'Easters' is a novice debating tournament held over the Easter break every year. Formally known as the Australian National Novice Intervarsity Debating Championships, it involves teams from universities all around Australia.
Easters is a fantastic way to get involved in intervarsity debating - teams can have a maximum of one experienced intervarsity debater, so you won't come up against a team of World Champion debaters!
A long weekend of debating, partying, and more! So get involved now... contact the MUDS committee if you're interested in coming to the next Easters.
The 'Sydney Easters Show' was hosted by the University of Sydney Union Debating Committee from 5th-9th April. With over 350 participants and 90 teams competing, the biggest Easters ever featured for the first time 6 rounds of debates, a Circus Party, Championship Dinner on break night in the Refectory and a stylish Harbour Cruise to end the weekend on an appropriately high note.
MUDS decided to brave the 11 hour road trip by bus, continuing the fun with nightly room parties going well and deep into the late hours. The MUDSian penchant for good times over sleep notwithstanding, Melbourne did exceptionally well in the tournament. Three teams broke into the finals, with Melbourne 7 going all the way to the Grand Finals, Melbourne 4 reaching the quarters and Melbourne 1 making the octo-finals. Sienna Merope was awarded the thoroughly-deserved distinction of being both Best Novice Speaker and Best Speaker of the tournament.
In further Easters conquests, with Liz Sheargold as DCA at the helm, MUDS had 3 adjudicators in Nicole Lynch, Steve Worcester and Seamus Coleman breaking, as well as Katrina Malone and Peter Paxinos being promoted to full adjudicator status.
A big congratulations to all debaters and adjudicators!
For full details & results, please see here.
More at the official Easters 2007 website.
The next Easters will be held at Macquarie University, also in Sydney, in 2008. Please see their official website for further information.
Easters 2006
Easters 2006 was hosted by ANU in Canberra. The MUDS contingent started their Easters Experience with a party bus up to Canberra! Games, challenges and shennanigans meant the 8 hour trip flew by and much fun and bonding was had by all!
On the debating side of things, MUDS did incredibly well. Maxing out the team and adjudicator cap with a massive 10 teams and 15 adjudicators, everyone in the contingent did incredibly well. Of our adjudicators, 50% of our trainees were promoted to full adjudicators, two of our adjudcators participated in the swing teams and three adjudicators broke. In the Grand Final panel MUDS was represented by Liz Sheargold (Chair) and Tim Washington. All of our teams won at least one debate and 5 of our teams broke. We had two teams in the Octo Finals, an all-novice team make it to the Quarter Finals and three speakers in the top ten! A fantastic effort!
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| MUDS at the 'Bad Taste' Night | Melbourne 8 - Quarter Finalists |
On the social side, the MUDS contingent set an example to the other contingents at Easters! With Room 208 as the designated MUDS 'Party Room', the fun lasted til all hours of the morning! The social events included a pub night, a 'bad taste' themed bush dance (in a woolshed!) and a championship dinner at the National Convention Centre. On the final night, before heading off to the final party, MUDS had a contingent dinner at Tosolini's where the wine flowed and a lovely italian meal was enjoyed by all.
Click here for full details of the 2006 Contingent and results.