The industry is getting in shape, with directors tackling the high jump, architects cycling through time, Boris jogging and islanders getting ready for a long swim. And some soccer tournament, apparently

Banned wagon

While we’re in no position to talk about jumping on the World Cup bandwagon I raise a sceptical brow at some of the press releases we’ve received. What connection could WD40 have to football, for example? I’ll leave you to ponder that, but the “best” so far has been Atkins, which sent a note on the opening of South Africa’s first high-speed railway, for which is developed a cooling system, among other things. The link to the World Cup? “The England squad will need to maintain their cool if they’re to have a chance of lifting football’s greatest prize.” Don’t stop cringing yet, though. There was also this example of clinical finishing from Steve Tasker, Atkins’ project director: “This project showcases Atkins’ ability to provide a full service under a tight schedule while finding innovative solutions for technical challenges that were simple and direct - always the most difficult goal to score.”

Tricks of the trade

Finally, after years of waiting, nail-biting qualifiers and defiance of “England’s curse”, it’s here. Yes, the construction industry at last has the chance to unleash its keepy-uppy skills on the world stage. Building has launched its nationwide search for the industry’s best soccer skills, whether it’s headers, stepovers or Cruyff turns. You can check out the stars so far on our website and if you reckon you can do better, we’d love to see you prove it - so video yourself, put it on YouTube and send the link to buildingweb@ubm.com.

Down to earth leadership

Coping with a recession is all about detail: allocating resources, entering new markets and squeezing extra value from your staff. But Ken Gillespie, the boss of Galliford Try’s construction arm, offered some altogether more practical advice last week. As the recessionary gloom descended in the wake of Northern Rock, he suggested that board meetings should be held on the ground floor so directors couldn’t throw themselves out of the window. A practical solution and, more importantly, cheap.

Last minute trip

Always fancied a holiday in the Maldives? You’d better hurry. The islands have the lowest high point of any country on earth - a trek up its tallest mountain would require a climb of 2.3m - and it has been given 76 years before being submerged by rising water levels of the Indian ocean. And rumour has it that the Maldivian population of 300,000 could be relocated. It is understood that a large area of land in East Africa has been earmarked as a potential new location. Whether a whole new series of cities or just one large community will need to be built is, as yet, unclear but they are going to need one hell of a removal van …

The cycle of history

Our web editor Alex Smith is leading an architectural bike ride alongside Richard Fenne, associate architect at Austin-Smith:Lord, as part of the London Festival of Architecture. The Velo2Velo ride on Sunday 27 June connects the 1948 Olympic velodrome in Herne Hill with the 2012 arena designed by Hopkins Architects at the Olympic park. To book a place on this and one of the many other rides, visit www.lfa2010.org.

Send any juicy industry gossip to hansom@ubm.com