Here, here: Australs 2012

Over 400 debaters and adjudicators from 28 institutions competed in the 2012 Australasian Intervarsity Debating Tournament this month. Fondly known as Australs, the USU sent six teams and five adjudicators to Victoria University in Wellington, NZ, to compete over the week of 8-15 July.

Australs began in the 70s and was first hosted by the University of Sydney. The debating format is three on three with reply speeches. After eight rounds of debating, the top 16 teams progress to the final rounds to compete for the championship crown.

Three of our six teams (USU 1, USU 2 and USU 3) and four of our five adjudicators (Daniel Farinha, Annie Gribble, Lucian Tan and Felix Donovan) made it to the Finals. USU 3 were unfortunately defeated in the Octo Final, USU 1 made it through to the Quarter Finals before being defeated by the host university, Victoria, and USU 2 made it as far as the Semi Finals until losing to Monash 2 in a close debate. Daniel Farinha was awarded an adjudication spot on the panel of the Grand Final.

Congratulations to Elle Jones who was 4th Best Speaker and Best Reply Speaker at the tournament, and to Daniel Swain who was 3rd Best Speaker of the tournament.

Congratulations to all teams and adjudicators involved and best of luck for a successful second semester of debating!