GROUPS Debating
With debating in 2023, there was a return to more normalised competition after the disruptions of the last three years, much to the relief of all involved. This year, our young debaters exhibited a blend of enthusiasm and skill which promises to shape the future of the competitions. The main fixture on the debating calendar is the weekly competitions, hosted from Terms 1–3 by the Canterbury Schools’ Debating Council. This competition provides the opportunity for schools across Christchurch to meet and test themselves against one another to find the overall champion.
Teams were a little more inconsistent in the senior rounds because of other commitments within the school. The Senior A team – featuring Thomas Moggie, Otto Elworthy, and Oscar Compton-Moen, was unable to make the semi-finals but did have some confident wins along the way. It is the first year in some time that the Senior A team has included a Year 12 student. Oscar’s experiences will be invaluable to the team in 2024. Junior teams competed well, narrowly missing a spot in the semi-finals. In addition to the weekly rounds, the Canterbury Schools’ Debating Council hosts the Canterbury Regional Debating Championships,
primarily aimed at senior debaters, and the Canterbury Regional Junior Debating Championships. Both fast-paced competitions provide tremendous opportunities to develop debating skills and receive valuable feedback from the adjudicators. In the senior round, Thomas Moggie, Oscar Compton-Moen, and Noah Yee represented College. After debating the Cashmere High School team earlier in the morning, it again proved too strong in the final round, meaning that College missed out on a semi-finals spot. However, based on his performance on the day, Oscar Compton-Moen was selected to join the regional development squad – an outstanding achievement.
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Christ’s College Canterbury
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