Imperial’s team makes it up to semi-finals in University Challenge

Imperial's team share their experiences of the competition as their time in it ends in semi-finals- <em>News</em>

Tuesday 23 March 2010
By John-Paul Jones

Imperial’s University Challenge team were knocked out of the competition last night, despite an impressive performance over its five matches.

In their final appearance, the semi final, the team notched up 170 points but St John’s Oxford won the day with 260. Jeremy Paxman, commiserating, said “You’ve been a great team” and added “It’s a great thing, to go out in the semi-finals.”

Sir Keith O’Nions, Rector of Imperial College London, said: “Many congratulations to Gilead, Simon, Ciaran, Benedict and Edward for making it to the semi-final of this year’s University Challenge competition. You entertained us, kept us on the edge of our seats and genuinely made us proud. I hope next year’s team will take inspiration from your success and go even further.”

Imperial’s team this year is captained by Gilead Amit from the Department of Physics, and includes Ciaran Healy (Chemistry), Simon Good (Physics), Benedict Nicolson (Mathematics), and Edward Brightman (Earth Science & Engineering) in reserve.

The team agreed to submit themselves to one final round of questions, focusing on their time on University Challenge:

Starter for ten, what are your thoughts on the last match?

Gilead: Throughout the game I think we all had different expectations as to how far we’d get. But I think we acquitted ourselves well and we lost to a strong team. 

How did your team form in the first place?

Simon: We didn’t all know each other before hand. The team came together after we took part in a selection quiz, and we were among the highest scorer. We’ve obviously spent a lot of time together by now, and I think friendships have definitely been formed.

How did you prepare for each round?

Gilead: We always said that after the next match we’d start preparing intensely. We kept saying ‘Next match, next match’ but we never fully got round to it. To be honest random book-learning doesn’t help. It was more useful to have few practise rounds.

Was there a strategy for playing the game?

Gilead: We divided the game up quite nicely. Ciaran was quite fast and reckless, so tended to buzz in a lot. He normally got it right though. Ben and Simon both were more hesitant, but often got the bonus round answers spot on.

What’s it been like to have support from the whole College?

Ben: Watching the matches in the Union has been great. There’s always been a good turnout, and we’ve had quite a few congratulations from tutors, even Heads of Department.

Have you been recognised on the street?

Ben: It happened to me once, when I was waiting at a bus stop. It was pretty exciting, but then it turned out it was someone from Imperial anyway!

The team seems to have developed a bit of an internet fanbase. Some Twitter talk has described members as “Yummilicious” – what’s all that been like?

Ciaran: We’ve just laughed, but a friend of mine actually got a text asking if anyone knew the ‘fit’ Israeli guy on the team.

Is there a lot of tension between teams?

Ciaran: Obviously everyone’s playing to win but we did spend a lot of time all staying in the same place and everyone got on pretty well. I actually ended up sneaking out for a drink with the Edinburgh team. I don’t think I‘d mentioned that until now!

Were there questions you missed that made you want to kick yourselves?

Ben: If it’s your own subject that’s when you cringe most. There was one question on a special kind of curve which I just didn’t know and my old Maths teacher from school actually got in touch to say she specifically remembered teaching me that at school.

Ed, as the reserve, what was it like watching helplessly from the sidelines?

Ed: I wasn’t too nervous. I just enjoyed it, but It could be a bit frustrating at times. I remember one music round in particular where I was biting my lip.

What was Jeremy Paxman like?

Gilead: He was really friendly. He made a real effort to be speak to each team after the match. We also used the filming breaks to have a bit of banter with him. I even tried to get him to sign a copy of the Daily Mail for the ironic value, but he refused. I did get him to sign a copy of The Sun’s TV supplement though.

Any tips for next year’s team?

Gilead: Definitely get to know each other, working as a team is essential and that’s the first step.

-ends-