2008-2009 Event Calendar

San Diego Rugby 7s Tournament

February 13-15, 2009

Redwoods@Haas is celebrating the start of 2009 with a rooooooaaaaaaaadd trip! On Friday the 13th of Feburary, we'll be driving down to San Diego to watch some of the finest players in world rugby compete in this annual San Diego 7s at Petco Park, right in the center of the city.

The Sport

Rugby 7s is a fast version of rugby.  7 players per team, 7 minutes per half.  Lots of scores and very easy and enjoyable to watch.  The weekend takes the form of a self contained tournament with pool games on Saturday and finals on Sunday.  All the big international teams will be there; we’ll have the opportunity to cheer on Scotland, support the USA and even hurl well deserved abuse at the English.  The San Diego 7s is part of the IRB world 7s circuit and last year pulled a crowd of 30,000.  For reference the Dubai 7s pulls a crowd of 50,000 and sells out in around 2 days – this tournament is a big deal!  Check out the website: http://www.usasevens.com/

The Party

Rugby 7s tournaments are enormous parties; even if you know nothing about rugby you will have an incredible time.  The Hong Kong tournament, and the Dubai one are legendary, and the San Diego one is fast gaining a reputation for being one of the best weekends of the year on the West coast.  When else could you watch the best rugby players in the world in the glorious San Diego sunshine while drinking the finest Californian beers? 

Okay, so how much is it and what do I get?

$200 per head, this includes transport, accommodation and your weekend ticket to the venue.  We’ve reserved a 15-seater van for the journey, so the first 15 to pay will get preference.  Demand for this trip is likely to be high, so if you want to come we need your financial commitment ASAP.  Last year the student tickets we are targeting sold out, so if you leave it too late the ticket cost may increase by $20…..eek!

How do I sign up?

Easy. Email osman_malik@mba.berkeley.edu, stating that you want to go, and then write out a check for $200, made payable to Redwoods@Haas and give it to Oz Malik. (Alternatively place it in Oz’s mailbox in the MBA lounge.)

Skydiving

Saturday, April 11, 2009

Redwoods@Haas is celebrating the start of summer with another annual skydiving trip. Saturday 11th April, two weeks after Spring Break, will see hundreds of apparently educated and intelligent MBA students throwing themselves out of planes lemming-style during Skydive Haas. You don’t get that at HBS.

But I don't know how to skydive?

Don’t worry. Neither do we. But we know a man who does. Quite a few of them, actually. So, we’re going to strap ourselves to them and let them worry about all the technical mumbo-jumbo that’s involved. We will want to know a few basics before we go up, like ‘who pulls the ripcord?’ for example, so we’ll be getting a little coaching too before we board the plane.

Okay, so how much is it and what do I get?

Well, that all depends on your appetite for adventure. As an upgrade to last year’s paltry single-flavor event, this year boast’s three fun-filled alternatives. All options come fully inclusive with transport to the drop zone (75 minutes away), your training, equipment hire, parachute packing, aircraft ride, up to a minute in freefall, 5 minutes under canopy, snacks throughout the day, beers to finish off and, of course, the man/woman of your dreams strapped to you for the duration of the descent.

The Momma’s Boy. $145
Journey to 9,000ft. Spend 30 seconds in freefall. Live a near stress-free existence while your instructor does the worrying for you.
The Taste for Adventure. $185
Go high to 13,000ft. Spend 60 seconds in freefall. Enjoy extra coaching on the ground and open the parachute for yourself. Receive a free T-shirt and have this official training descent recorded in your shiny new logbook.
The Road to Perdition. $359
Forego the namby panby strapped-to-a-hunk stuff and look after your life for yourself. Caffeinate your way through six hours of lectures, don a parachute and leave the plane from the full 13,000ft., carefully observed by 2 instructors as you make a solo descent.

Can I get photos or videos of my jump?

Yep. It’ll cost you some extra bucks, which will be paid directly to the drop zone. A cameraperson will then come with you, filming you getting ready, in the plane, during freefall, and coming in to land. They’ll download and edit the footage, and burn you a DVD. Plus you’ll get digital stills pictures that you can blow up and put on your wall (or more likely, Facebook). One of the cameraladies is hot.

What if I can't make the date?

If you really, really, really can’t make the date, then don’t get disheartened. Email Dave (see below) letting him know the dates you could go and let him do the rest. No guarantees for your sort though...

My boyfriend’s chihuahua’s barber’s second cousin wants to go – is that cool?

Totally cool. We’re an inclusive bunch, so invite whoever you like. In fact, we love to hang out with people that have something to talk about other than this week’s Macro exam or last week’s trip to Tahoe. Just let us know when someone’s not a Haas student so we can give them a Haas disclaimer.

How do I sign up?

Easy. Email dave_thompson@mba.berkeley.edu, detailing which adventure you’re in for and whether or not you have a car (and would be willing to drive in return for petrol & running costs). Then write out a check for the option you prefer, made payable to ‘Redwoods@Haas’ and place it in Dave’s mailbox in the MBA lounge