News UCL Winter Schools Cup 30.11.2023

In a showcase of intellect and eloquence, two senior debate teams from Godolphin participated in the UCL Winter Cup last Saturday. The challenging debates took place in the confines of the IOE Library, where the lack of windows made it easy to lose track of time.

The hard work and dedication of the teams undeniably paid off, with standout performances and notable achievements throughout the day. Antara shone brightly with an impressive personal speaker score of 16 out of 106.

The day kicked off with the first round motion: ‘This house believes gene editing research should stop.’ Goldophin A, represented by Franny and Sophie, secured the top position, while Goldophin B, with Antara and Ella, claimed a respectable 4th place.

In the second round, the motion was ‘This house believes short-form social media like TikTok and tweets cause more harm than good.’ Goldophin A secured 2nd place, even defeating the England debating team, while Goldophin B took the lead with a 1st place finish.

The third round brought a captivating motion: ‘This house believes geo-engineering should be focused on more than fossil fuel reduction.’ Once again, Goldophin A emerged victorious in 1st place, defeating two teams of England debaters, while Goldophin B claimed the 3rd position.

The fourth round delved into the topic of the ‘memeification of mental health.’ Goldophin A secured 3rd place, triumphing over another team of national debaters.

In the overall standings, Goldophin A stood out, securing an impressive 6th place out of 60 teams and breaking through to the silver final. In the silver final, the judges faced a challenging decision, resulting in a 2:1 split. Ultimately, Goldophin A secured a remarkable 2nd place.

The day was not only a testament to the girls’ exceptional debating skills but also highlighted their excellent company and high levels of sportsmanship. Congratulations to the entire Godolphin debate teams for a successful and memorable day at the UCL Winter Cup.