Victoria’s top orators are to engage in some ora-tourism, with World Champs coming up at the end of the year.

Victoria’s Debating Society is sending two teams to the upcoming World University Debating Championships, which will be held in Chennai, India from 27 December to 4 January.

The two Victoria teams comprise Asher Emanuel and Jodie O’Neill, and Olivia Hall and Daniel Wilson. Around 400 teams will compete in the tournament, which was won by Melbourne’s Monash B in 2012.

In 2012, Victoria had what then team member Richard D’Ath described as a “disappointing tournament”, sending just one team which bowed out in the octofinals. Last time, Debsoc sent two teams; in 2011, both Victoria teams reached the octofinals, and one the quarterfinals.

Roughly one-quarter of the expense for each team member associated with the tournament will be covered by University funding. The debaters are partially funded by the University through individual funding grants, which come from Student Service Levy funds. The stated purpose of this funding is to “support selected student initiatives, which help students to develop skills in leadership, communications and critical and creative thinking.”

Debsoc is not sending any current students as judges; however, several Victoria alumni are enrolled as judges for the tournament.

Salient remains unsure as to when the University will send a real sports team overseas.