weekend. BHS teams won both the senior and middle school titles, with another BHS team earning the runner's up slot in the middle schools competition.

For BHS coach and teacher Jacqui Riordan, the day was a special triumph -- she was named outstanding senior and middle school coach as a result of the two wins.

The Victoria Cox award for the Island's top senior schools debater went to Christine Mayor, of Warwick Academy, who finished as runners-up to BHS in the senior schools championship. Warwick narrowly beat CedarBridge Academy into third place only when all the results of the first three rounds were tabulated.

Ms Mayor also won an award in memory of Michelle Outerbridge, donated by Lise Outerbridge, for the top individual score in the impromptu round of debates.

Krystl Robinson-Assan was a popular winner of the Bermuda Junior Service League plate for the top individual debater in the middle schools competition.

The four best debaters in the senior schools competition, after Ms Mayor, were Sean Kelly of Mount St. Agnes, Christie Hunter of BHS, Sarita Ebbin of Saltus and Jonathan Suter of Warwick Academy.

In the middle schools competition, Ms Robinson-Assan held a narrow lead over Akilah Beckles of Whitney and Shaunee James of BHS, who tied for the honour, and were followed by Michelle Mitchell of BHS and Taylor Heron of Whitney Institute.

Whitney were the surprise stars of the middle school competition, pipped narrowly at the post at the end of the three qualifying rounds for a spot in the finals, with two of the top five middle school debaters in the competition coming from Whitney.

The championships are an annual event, being held for the 11th time this year, at Bermuda College. The participants, and notably the winners, add to their claim to join the Bermuda team which will travel to South Africa next year for the World Debating Championships.