The International Red Bull Paper Wings airplane competition made a stop at CSU East Bay on Tuesday, pitting dozens of students against each other for free cases of Red Bull and $50 Go-Kart Racing gift certificates for top contestants.

Taking place in the New University Union’s Multipurpose room between 12 p.m. and 4 p.m., the competition was broken down into three competitive categories: farthest distance, longest airtime and aerobatics.

Michelle Gomez, a Psychology major, presided over a stack of papers in an attempt to capture previous paper airplane glory.

“I used to know how to do the perfect paper airplane back in middle school, but I just can’t remember how to do it,” said Gomez, as a sharp paper plane whizzed by her head like a bullet. 

Anthropology major Robert Garcia won the airtime category by flying 5.47 seconds. He also won the aerobatics category with a plane that released another plane mid-air, which then released its own fake bombs. By winning both categories, he earned himself two gift certificates and cases of Red Bull.

“It brings some nostalgia with it,” said Garcia. “Back in elementary school we used to fold paper planes just to mess around in class […] I’m just doing this to have a lot of fun with my friends.”

Sophomore Business Marketing major Romeo Legudos won the distance category with an 82-foot flight, also taking home a gift certificate and cases of Red Bull.

The competitors with the best stats between all the events on the West Coast will win an all expenses paid trip to Austria next month, where competitors from 80 countries around the globe will compete in the world finals at Red Bull’s Hanger 7 aeronautics museum. 

At the Red Bull Paper Wings competition held at UC Berkeley, engineering students excelled by utilizing the knowledge and expertise earned through their studies.

“Basically, everyone who competed in the event was an engineer, and the level of competition was really high,” said a Red Bull representative, who wished to remain anonymous. “They were really creative and really talented.”

The world record for paper airplane distance in flight was set at 226 feet in February by former UC Berkeley quarterback Joe Ayoob.

The winners of the last Red Bull Paper Wings in 2009 won with a distance record of 178 feet and an airtime record of 11 seconds – almost double the stats of CSUEB’s competitors.

For a majority of the CSUEB participants, nostalgia, good times with friends and free energy drinks were enough to satisfy.

“I haven’t made a paper airplane since like second grade, so it’s kind of fun,” said Business major Rachael Takesaka.

“I’m just gonna make a plane and go with it ‘cause it’s free, and whether I win or lose, it’s just all for the fun,” said Mariano Cruz, Computer Engineering major.