Imperial takes University Challenge to USA

Imperial College’s 1995/6 University Challenge team, winners BBC2 quiz show‘s coveted trophy last year, are to enter another competition, this time in America.

The Imperial College team are the only team from Britain to enter in the National Academic Quiz Tournaments’ National Championship and were given a wildcard entry due to their successes last year.

The NAQT waived the entry fee to the tournament for the team and has also provided them with accomodation for its duration. This left other costs, including food and air fares, that would have had to be paid for by the members of the team themselves. Jim Totty, a member of the winning team was refused financial assistance by College, which then led him to submit a request for help to the Union on behalf of Mark Pallen, Chris Harrison and Ian Bayley, all members of the Union. The request was granted and a total of Ł427 was paid to the team, on the condition that they wear Union shirts for the competition. This was agreed, provided that they could get hold of some before they departed.

The Deputy President for Finance and Services, Piers Williams, stated that although the payment was irregular since they were not a club or society, he felt that helping them would provide "good karma" for the College.

The Imperial College team are expected to do very well in the tournament itself and Piers Williams suggested that even though College had refused them financial help, the College’s newspaper, IC Reporter, would probably be the first to proclaim them as heroes on their return from Philadelphia.