University Challenge 2018-19: Round 1: Match 10: ULIP vs Goldsmiths

Evening all. An interesting match up tonight, two teams from the University of London, one based in London itself, the other in Paris! Yep, the first team from outside, what is currently, the UK to compete on UC under Paxo. Trinity of Dublin sent a few teams to the ITV series, and a team from 'Canadian Universities' appeared on the very first series in 1963 (props to Sean Blanchflower's site for that info), but the first foreign team to compete in the regular student series under Paxo tonight.

The University of London Institute in Paris (ULIP from here on in, as per Mr Tilling's calls) began life as an English language class in the Sorbonne, and grew into an institute which joined the University of London in 1969. Alumni include artist Francoise Gilot, newsreader Fiona Bruce and Camilla Duchess of Cornwall. The first ever team from the institute to appear on UC, they were:
James Dann, from London, studying International Relations
Jack Griffiths, from Builth Wells in Wales, studying French
Captain: Liam Alcock, from Gainsborough in Lincolnshire, studying French
Niamh Merritt, from the Isle of Man, studying French with History

Goldsmiths became part of the University of London in 1988, beginning life as a technical institute one hundred years earlier and becoming a college in 1905. Alumni include the artists Lucien Freud, Dave Myers of the Hairy Bikers and our friend Dave Clark of LAM. It last sent a team to UC back in 2011-12, who lost in the first round. This year's quartet were:
Kesheva Guha, from Bangalore, studying Creative and Life Writing
Ieuan Cox, from Halifax, studying PPE
Captain: Diana Issokson, from New Orleans, studying History
Jamie Robinson, from Belfast, studying History

Off we set again then, and Mr Guha took the first starter of the night with 'Don Juan'; the first bonuses, on Spenser's The Faerie Queen, gave them two correct answers to start with. Ms Issokson correctly offered 'pineapple' to give her side a second starter, and it was accompanied by another pair of bonuses. A prompt buzz from Mr Guha gave Goldsmiths a third starter, and yet another two bonuses, on fossils, went with it. The first bonus set, on flags with the colours swapped with that of a neighbouring country, went to Goldsmiths too, though the starter was dropped; two bonuses followed once again, giving them an early lead of 80-0.

ULIP finally opened their account, Mr Alcock doing the honours, but his side could get nothing from the resulting bonuses. Mr Guha restored normal service as he took the next starter for Goldsmiths, and his side broke their bonus habit by taking a full set, on films about Nobel laureates. Two starters were then dropped; third time lucky, Mr Dann taking the honours, but bonuses on James VI's daughter Elizabeth failed to add to ULIP's score.

The music starter was Ms Issokson win the race to identify Mr K. West; the bonuses, on songs involving the Roland TR-808, gave them just the one bonus this time, but they still comfortably led 120-20. The Goldsmiths captain took a second starter in a row, and bonuses on science in the 1740s gave them another two correct answers. Paxo felt the need at this point to assure ULIP that there was still plenty of time left; Mr Alcock tried his luck on the next starter, but to no avail. Goldsmiths couldn't answer either, and the next starter was dropped too. As was a bonus on a French playwright, prompting Paxo to exclaim "Zut Alors!" when ULIP didn't even buzz in on it! Goldsmiths finally stopped the rot on the next starter, and bonuses on Daniel Day-Lewis gave them yet another two correct answers.

The second picture round, on the 'sexiest philosophers' according to Existential Comics (yes, really), went to ULIP, who managed two correct answers this time, taking the score to 160-40. A second starter in a row went to the Paris side, Mr Griffiths doing the honours, and a set of bonuses on US first lady Lou Henry Hoover gave them one correct answer, enough to take them out of the Sub 50 club.

With not much time left, Mr Cox took what turned out to be the last correct starter there was time for; for the umpteenth time of the night, the Londoners took two correct answers, on book titles with SI units in their titles. The last starter was missed by both sides, and that was the gong; Goldsmiths won 180-55.

Another low scoring match, but a fun one made watchable by two very pleasant teams. Unlucky ULIP, but an entertaining performance and thanks very much indeed for giving it to us. Well done Goldsmiths though, and best of luck in the next round!

The stats: Mr Guha and Ms Issokson were the joint best buzzers of the night with four each, while Mr Alcock was ULIP's best with two. On the bonuses, ULIP converted just 3 out of 12, while Goldsmiths managed a respectable 19 out of 27 (with the night's sole penalty); not a bad rate that, will be interesting to see how they fare against a stronger opponent on the buzzer.

Next week's match: St Peter's College Oxford vs Pembroke College Cambridge