The IONA debating circuit does not have a firmly fixed recurring calendar of events, but certain substantial debating tournaments hold a relatively permanent status in the year. Each academic year of debating usually begins with the UCL President's Cup, a novice only competition held by University College London. Later in the first academic (autumn) term of UK and Irish debating, are held the Cambridge, Oxford and UCC IVs, as well as the English Leg of the John Smith Memorial Mace. The second and third terms of the University year tend to be given over to smaller IVs and Opens (in which 'composite' teams of individuals from two different academic institutions may enter), but are also host to the more prestigious Middle Temple and Inner Temple IVs. The season usually ends with the European Debating Championships in the early summer.
Listed below are the tournaments which have comprised the 2007/8 IONA Debating Season, with best speakers, and winning institutions and speakers of the tournament. Multiple winners/best speakers have the number of times they achieved that award up to and including that tournament listed in brackets.
Six speakers have won two competitions so far, they are: Adam Bott, Jonathan Leader Maynard, Luke Wells, Fred Cowell, Rosie Unwin, Dan Bradley and Shengwu Li. Art Ward from University College Cork has won three. Jonathan Leader Maynard has been the best speaker most times so far this season, doing so on 5 occasions. The Middle Temple have won the most competitions, winning four times so far. Only one institution from outside the UK and Ireland has won a tournament so far in the season, when New Zealanders Christopher Bishop and Sayeqa Islam won the Cambridge IV for Victoria University of Wellington.[1]
As of 6th March 2008, Sam Block is currently the overall highest ranked speaker over the 2007/8 season. Cambridge are the highest ranked institution, counting tournaments up to the end of the UCL IV.[2]
