Evening all. We soldier on, all starting to wonder if St Peter's will actually reach the repechage with 130. As someone on the DoND forum said last week, who'd have thought Glasgow's 155 would still be top of the finals board this late in the first round. Speaking of the forum...
Reading University was founded in 1926, having originally been two schools of art and science, and then part of Christ Church Oxford. Alumni include eccentric poet Michael Rosen, music man Jamie Cullum and weathermen Jay Wynne and Tomasz Schafernaker. It last sent a team to UC two years ago, who lost to SOAS in the second round. This year's quartet, including DoND forum member Lewis246, were:
Macdonald Ukah, from Nigeria, studying Business Economics in Emerging and Developing Markets
Jan Kamieniecki, from London, studying Atmospheric Physics
Captain: Sammie Buzzard, from Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, studying the Modeling of Antarctic Ice Shelves
Lewis Blackshaw, from Exeter, studying Statistics
Imperial College London also began life as several seperate colleges, which merged to form a college of the University of London in 1907, becoming independent 100 years later. Alumni include antibiotics pioneer Alexander Fleming, cricketer Dr WG Grace and rock sensation Brian May. It won UC in 1996 and again in 2001; it last sent a team three years ago, who went out in the QFs. This year's foursome were:
Ben Fernando, from Birmingham, studying Physics
Ashwin Braude, from North London, studying Physics
Captain: James Bezer, from Manchester, studying Physics
Onur Teymur, from London, studying Mathematical Statistics
Off we set again then, and our man Lewis took the first starter of the night, and his side took two bonuses on Scottish counties. Mr Fernando took Imperial's first starter of the night, but just one bonus from their first set followed. Mr Bezer took a second starter for Imperial, and they this time managed all three bonuses. The first picture round, on diagrams of mathematical fractals, went to Imperial, who took two bonuses, and upped their lead to 60-20.
Reading took a second starter courtesy of Mr Kamieniecki, but just the one bonus followed this time. Mr Bezer took Imperial further ahead with the next starter, with two bonuses following. Neither side took the next starter, Imperial took the next, which Paxo appeared to think was pretty easy. ("Indeed, yes!") Two bonuses on volcanic eruptions followed.
The music round, on piano pieces considered difficult to play (yes, really), went to Imperial, who took one bonus, and increased their lead to 115-35. Reading subsequently fought back, with Mr Kamieniecki identifying the Scottish town of Paisley. (Been through it on the train many times) Two bonuses on Anglo Saxon rulers followed. Imperial resumed their buzzer work with Mr Bezer taking the next starter, and all three bonuses went with it. Another starter to Imperial was met with two bonuses, and took their lead to triple figures. Mr Ukah was first in to spell 'diphthong' for Reading, and one bonus followed, with another unluckily missed.
The second picture round, on artists depicted on film, went to Imperial, who were pretty lucky to have 'Roger Pattinson' accepted for Robert Pattinson. They now led 175-70, and then took another starter, and just the one bonus this time. Another starter to the Londoners, and that was almost definitely game over, and Reading were now playing for a place in the repechage. Mr Ukah took a second starter, and two bonuses on the Book of Genesis helped them to a half decent score, and the repechage was still within reach.
Imperial began a late surge now, though, with the hitherto quiet Mr Braude taking two starters in a row, and two of the bonuses that went with them. Mr Fernando then took two starters in a row, and a good haul of bonuses saw them surpass York's highest score of the series so far. Reading deservingly reached triple figures courtesy of Mr Kamieniecki, and two bonuses on mnemonics of the periodic table followed. One final starter went to Imperial, and that was the gong. Imperial won 285-110.
A pretty one sided match, truth be told. Unlucky Lewis and co; you were a decent enough team, and were unlucky to draw such strong opposition, but well done anyway on a respectable effort. Very well done to Imperial though; a fine performance, and we shall have our eyes on you in the second round!
Mr Fernando was the best buzzer of the night, with six starters, while Mr Kamieniecki was Reading's best with three. On the bonuses, Reading managed a perfectly respectable 10 out of 18, and Imperial a dcent 25 out of 45. There were no penalties.
Next week's match: St Catharine's College Cambridge (Paxo's old college!) vs Southampton
Only Connect was pretty good tonight as well. I'll go into more detail on Wednesday. I hope.
Imperial certainly looks like "one to watch" after tonight, and I can't help but feel that Reading could have been in with a shout of "one to watch" status against a few other sides that we've seen so far in this series. Now that we've got two teams clear of the pack in terms of winning scores, I dare say that the competition has just got that bit more fascinating - last year's eventual champions were streets ahead of all other teams after round 1, and we can't say that about anyone this year any more (although, as per the UC tradition, it was a lot harder to predict from round 2 out).
ReplyDeleteI look forward to seeing how Southampton's new blood plot their path next week! (I helped my three teammates to compose our new quartet, but I, personally, haven't seen them in action, so I can't say I know how they've fared.)
Interesting to see Imperial incorrectly mentioning "Stanford" in one of their first bonuses of the night, and then producing it almost immediately afterwards as the correct answer to the next starter!