Evening all. Well, this is it: after 36 weeks (not counting weeks off!) of very tough quizzing, some laughs, some controversy and loads of ever enjoyable Twitter browsing, we've arrived at the 45th University Challenge grand final. For the third year running, Oxford played Cambridge, with Cambridge looking to do the double after winning the boat race a few weeks ago.
Peterhouse Cambridge got this far by beating Glasgow in Round 1, St George's of London in Round 2, York twice in the preliminary QFs and SF, and their opponents tonight in the qualification QF. Hoping to make it three in a row for Cambridge were:
Thomas Langley, from Newcastle, studying History
Oscar Powell, from York, studying Geological Sciences
Captain: Hannah Woods, from Manchester, studying History
Julian Sutcliffe, from Reading, studying History
St John's College Oxford defeated Bristol in the first round, Queen's of Belfast in the second, St Catharine's College Cambridge in the QF prelims, Newcastle in the play-offs and Liverpool in the SFs last week; plus, of course, that defeat to Peterhouse. Hoping to end the college's UC grand final hoodoo, after two previous GF defeats, were:
Alex Harries, from South Wales, studying History
Charlie Clegg, from Glasgow, studying Theology
Captain: Angus Russell, from Mill Hill in North London, studying History and Russian
Dan Sowood, from Uxbridge in Middlesex, studying Chemistry
Off we set again then, and we began the grand final with... a penalty! Oh dear. Peterhouse then fell back to (-10) thanks to another slip-up, but, again, St John's failed to capitalise. Mr Powell then wiped out the deficit with the night's first correct answer, and the Cambridge team took one bonus on Asian geography. Mr Powell took a second starter in a row, and a set of bonuses on monarchs and their ailments gave them ten points. A third starter in a row went to the Cambridge side, plus a further two bonuses. The first picture round, on scientific works in their original languages, went to Peterhouse, who took two again, which upped their lead to 65-0.
The next starter asked for an accent used over the top of certain letters; Mr Harries buzzed, but forgot his answer, and thus answered 'a Chinese hat'! Paxo told him off for that! Mr Powell took the points, and his side took two bonuses on scientific variables. Twitter favourite Miss Woods took her first starter of the match, and a good bonus set on years that are prime numbers saw them twice mention the right answer, but say a wrong one! They got the other right. Mr Powell followed his 'wildcat' buzz last time out with an equally quick buzz with 'beaver', and two bonuses meant we were nearly at 'game over' with half the game still to go.
The music round, on pieces written on the theme of another (not the first time that's been a music set in a UC final), saw St John's finally break their duck thanks to Mr Clegg; one bonus followed, which cut the deficit to 120-10. But any thoughts that they might be breaking back into the match were put out by Mr Sutcliffe as he took the next starter, and the side took all three bonuses. Miss Woods took the next starter, and a bonus set on words containing 'Onan' saw them take another full set, and thus almost certainly win the match with time to spare. A penalty for St John's just rubbed it in, before a couple of starters were dropped, culminating in Mr Powell taking another starter, though the bonuses were of no use to them.
The second picture round, on authors of manifestos which inspired artistic movements and their work, went to St John's, but they couldn't take any of the bonuses, leaving the deficit at 180-15. And when Mr Sutcliffe took the next starter, I found myself channeling the Simpsons, shouting 'Stop! Stop! They're already dead!' at the telly! Peterhouse didn't listen, as they took all three bonuses, taking them past 200 for the first time in the series.
Mr Powell added sprinkles to the icing on the cherry on the icing on the cake as he took the next starter; no bonuses followed, but it mattered not. St John's did manage to take one final starter, and one bonus, but there was no time for any more. At the gong, Peterhouse won 215-30. Professor Marcus du Sautoy emerged to present the trophy to the winners, and, as the credits rolled, down came the runners-up for the customary handshakes.
Unlucky St John's; as Paxo rightly said, we know what you're capable of, and that performance does not do you justice one bit, so thank you very much indeed for playing and for the role you played in this series. Very well done to Peterhouse though; a very fine series of performances, all of them strong showings against fine opposition, and a worthy addition to the series champions list. Well done indeed!
Mr Powell was the best buzzer of the final, with eight starters, and is also the side's best buzzer of the series with 25 over six matches; Charlie Clegg was best for St John's, taking three starters, and he finishes as the best buzzer of the series, with 40 starters over seven matches. On the bonuses, Peterhouse converted 21 out of 36, while St John's managed only 2 out of 7, and both sides incurred two penalties.
Well, that's it for another series. I'll be back in the coming days with my usual post-series summary, which will also feature some serious thoughts on the future of the series, as well as my usual starter stats post. See yous then then.
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