Pipped at the post
I demand a recount!
The NZ Secondary Schools Debating Team did amazingly to win 11 games in a row to get through to the Grand Final of the World Champs.
They went up against England, proposing the motion:
This House would expand the permanent membership of the UN Security Council
And they lost 4-5. Most decisions are unanimous, so to have four Judges say your team was best and five Judges give it to England is literally as close a call as you can get.
Any congratulations again to the team for a superb set of results. To represent your country while at school is a huge achievement in itself, let alone to make the world champs grand final.
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Tags: debating
September 15th, 2008 at 9:44 am
Gutted! But awesome work though, that is so exciting that they got to the Grand Final! I’m most impressed.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:47 am
Congratulations to the team.
Special mention of Hon Bill English’s daughter Maria leading the team. No Labor leaders there !
September 15th, 2008 at 10:12 am
I suspect one day Maria will not be known as Bill’s daughter, but Bill will be known as Maria’s father
September 15th, 2008 at 10:23 am
That’s fantastic. I want to be one of those parents too…Maria is a seriously talented young woman. The team will all go far in life with these skills.
September 15th, 2008 at 10:49 am
A great result especially since theirs would have been a VERY difficult proposition to argue!
September 15th, 2008 at 11:46 am
Another group of talented NZ youngsters who don’t get the local recognition they deserve for their successes on the world stage, are our youth and high school level “choirs”. We are world-beaters.
September 15th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
If only these guys had had a bit more support from the government… but the government is way too interested in handing out tax dollars to go-nowhere dole bludgers than aspiring and intelligent young men and women. The fact that one of them is a National party leader’s daughter couldn’t have helped – I wouldn’t be surprised if these poor kids are giving the going over at customs on their return. Sadly we can no long er say we live in a state where the rule of law is respected.
September 15th, 2008 at 3:43 pm
Aussie next year for most of them I guess.
September 15th, 2008 at 9:41 pm
I think it will mirror the final of the World Cup in 2011.