Wednesday, 31 March, was the main day of the Elimination Rounds.
All the rounds are "knock-out", which means that the tribunals are called upon to decide a winner. There are no scores or feedback, only a winner of each round. This makes each session nerve-racking, as a team must continue winning in order to advance throughout the day.
The elimination rounds start at 08.00 with the second half of the Round of 64, proceeding to the Round of 32, Round of 16, and finally the Round of 8 (or Quarter-finals) at 17.30.
Monday 5 April 2010
Vienna, Preliminary Round Day 4: Tuesday 30 March 2010
The final preliminary round on Tuesday, 30 March, was as Respondent against Tsinghua University at 16.00. Bhavna and Olly pleaded for the second time.
Bhavna and Olly with the Tribunal and the Tsinghua University team.
The pleading finished at 17.45, which left very little time for the team to get to the Austria Center for the announcements for the Round of 64! These are the elimination rounds that determine who proceeds to the next phase of the competition.
By the time we arrived at the Austria Center, the excitement was overwhelming. Most of the teams were already there, and Professor Jeff Waincymer was entertaining the crowd with songs before Professor Bergsten was ready to announce the Finalists.
Then...after what seemed forever, Professor Bergsten came up on stage and started making the announcements...we were nervous as this was it...
Team after team was called...with cries of jubilation around the huge hall...and we were getting more and more tense as all the teams for that evening's round of 64 had been announced. We heard our friends from two other UK teams, College of Law and LSE, being called, but nothing yet for KCL...
And then...we heard our name...it would be University of Warsaw v KCL in the morning!!!
In the metro ride back, we could hardly contain our joy.
Back in the hotel...a happy team.
Bhavna and Olly with the Tribunal and the Tsinghua University team.
The pleading finished at 17.45, which left very little time for the team to get to the Austria Center for the announcements for the Round of 64! These are the elimination rounds that determine who proceeds to the next phase of the competition.
By the time we arrived at the Austria Center, the excitement was overwhelming. Most of the teams were already there, and Professor Jeff Waincymer was entertaining the crowd with songs before Professor Bergsten was ready to announce the Finalists.
Then...after what seemed forever, Professor Bergsten came up on stage and started making the announcements...we were nervous as this was it...
Team after team was called...with cries of jubilation around the huge hall...and we were getting more and more tense as all the teams for that evening's round of 64 had been announced. We heard our friends from two other UK teams, College of Law and LSE, being called, but nothing yet for KCL...
And then...we heard our name...it would be University of Warsaw v KCL in the morning!!!
Back in the hotel...a happy team.
Vienna, Preliminary Round Day 3: Monday 29 March 2010
Monday, 29 March, was actually a free day for the team...as the final preliminary round was not until the following day.
The team took the opportunity to sightsee and enjoy traditional Viennese food.
Gabriel and Katherine in the Stephansplatz.
Gabriel and Olly.
A horse-drawn carriage.
The Jesuit Church on the way to Stephansplatz.
The team took the opportunity to sightsee and enjoy traditional Viennese food.
Gabriel and Katherine in the Stephansplatz.
Vienna, Preliminary Round Day 2: Sunday 28 March 2010
Sunday, 28 March, was an intense day, with 2 pleadings...the first at 08.30 as Respondent against the University of St Gallen, and the second at 16.30 as Claimant against the University of Navarra.
In the morning, Shingi and Scheherazade pleaded.
Scheherazade and Shingi with the Tribunal (with Professor Kimberlee Kovach as President) and the team from University of St Gallen.
The girls had an excellent session, which impressed everyone...
Scheherazade and Shingi...happy after the pleading.
The team went for brunch at the famous Cafe Central, before preparing for the next session at 16.30.
Scheherazade and Greg.
Shingi and Gabriel.
In the afternoon it was time for the pleading as Claimant against the University of Navarra.
Bhavna and Olly with the Navarra team and Tribunal (Professor Charles Holton, President).
The team after the pleading.
Dinner at the Thai restaurant near the Ost-Klub, the 'official' moot bar.
Katherine and Heloise ready to party.
Shingi and Scheherazade dancing at the Ost-Klub.
The team onstage...Scheherazade, Ziva, and Ben.
In the morning, Shingi and Scheherazade pleaded.
Scheherazade and Shingi with the Tribunal (with Professor Kimberlee Kovach as President) and the team from University of St Gallen.
SThe girls had an excellent session, which impressed everyone...
The team went for brunch at the famous Cafe Central, before preparing for the next session at 16.30.
Scheherazade and Greg.
Shingi and Gabriel.
SIn the afternoon it was time for the pleading as Claimant against the University of Navarra.
Dinner at the Thai restaurant near the Ost-Klub, the 'official' moot bar.
The team onstage...Scheherazade, Ziva, and Ben.
Vienna, Preliminary Round Day 1: Saturday 27 March 2010
At 10.30am on Saturday 27 March was our first preliminary round as Claimant against the University of Amsterdam, with Ben and Heloise pleading.
The pleadings were held in the Juridicum, the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna.
Ben and Heloise with the Tribunal and the University of Amsterdam team.
The pleadings were held in the Juridicum, the Law Faculty of the University of Vienna.
Finally in Vienna! (Opening Ceremony, 26 March 2010).
The team arrived in Vienna on Thursday 25 March. Everything we had worked on for the past six months would (hopefully) fall into place...a scary thought nevertheless, as this was now the real thing!
On Friday 26 March the team headed to the Konzerthaus for the Opening Ceremony in the evening.
The team with coaches Gabriel and Katherine in front of the Konzerthaus.
Here, Professor Eric Bergsten introduced the moot.What a sight it was...253 teams from 62 countries...over 1,500 students and 600 arbitrators...the Konzerthaus was full.
Professor Harry Fletchner then came up on stage to sing the 'CISG song' and the 'Vis Mootie Blues'...songs that every Vis mootie is all too familiar with...
...but the new song this year was a love song to...beryllium!
Everyone then headed out into the reception to mingle...
The crowd at the Konzerthaus.
Bhavna, Shingi, Scheherazade and Katherine at the reception.
The team, however, couldn't stay too long as there was a pleading in the morning at 10.30am...our first preliminary round as Claimant against the University of Amsterdam.
On Friday 26 March the team headed to the Konzerthaus for the Opening Ceremony in the evening.
The team with coaches Gabriel and Katherine in front of the Konzerthaus.
THere, Professor Eric Bergsten introduced the moot.What a sight it was...253 teams from 62 countries...over 1,500 students and 600 arbitrators...the Konzerthaus was full.
Professor Harry Fletchner then came up on stage to sing the 'CISG song' and the 'Vis Mootie Blues'...songs that every Vis mootie is all too familiar with...
Everyone then headed out into the reception to mingle...
The crowd at the Konzerthaus.
Bhavna, Shingi, Scheherazade and Katherine at the reception.
The team, however, couldn't stay too long as there was a pleading in the morning at 10.30am...our first preliminary round as Claimant against the University of Amsterdam.
The Hague (PCA) Pre-moot (22-23 March 2010).
On Sunday 21 March, the team boarded the Thalys bright and early (too early!) to Rotterdam, where we would then proceed to our next stop: The Hague.
The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) Pre-Moot was taking place on Monday 22 and Tuesday 23 March. We were scheduled to plead against Paris XI and Carlos III Madrid on Monday, and Cologne and IHEID Geneva on Tuesday.
This is the second year that the KCL team participated in the PCA pre-moot. This year the pre-moot was equally welcoming, thanks to Sarah Grimmer, Jara Minguez Almeida and the rest of the PCA team.
One of the attractions (apart from the excellent teams who attend) of mooting in the PCA is the fact that it is held in the Peace Palace, home of the International Court of Justice.
Olly, Shingi, Bhavna and Ben with coaches Greg and Ziva and Professor Martin Hunter.
The team in The Hague city centre enjoying a well-deserved break.
After the pre-moot concluded, we were sent the team rankings...and found out that we had WON the PCA Pre-Moot! Go team go!
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