NZ 3rd after preliminary rounds at Debating Champs

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New Zealand ranked 3rd after preliminary rounds at World Debating Champs

The Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools' Debating Team lies in third place after the initial eight preliminary rounds of the 2009 World Schools' Debating Championships being held in Athens, Greece.

New Zealand was narrow runners-up to England at the 2008 Championships, losing in a 5-4 split decision in the Grand Final. New Zealand had the 1st, 2nd and 3rd ranked speakers at the 2008 tournament.

New Zealand has won their first eight preliminary debates in the 2009 competition, including tight victories over heavyweight teams Canada and Scotland. England and Australia lie 1st and 2nd because they have won more judges' ballots.

Christopher Bishop of the New Zealand Schools Debating Council said it was the second World Champs in a row in which New Zealand had won all their preliminary debates.

"We're hoping that the team can go one better than in 2008 and take out New Zealand's first victory since 1995", said Mr Bishop.

The competition now moves to a knock-out phase, with New Zealand drawn to debate 14th ranked Wales in an octo-final today at 10am (9pm, NZ time).

If New Zealand wins that debate they will debate either Canada or Ireland in the quarter-finals at 3pm (2am on Tuesday, NZ Time).

The five person Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools' Debating Team was selected at the national finals of the Russell McVeagh New Zealand Schools' Debating Championships held in May 2008. The team comprises Maria English (Captain, Samuel Marsden Collegiate), Holly Jenkins (Sacred Heart College), Jennifer Savage (Wanganui Collegiate), Tom Chen (Hillcrest High School) and Ben Kornfeld (King's College).

The team is being coached by Julia Fetherston (an Australian law student and champion student debater) and Kevin Moar (a policy analyst at the Ministry of Health).

The World Schools' Debating Championships, a global competition for high school debaters, has been held each year since 1988. This year's tournament involves 39 teams, including England, Wales, Scotland, India, Pakistan, the USA, South Africa, South Korea, and Japan. New Zealand has won the tournament three times since 1988 (in 1991, 1992, and 1995), were runners-up in 2008, and hosted the competition in 1994.

Topics debated at this year's Championships include "That public services should be run by private companies", and "That we should encourage the expansion of civilian nuclear energy."

ENDS

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