World Public Speaking Champ from JA.

[Yvonne N.]

Cave Hill debate team returns outstanding performance
1/2006
By Marc Gibson

A debating team from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, did the Caribbean proud with outstanding efforts at the World Universities Debating Championships held in Dublin, Ireland; the first such competition attended by the Cave Hill team.

While placing third in the team debating competition the crowning achievement for the University of the West Indies Debating Society (UWIDS) Cave Hill team was winning the trophy for the Public Speaking category of the competition, captured by Jamaican national Oneil Simpson. The only teams scoring higher than the UWIDS team in the team debating category were Yale University A, and Jamaicas University of Technology (UTech).

According to the UWIDS team coach, Leroy McClean, it was felt that the team deserved the opportunity to exhibit their debating skills at the highest level.

The UWIDS team has previously held the titles for Intercampus and Intercollegiate Debating Championships, at one point holding both titles in the same year.

Calling the excellent performance by the team nothing new, McClean stated that when the team had the opportunity to participate at the World Championships they felt that it was necessary for them to perform at their best.

Winner of the Public Speaking category, ONeil Simpson, stated that it was unfortunate that the region, until provided with the opportunity, was not normally credited with being able to contribute to seriously to intellect and academia. Simpson added that the Public Speaking trophy won at the World Debating Championships created a legacy in the international academic world for UWI, Caribbean intellectuals, young people, and the region as a whole intellectually and academically.

324 teams from 148 universities from 53 countries around the globe attended the Championships, and the performance of the UWIDS team and Simpson especially, was remarked on by all. Teams from UWI Mona, Cave Hill, and UTech, Jamaica were the only teams representing the Caribbean.

[Yvonne N.]

Re: World Public Speaking Champ from JA.

Back-to-back for Canada: Hart House wins Worlds, Results
January 3, 2006 | Executive Director

Last year, Canada won Worlds after a 13-year drought. This year, Canada did it again, this time by Michael Kotrly and Joanna Nairn from Hart House, University of Toronto who defeated teams from Yale University, University of Chicago, and The Inner Temple in the Grand Final round to capture the title. CUSID congratulates them with pride for their outstanding performance.

Six other teams also represented Canada admirably. Rory McKeown and Gaurav Toshniwal (Hart House), R. Jesse McWaters III and Jason Rogers (McGill University), Rahool Agarwal and Ren (Hart House) made it to the Quarter-Finals; Jess Prince and Gordon Shotwell (McGill), Ian Freeman and Melanie Tharamangalam (Hart House), and Garnett Genuis and Padraic Ryan (Carleton University) were Octo-Finalists.

In speaker rankings, the top speaker in the competition was a tie between Rory Gillis and Beth O'Connor, both from Yale University. The top Canadian speaker and 9th in the world was Jess Prince, while Joanna Nairn and Ren tied for 10th place.

Canada was also well represented in the Public Speaking competition with Michael Kotrly, Jason Rogers, and Ren reaching the final round. Gordon Shotwell and Brent Kettles (University of Calgary) were semi-finalists. <font color="blue"> Public Speaking was won by O'Neill Simpson from the University of West Indies, Cave Hill </font> .

At the Worlds Council meeting, the 2008 World Championships hosting right was given to Assumption University in Thailand, whose bid included Joanna Nairn as one of the North American Deputy Chief Adjudicators. Also, University of British Columbia's bid defence was ratified for Worlds 2007.

CUSID wishes the debaters a safe trip home and once again, congratulates all the Canadian debaters at Dublin for what is undoubtedly Canada's most impressive showing ever. Next year will be even more exciting as the World Championships returns to Canadian soil in Vancouver.