On May 2^nd of 2016, after two and a half days of struggling and endeavor to walk 70 kilometers through the dessert bearing weight, the26 BNU Business School MBA Team members won the No.8 Team Trophy and the highest achievement award “Sandpiper Prize” of the 5^th Yashasai event among over 1700 contestants from 71 Asian-Pacific institutions. Which was the best performance of BNU MBA students ever since entering this competition.

Group Photo

The full name of Yashasai is “Desert Challenge for Asia-Pacific Region Business Schools”, this competition is an experiential culture event specifically designed for MBA students from top business schools of the Asia-Pacific region. Through their 70-kilometer walking tour in the desert, participants could personally experience and fulfill the Yashasai competition concepts -- “Environmental Protection, Collaboration, Persistence and Responsibility”. 71 Asian-Pacific business schools entered this year’s competition, including 65 institutions from mainland China, two from HK, two from Taiwan, two from Singapore, one from UK and one from India; reaching up to over 1700 participants in total, making this year’s Yashasai the largest and fiercest one. Directly affecting nearly ten thousand people, the Yashasai series events has already become the most influential MBA outdoor competition event & activity of the Asia-Pacific Region.

This year’s competition encountered extreme weather (including unusual, severe and unseasonal weather), which was the greatest challenge to each participant and every team; who experienced all four seasons of the desert in shortly two and a half days. Under such harsh environmental conditions, the BNU Business School MBA Team was still able to win the No.8 Team Trophy and the highest achievement award “Sandpiper Prize”-- for all team members being able to finish the required kilometers within limited time.

Sandpiper Prize

To prepare for this year’s event, Mao Chenglin who previously participated in the 4^thYashasai became the new Group Leader and established the BNU MBA Outdoors Association in August 2015 to prepare potential participants for the 5^thYashasai in 2016.90% of association members were new beginners, and after nearly 8 months of scientific & systematic training guided by professional coaches, they overcame many difficulties, accomplished various night run activities, also attended domestic and international marathons. Before this year’s5^th Yashasai, nearly all members were able to accomplish a full marathon, which was the foundation of achieving such great results in the 2016 Yashasai.

The 26 BNU MBA Team members for this year’s5^th Yashasai came from different grades of 09 to 16, which represented team work and heritage. The new team member Wang Yan from grade 16 never received systematic training before and was injured in the first day, but was still able to finish all required miles through persistence. Yan Fang Qiang injured his right leg in the second day of the event, and dragged through the finishing line. Another previous 4^th Yashasai attendant Zhou Zhuomeng gave up his vacation to accompany, guide and encourage this year’s three leading female members, and all three of them came in top 30 of participating female contestants. Being exceptionally serious in her previous trainings, the female team leader Yu Jing performed extraordinarily well in this year’s competition without causing any athletic injuries. She was a great inspiration to all, fully demonstrating the “Faster, Higher, Stronger” Olympic motto. Each team member had a long and touching story of this event; it was their strong will, team power and collective honorthat lead everyone to the finishing line.

It was also the first time for the leading teacher Li Yuxiao to walk through the desert. She finished all required kilometers along with the students even though she hasn’t received any training before, which was the best encouragement to all team members. She was also one of the few leading teachers who finished the entire competition.

The BNU Business School Team achieving such great results in this year’s Yashasai also attributes to the strong support of BNU Business School in aspects such as special funding, applying for training fields, contacting various university resources, assigning a leading teacher, organizing a departure ceremony…etc. Family members of all participants were also highly supportive and encouraging. And special thanks to our sponsor ARCTOS. Their professional outdoors equipment was of excellent quality which helped the BNU MBA Team members to reach their full potential.

Exciting Moments

The BNU Business School 5^th Yashasai Team members include:

        Leading Teacher: Li Yuxiao (F)

        Group Leader: Mao Chenglin

        Team Leader: Yan Fangqiang, Yu Jing (F)

        Regular Members: Yao Xianjun, Zhang Min, Zhang Xinzhu, Zhang Jie (M), Cong Qing, Yue Rulan (F), Jia Ru (F), in Long (F), Zhang Jie (F), Qi Guannan (F)

        Observing Members: Zhou Zhuomeng, Liu Yaqing, Li Xiang, Su Junfang (F), Cui Xiaoming (F), Ren Yi, Wang Yan (F)

        Participating Journalists: Xia Qimei (F), Jing Yan (F), Zhu Yufeng

        Yashasai Committee Member: Chen Hang (F)

        Sponsor (ARCTOS): Pan Zhifeng, Xu Pengtu

*Unmarked or M=Male, F=Female

(Article Submission: Mao Chenglin)