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Cognition secure contract direct for the Environment Agency : 01.11.06 After an exhaustive selection process Cognition were successful in securing works directly for The Environment Agency in connection with the development of The EA Information Centre. Little Britain Challenge Cup : 11.09.06 The LBCC is the largest corporate yachting regatta in the world. The event is also the biggest UK gathering of senior figureheads from the construction and property industry and one of the industry's top social sporting events of the year. Cognition have attended the event for many years and entered a boat and crew since 2002.
Over the years, Little Britain has donated over £750k to sailing charities helping disadvantaged or disabled people experience the world of sailing. The 2006 event has raised a staggering further £140k
The LBCC Regatta is based on the successful formula of a short series of races in the Central Solent area. The 2006 schedule included the usual two short races on Friday and one longer race on Saturday. However, in an effort to mitigate against unpredictable weather, the Thursday race was no longer a "practice" race but one that counted towards the overall points. Thus the series now comprises four races, with the first race, race 1, on the Thursday afternoon. All races have equal status but boats are allowed to discard their worst score if they sail all four races.
Our attendance this year included friends from clients and environmental consultants. Our boat’s handicap allows it to sail with a crew of eight. Each day six of our own staff were joined by two guests for each race so a total of fourteen people were able to enjoy the racing. In addition a high powered motor boat “Gee” was chartered to offer other staff, clients and consultants the opportunity to view racing close at hand and enjoy a drink while doing so. Gee is a boat with plenty of history and an offshore racing pedigree having successfully taken part in the first round Britain race in 1969. She has recently undergone an extensive rebuild to her twin 350hp engines, along with a re-spray to her 40ft cold process mahogany hull and been reupholstered in a style in keeping with her 40 years.
Final preparation for the event was carried out on Wednesday afternoon which included a trip to Tesco to fill one of the pickups with a good supply of beer, wine and champagne as well as a final boat hull lift and clean.
Racing began quite well on Thursday in Race 1 with an encouraging 4th place in our class of 39 entries. Light airs had suited both boat and crew very well, we had made a good start and Richard Hosking had enjoyed a trouble free passage at the helm. Spirits were high after racing, there was a genuine feeling that improvement was possible and that we could return to the glories of 2003 and become class winners once again.
Friday brought increased winds and conditions but nothing we thought would trouble us in our quest for a top three finish, our start however was not exactly ideal. In the 10 minutes prior to the starting cannon we considered and made our decision to race close to the shore for the first down wind leg. All went to plan as we sailed up wind then 1 minute before the cannon, gybed into position to approach the start line. We had banked on a trouble free spinnaker hoist but it didn’t go to plan. The spinnaker refused to set, perhaps it had been poorly packed or maybe it was a poor hoist but the result was most of the fleet sailing past whilst we sorted the problem. Once properly underway we recovered reasonably well but not well enough. Our 8th place in the morning race was therefore a little disappointing perhaps not helped by our risky chosen course designed to compensate for the poor start. We talked through the good and the not so good of the mornings performance and hoped an improved performance in the afternoon and a good race on Saturday might enable us to discard Race 2 in the overall result.
With Race 3 well underway after a solid start and whilst at the head of the fleet our best result of the regatta looked a formality. Our handicap put us around the midpoint of our class so after handicap adjustment we were certain to be leading or very close to it. Of course nothing should be taken for granted in sailing and were forced to retire soon after having broken a spinnaker sheet to be followed by main sheet traveller before we’d even retrieved the trailing spinnaker to the boat. Once we had the spinnaker back on board and affected a temporary repair to the main sheet we were off course and out of contention for a good place. We took down sails and motored back to Cowes with a view to repairing the boat and at least having the final race to look forward to.
The repair to the spinnaker sheet was simple, it was spliced and fixed and ready for collection at 8am on Saturday morning. Repairs to the mainsheet traveller required a bit more effort and were only made possible by the high speed attendance of Gee engineering know how of one of our guests.
Once back at Cowes we set about finding tools to dismantle the traveller. We had found tools and separated the components by mid afternoon and identified the parts required to carry out repairs. All suppliers in Cowes were soon exhausted so at 4pm the delegated party set off for Harken, the parts manufacturer in Lymington.
The journey to Lymington took very little time travelling at almost 40knots on the flat late afternoon Solent. The manufacturers representative met us at the local chandlery and then off to their workshop for a partial rebuild. With the rebuilt and other new parts safely in hand it was then a further high speed journey in near darkness back to Cowes in time to join up with the main group for the evening entertainment.
An early start on Saturday and more effort from Neil Manley of Churchill Hui meant we were ready for the start of Saturdays race. We started well and sailed effectively in the early stages of the race. The final race is probably twice as long as any of the previous races, as such course navigation offers more alternatives. The fleet split virtually in two and we continued to sail neatly in our chosen group and fully anticipated a good result. Returning to race control we were all rather disaapointed at our placing and can only deduce that our chosen course was the wrong one. Whilst the eventual result and 9th place in class was a little disappointing, it was nonetheless thoroughly enjoyable fourth race with one or two interesting close encounters but most importantly, everybody fit and well to enjoy the Gala Dinner.
It goes without saying that Cognition will enter the 2007 event due to take place from 6th to 9th September. If you’re interested in joining us for this premier industry event then contact Richard Ashwell at our Surrey office or email info@cognitionlandandwater.com Little Britain - Guernsey Spring Regatta : 28.03.06 Cognition has enjoyed successful participation in the Little Britain Challenge Cup for many years. This year sees our first entry into the Guernsey event starting on 19th May 2006. Whilst the number of entries will fall someway short of the 239 entered for the Cowes regatta in September, it still promises a high profile entry list and great fund raising potential.
The event commences on 19th May with overnight feeder races from St Marlo and Cowes to Jersey. The following morning feeder races continue to Guernsey. On Sunday 21st May two Races take place to be followed by a race around Sark on Monday if weather permits.
Our clients and partners who took part last year tell us the fabulous Fruits de Mer Guernesiaises is worth the trip alone! So roll on the warmer weather and exciting racing in Guernsey. Read all about it : 19.02.06 As part of our continued awareness of contaminated land issues, Cognition provided AM Essential, a leading magazine for the motor industry, with consultation on their recent site contamination article with particular reference to fuel stations.
If you would like further detail of this or other periodicals then contact us on telephone number 0845 056 8020 or info@cognitionlandandwater.com | 
