Here's the official press release from the tournament.
Seawolf Speakers take on the World in Turkey
The Seawolf Debate program just returned from the most competitive tournament of their season, the World Universities Debating Championships hosted by Koc University in Antalya, Turkey. The competition featured 400 teams from almost 150 universities representing 43 nations from around the world. First time competitors at this year’s world championships included teams from Iraq and Venezuela.
The Seawolves entered four teams in the competition:
Alaska A: Michael Imeson & James Kilcup
Alaska B: Colin Haughey & Michalea Hernandez
Alaska C: Amie Stanley & Akis Gialopsos
Alaska D: Sarah Carpenter & Drew Cason
The WUDC is structured into two phases: the preliminary rounds and the elimination rounds. In the preliminary rounds, all teams in the competition face off over the course of nine rounds to determine the ranking of all 400 teams entered. Following the preliminary rounds, the top thirty-two teams move into the single-elimination phase of the tournament. The selection of these teams—the top 32 of 400 teams—is, at 8%, the toughest break in any of the tournaments the Seawolves attend.
Though none of the Seawolf teams were selected to participate in the elimination rounds, two of the four teams ended with records only one point shy of the record needed to advance. Alaska A—who had racked up an outstanding record during the Fall semester—ended with 17 team points and sufficient speaker points to break had they grabbed just one more team point in the competition. Alaska D also ended on 17 points, a solid performance that demonstrates the depth of this year’s debate squad. Alaska B and Alaska C ended on 16 and 15 points respectively.
The Seawolves overall performance was record-setting for UAA’s debate program. Never before have all teams ended on 15 or more points; never have three of UAA’s teams ended in the top 25% of the competition; and never before have the Seawolves earned so many total points as a squad in the competition. In fact, the Seawolves’ performance at this year’s WUDC should put them in contention for a top-20 position in the world debate rankings and may establish them as the second-best team in the US. Those rankings will be released later in January.
The Seawolf speakers now turn their attention to the Cabin Fever Debates, UAA’s intramural debating tournament. That event will open with an introductory session on Tuesday, January 26th and will close with the final round on March 4th. More information may be found at cabinfeverdebates.uaa.alaska.edu. The next competition for the debate team will be the US Universities Debating Championships to be held by Regis University in Denver on April 11-13.
Tuesday, January 5, 2010
It's over . . .
Sydney took yet another World Championship in debating this year, as their A team emerged from an outstanding final round to capture the majority vote of the adjudication panel.
The Seawolves had an outstanding tournament collectively, even if some hopes for particular teams didn't pan out. Michael and James ended on 17 points but with more than enough speaker points to have broken if they'd captured an 18th point. Michael was tied for 21st speaker overall. Sarah and Drew also ended on 17 points, an outstanding showing. Colin and Michaela closed with 16 points and Akis and Amie with 15; in all a great performance by all teams and more total points (and higher per-team average points) than at any other Worlds we've ever attended.
The really exciting thought is that three of these four teams will be eligible to attend Worlds 2011 in Botswana.
Some relevant links:
The tab from the tournament.
Video from the final round.
It was a well-run and enjoyable tournament at which all of our teams learned a great deal. Here's to next year!
The Seawolves had an outstanding tournament collectively, even if some hopes for particular teams didn't pan out. Michael and James ended on 17 points but with more than enough speaker points to have broken if they'd captured an 18th point. Michael was tied for 21st speaker overall. Sarah and Drew also ended on 17 points, an outstanding showing. Colin and Michaela closed with 16 points and Akis and Amie with 15; in all a great performance by all teams and more total points (and higher per-team average points) than at any other Worlds we've ever attended.
The really exciting thought is that three of these four teams will be eligible to attend Worlds 2011 in Botswana.
Some relevant links:
The tab from the tournament.
Video from the final round.
It was a well-run and enjoyable tournament at which all of our teams learned a great deal. Here's to next year!
Thursday, December 31, 2009
The prelims are over . . .
Just a quick update. Each team's position and the motions for each round are listed below. Closed adjudication on day 3 means we don't know any results, but we've been in some tough rooms. We'll find out as the New Year dawns in Turkey.
Alaska A: 7-CG, 8-OG, 9-OG
Alaska B: 7-CG, 8-OO, 9-OG
Alaska C: 7-CO, 8-OO, 9-OG
Alaska D: 7-CG, 8-OG, 9-CO
That's right, three Opening Govs in the 9th round. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Break in 3 1/2 hours. More later.
Alaska A: 7-CG, 8-OG, 9-OG
Alaska B: 7-CG, 8-OO, 9-OG
Alaska C: 7-CO, 8-OO, 9-OG
Alaska D: 7-CG, 8-OG, 9-CO
That's right, three Opening Govs in the 9th round. Sometimes you're the windshield, sometimes you're the bug.
Break in 3 1/2 hours. More later.
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Livin' in a lonely world . . .
Round 6: This house would prosecute communities for complicity in honor killings.
Alaska A: CO, 1st, 12 points
Alaska B: OG, 3rd, 10 points
Alaska C: OG, 3rd, 11 points
Alaska D: OG, 2nd, 11 points
My favorite motion so far. The intersection of legal, cultural and moral issues is what makes for excellent BP debates. Plenty of ground to explore in 8 speeches, lots of good ground on both sides and timely as well. Unfortunately, the debate I saw considered none of these issues, but at least it gave me plenty of time during the debate to think about the things that I thought should be discussed.
So all Alaska teams are within striking distance of the break. This is the nail-biting time, though, and not just because all the rounds tomorrow are closed adjudication. Facing the prospect of having to take two firsts and a second rounds tomorrow is daunting for some of the Seawolves, but others have a bit more of a margin. Typically, breaking requires at least 18 points. Given that there are around 400 teams here this year, the break will require 18 and very high speaker points.
Updates tomorrow will be limited, as I’ll have little to report round-by-round. They’ll announce the break tomorrow at midnight (around 11:00 am Alaska time) and I’ll do my best to get the break posted a.s.a.p., but wireless access really tends to bog down when there are lots of people on, so you may have more luck checking Colm Flynn’s site if you’re really anxious to know who broke where.
Oh, and I realize now that it was Journey who sang “Don’t Stop Believing,” not Rush. But I'm still holding on to that feeling.
Alaska A: CO, 1st, 12 points
Alaska B: OG, 3rd, 10 points
Alaska C: OG, 3rd, 11 points
Alaska D: OG, 2nd, 11 points
My favorite motion so far. The intersection of legal, cultural and moral issues is what makes for excellent BP debates. Plenty of ground to explore in 8 speeches, lots of good ground on both sides and timely as well. Unfortunately, the debate I saw considered none of these issues, but at least it gave me plenty of time during the debate to think about the things that I thought should be discussed.
So all Alaska teams are within striking distance of the break. This is the nail-biting time, though, and not just because all the rounds tomorrow are closed adjudication. Facing the prospect of having to take two firsts and a second rounds tomorrow is daunting for some of the Seawolves, but others have a bit more of a margin. Typically, breaking requires at least 18 points. Given that there are around 400 teams here this year, the break will require 18 and very high speaker points.
Updates tomorrow will be limited, as I’ll have little to report round-by-round. They’ll announce the break tomorrow at midnight (around 11:00 am Alaska time) and I’ll do my best to get the break posted a.s.a.p., but wireless access really tends to bog down when there are lots of people on, so you may have more luck checking Colm Flynn’s site if you’re really anxious to know who broke where.
Oh, and I realize now that it was Journey who sang “Don’t Stop Believing,” not Rush. But I'm still holding on to that feeling.
Over the hump
Round 5: This house would abolish the taxes on cigarettes and alcohol that go beyond normal sales taxes.
Alaska A: CO, 3rd, 9 points
Alaska B: OG, 4th, 9 points
Alaska C: OG, 1st, 10 points
Alaska D: OG, 1st, 9 points
A short update given the quick turnaround between rounds 5 & 6. Two firsts, one of which came in the Opening Gov for Akis and Amie, were a welcome outcome for this round. That we debated this very motion in the retreat helped. Obviously this was not the Turkey motion and I’ll admit that I was surprised to see another chestnut motion at this point in the tournament. What’s next? Who knows.
Thanks again to Chris and Tom for the best motivation a coach could offer. Their ability to break after ending day two on 11 points serves as strong empirical evidence of the “Rush principle:” don’t stop believing. Even if you’re not from the University of South Detroit.
Alaska A: CO, 3rd, 9 points
Alaska B: OG, 4th, 9 points
Alaska C: OG, 1st, 10 points
Alaska D: OG, 1st, 9 points
A short update given the quick turnaround between rounds 5 & 6. Two firsts, one of which came in the Opening Gov for Akis and Amie, were a welcome outcome for this round. That we debated this very motion in the retreat helped. Obviously this was not the Turkey motion and I’ll admit that I was surprised to see another chestnut motion at this point in the tournament. What’s next? Who knows.
Thanks again to Chris and Tom for the best motivation a coach could offer. Their ability to break after ending day two on 11 points serves as strong empirical evidence of the “Rush principle:” don’t stop believing. Even if you’re not from the University of South Detroit.
Sun and Sri Lanka
Round 4: This house would prohibit high-ranking members of the Sri Lankan military and the Tamil Tigers from participating in elections.
Alaska A: CG, 1st, 8 points
Alaska B: CG, 1st, 9 points
Alaska C: OG, 3rd, 7 points
Alaska D: OG, 3rd, 6 points
Here’s to everyone who’s ever written a brief on Sri Lanka (that’s you, Christy). To argue that a democratic process that excludes specific interest groups is still democratic (or at least in the best interests of the country) requires a degree of specific knowledge that is possible only with good research. Once again, hard work wins.
The “Turkish Riviera” finally made an appearance today. Crystal clear, bluebird skies over a placid bay makes for a great setting for the World Championships. It’s so clear that you can almost see Syria from here.
On to lunch, a brief break and round 5. I have a feeling that we’ll see our Turkish motion next—I’m thinking something about EU membership and Muslim tensions. You heard it here first.
Alaska A: CG, 1st, 8 points
Alaska B: CG, 1st, 9 points
Alaska C: OG, 3rd, 7 points
Alaska D: OG, 3rd, 6 points
Here’s to everyone who’s ever written a brief on Sri Lanka (that’s you, Christy). To argue that a democratic process that excludes specific interest groups is still democratic (or at least in the best interests of the country) requires a degree of specific knowledge that is possible only with good research. Once again, hard work wins.
The “Turkish Riviera” finally made an appearance today. Crystal clear, bluebird skies over a placid bay makes for a great setting for the World Championships. It’s so clear that you can almost see Syria from here.
On to lunch, a brief break and round 5. I have a feeling that we’ll see our Turkish motion next—I’m thinking something about EU membership and Muslim tensions. You heard it here first.
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
End of day one
Round 3: This house would financially incentivize both inter-faith and inter-ethnic marriages.
Alaska A: CO, 2nd, 5 points
Alaska B: OG, 3rd, 6 points
Alaska C: CO, 4th, 6 points
Alaska D: CO, 4th, 5 points
Dear Amie. Dear, sweet Amie. As the standard bearers for Alaska (on a perfect 6 points after round 2), Amie and Akis were among the top teams of the tournament going into the third round. That put them in one of the top rooms facing other, top teams. Amie and Akis drew a round against Sydney, Monash and another team, and as their room appeared on the tab Amie turned to me and said “Hmmm. Sydney and Monash. I don’t really know who those teams are.” I bit my tongue, not wanting to reveal that between them Sydney and Monash have won 20% of the World Championships. Oh Amie, after this round, you will know who Sydney and Monash are.
But that’s why you come to Worlds. To face the best. Realize that to be in the position to hit Sydney and Monash in round 3, Amie and Akis had to beat Oxford in round 2. Mission accomplished.
Everyone is still in the hunt and to have two teams on par after day one is a solid performance. Here’s hoping that by this time tomorrow we’ll have even more in line to break.
ps: if you’re an info junkie, check out the WUDC on Twitter. Lots of references to other blogs about Worlds hidden among the tweets.
Alaska A: CO, 2nd, 5 points
Alaska B: OG, 3rd, 6 points
Alaska C: CO, 4th, 6 points
Alaska D: CO, 4th, 5 points
Dear Amie. Dear, sweet Amie. As the standard bearers for Alaska (on a perfect 6 points after round 2), Amie and Akis were among the top teams of the tournament going into the third round. That put them in one of the top rooms facing other, top teams. Amie and Akis drew a round against Sydney, Monash and another team, and as their room appeared on the tab Amie turned to me and said “Hmmm. Sydney and Monash. I don’t really know who those teams are.” I bit my tongue, not wanting to reveal that between them Sydney and Monash have won 20% of the World Championships. Oh Amie, after this round, you will know who Sydney and Monash are.
But that’s why you come to Worlds. To face the best. Realize that to be in the position to hit Sydney and Monash in round 3, Amie and Akis had to beat Oxford in round 2. Mission accomplished.
Everyone is still in the hunt and to have two teams on par after day one is a solid performance. Here’s hoping that by this time tomorrow we’ll have even more in line to break.
ps: if you’re an info junkie, check out the WUDC on Twitter. Lots of references to other blogs about Worlds hidden among the tweets.
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