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The Festival Big 8 Debate - Christchurch Arts Festival 2001
Date:
20 July 2001
Character:
Country:
New Zealand
Length (in minutes):
Description:
The Festival Big 8 Debate: The A.K. Grant Memorial Speech Competition. Christchurch Arts Festival 2001, Town Hall Auditorium. July 20, 2001, 8pm.
(from the Festival web site):
"In 1997 Gary McCormick had a dream! It was to bring together the eight finest, wittiest debaters in the country to open the Christchurch Arts Festival. After successive Festivals, this dream has become a steadfast Canterbury tradition, the Festival Big 8 Debate on the opening weekend of the Festival. The Christchurch Town Hall is the lion's den for this gladiatorial event in which reputations are won and lost, and wit is put to the sword in the cut throat contest that is the Festival Big 8 Debate. On the affirmative team is the redoubtable Gary McCormick, accompanied by Michelle
A'Court, Kerre Woodham and Kevin Smith, determined to strike a few blows for the recreationally challenged."
"To negate and defend the sporting man's honour is the captain of the winning teams in 1997 and 1999, Jim 'lucky' Hopkins from Lyttelton, with side kicks Phil Gifford, Ginette McDonald and Tom Scott. These
two well-armed teams will fight it out to the bitter end, with the winner taking away the Champions Cup. To add to the festiveness of the occasion, the A.K. Grant Memorial Trophy for Best Individual Speech will be up for contention. This was awarded to Tom Scott at the inaugural A.K. Grant Memorial Speech Competition during the Otago
Festival of the Arts in October last year."
By the way, Kev won the trophy for best individual speech!