Crimson Ultimate Heads to Sin City

An event greater than the World Cup and World Series combined?

The men’s and women’s Ultimate Teams might make that argument about the Trouble in Vegas 2010, the largest college Frisbee tournament worldwide. The tournament welcomes 70 men’s and 60 women’s teams, and for the first time, Harvard’s Red Line and Quasar squads will be among those competing.

The Crimson teams have been talking about making the tournament a reality for a few years, and for the men’s team, which left for Vegas today, that dream has finally become a reality. The women’s team hits the “city built of hot sand, broken dreams, and five dollar lobster” tomorrow.

“It’s definitely going to be a wake-up call to see how we do against teams that have been practicing in the sunshine,” junior captain Christina Kelley said.

While Harvard’s varsity squads make cross country trips all the time, the task was more daunting for the student-run Ultimate Teams. Club sport and UC funding could not completely cover the costs of the trip, so the teams were forced to fundraise. Another obstacle involved the age of the athletes; for example, one must be 21 or older to rent a car.

But the costs are worth it for squads looking to make the College Bowl, the Nationals of Ultimate Frisbee. Last year, the women’s squad lost the qualifying game, finishing third in regionals—one spot shy of a Nationals berth.

“It was really disappointing but also awesome,” Kelley said. “Our goal is to make it to Nationals.”

And where better to start the journey than in Las Vegas?

It is, after all, “a city where you can get a happy ending, but only if you pay a little extra.”

Given the amount of fundraising the teams have had to do, it seems as if they have paid that extra.