Last night was week three of the first round of University Challenge 2007 and I’m as addicted as ever. The past two weeks were exciting stuff (not so much nail-biting, but we are talking boffins out-boffining boffins here), and I was looking forward to more of the same, please. During the first two rounds I hadn’t felt like I’d seen a team yet capable of going all the way. Yes, they were good, but to win UC, good just isn’t enough. And my hopes were high that tonight we might uncover a possible winner.

It was the turn of Leeds versus Liverpool. Mmm – which way would my loyalties go? Both teams were Northern and so as a Southern gal, I was ready to be swayed either way. Paxman warmed us up with tales of former alumni from both institutions and even made the unusual point of explaining the answering system (when the contestants can confer, when they can’t.) I suspect this might be due to a few previous students clearly not understanding how it goes down and he wanted to nip any rule-breaking in the bud before he kicked things off. And so, onto the teams…

Leeds
Britt – studying Italian.
Dunn – studying International Relations.
Handley (captain) – studying Economics. Very stern and serious, he was after all wearing a shirt and tie. And not one of those ‘trendy dad’ suit and tie combinations, where the tie is the same colour as the shirt ala Gary Linekar. This was dressing-for-a-job-interview garb.
Seabourne – studying for a PhD in the Institute of Materials Research (your guess is as good as mine.)

Liverpool
Norman – studying Classics. Very smiley and perky.
Dixon – studying Pharmacology. One of two females for Liverpool.
Ling (captain) – studying Medicine. A female captain – the first this series. Was very knowledgeable with an infectious smile, and buoyant enthusiasm and delight not often witnessed on UC.
Sharpley – studying Medicine (“as well”.)

Leeds took the lead with captain Handley gaining his confidence early on. However, the scores remained very close for a while, with Liverpool working hard not to get left behind. After 10 minutes, the scores were 70/55 in Leeds’ favour but this contest still had a long way to go.

This tightness remained as we hit the half way point, with the scores close at 90/95 in Liverpool’s favour. Ling’s broad general knowledge and optimistic spirit helped galvanize her team and Liverpool soon started to stack up the points. Questions as random as identifying David Bowie cover songs in Portuguese helped Liverpool in their chase for the win, and after 20 minutes they were leading with 130 to Leeds’ 90.

Liverpool was performing well and with Dixon and Ling high-fiving when Dixon correctly answered a starter for ten, they clearly believed they could beat Leeds. Ling’s enthusiasm was evident again when she raised her arms in the air in triumph after another correct answer, but Liverpool were often sluggish at answering. Paxman became irritated (when is he not?) by their indecisiveness and dawdling and constantly urged and pressed them to commit to an answer. This slowness soon began to become an important factor as with 5 minutes to go, Leeds launched a dramatic comeback.

Previous to the final run-in, Leeds had relied quite heavily on their captain, but with the minutes counting down both Seabourne and Dunn won important starter for tens. The power had switched and now with Leeds on the assault, Liverpool couldn’t get a look-in. The momentum stayed with Leeds and after a slow spell in the middle of the game, they finished strongly winning the round 225 to Liverpool’s 165.

Paxman praised Liverpool for being “pretty omniscient” and chastised Leeds for “dozing off a bit in the middle”, but it will be the dozers that march on into the next round.

Week 2: Magdalen lost to SOAS
Week 1: Lancaster lost to Nottingham