The University of Sydney Union Debating team will head to the upcoming debating World Championship on a roll after taking out the 2010 Australian British Parliamentary Debating Championships earlier this month.

Patrick Caldwell and Paul Karp from USU B, were the eventual victors, clinching the title ahead of USU A and two teams from traditional rivals Monash University.

The tournament, known as Sydney Mini, was held from 10-12 December at the University of Sydney and hosted 125 people in teams from all over the Asia-Pacific region, including Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand and Australia.

It was the final intervarsity tournament before the USU contingent travels all the way to Botswana to defend their World Title and number one ranking on 28 December.

Caldwell and Karp won the grand final of the British Parliamentary style tournament as closing opposition to the topic: “This House believes the courts not the people and/or parliament should define marriage”.

In a strong individual showing, five out of the top 10 speakers were from the USU. Tim Mooney, Daniel Swain and Bronwyn Cowell finished second, third and fourth respectively, while Elle Jones and Dom Bowes were ranked equal eighth. The award for the tournament’s best speaker went to Amit Golder from Monash University.