For debaters from The University of Auckland Debating Society, 2012 kicked off to a great start. The squad achieved
unprecedented success at the World Universities’ Debating Championships held in Manila, Philippines earlier this month.
After competing in nine rounds of debating, two Auckland teams progressed to the octo-finals. At a tournament with 400
teams from over 70 countries involved, breaking two teams in the Top 32 spots is an outstanding achievement for
Auckland.
Auckland A which had debaters Stephanie Thompson and Ben Milsom in it, performed incredibly well. They reached the
octo-finals and both ranked in the Top 50 best speakers at a tournament where 800 speakers were present. These rankings
reflect the depth of talent and skill possessed by these two highly persuasive individuals.
Debaters on Auckland B, Nupur Upadhyay and Joshua Baxter, broke to the octo-finals as well. This team beat out teams
from Oxford and Yale in the octo-final debate to progress through to the quarter-final round. This is the first time an
Auckland team has been in the quarter finals since the 2008 World Championships.
This result bodes well for a successful year on both the domestic and international circuit for the remainder of 2012.
The recently returned debaters are excited about building on this momentum throughout the year and with the generous
support of the University of Auckland and the University of Auckland Law School, they hope to pack an even stronger
punch at the 2013 World Championships in Berlin, Germany.
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ENDS