that I never knew existed.
get really fit. The fitter you are the communication between the I have never forgotten that reserve,
more you can enjoy the Challenge. participants but also personal ever since.”
friendships that can make any
“Today physical fitness has become business team more effective.
a vanishing commodity in urban
life,” says Dr Vinod Patney, medical
adviser for Zice Holidays. “With busy
corporate lives nobody has time for
health. Every one knows it, but no one
does anything about it. There is simply
not enough tangible incentive to push
people outside the house or pull them
inside the gym. Its like smoking, you
know its bad for you, but you can’t
resist.”
“That is the Challenge comes in. When
you can see seventy people out in the
open performing physical activity, with
that sense of competition in you, you
become aware of your own fitness. It
is a great inducement for people to
come in terms with their own health
requirements.”
CONTACT : +91 98 10 573 291 | +91 98 91 925 475
www.zic e holid a ys.c om