Victoria retains the Joynt Scroll for another year

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Victoria retains the Joynt Scroll for another year

 The Victoria University of Wellington Debating Society has won the prestigious "Joynt Scroll" (the New Zealand Universities Prepared Debating Champs), which concluded on Monday at the University of Otago.

The Joynt Scroll, now in its 107th year, is New Zealand's second oldest sporting competition, and is competed for annually by Auckland, Otago, Canterbury, and Victoria universities.

In this year’s competition the Victoria University A team defeated Auckland University A in the Grand Final, arguing successfully that endangered languages should not be left to die.

The Victoria team comprised fifth year law and latin student Stephen Whittington, fourth year law and computer science student Seb Templeton, and second year law and politics student Ella Edginton.

2009 is the fourth year in a row that Victoria has won the Joynt Scroll. Victoria has won the tournament more often than any other New Zealand university.

The Victoria University B team was knocked out in the semi-finals.

Victoria's domination of the tournament was reflected in the individual speaker prizes awarded. Stephen Whittington was named as the best speaker of the tournament. He and Kathy Scott-Dowell (from the Victoria B team), were also named as members of the New Zealand Universities' Prepared Debating Team.

Ella Edginton and Richard D’Ath were named as reserves to the NZ team. Udayan Mukherjee was named as the most promising speaker of the tournament.

Polly Higbee, the President of the Victoria University Debating Society, said that the standard of the tournament was exceptional this year and that Victoria had had to fight hard for its fourth consecutive victory.

“The winning of the Joynt Scroll continues a great run of success by Victoria”, said Ms Higbee. “In April, we won the University Games tournament for the eleventh year in a row, and in July we reached the Grand Final of the Australasian Intervarsity Champs. And now we have the Joynt Scroll safe for another year”, she said.

“Victoria has proved yet again it has the best university debaters in New Zealand”, she concluded.

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