Saltus Grammar School's number one team hoisted the Victoria Cos Memorial Trophy on Saturday after winning the National Debate Championships.

Saltus Senior One, captain Suelan Veale, Kalilah Robinson, and Eli Lipschultz as the proposing or government side defeated Bermuda High School For Girls Senior Two on the topic "This House Welcomes the 21st Century''.

But Sarah Galio of BHS Two walked away with the coveted individual prize, the Victoria Cox Memorial Plaque as the most outstanding senior debater. Sarah Taylor and captain Aziza Ahad battled with her in the finals.

At one point Miss Galio told the judges: "Right now the US has 14,000 nuclear weapons and Russia has 27,000. We cannot look forward to the next century because the next war will be a nuclear war.'' When a Saltus debater interjected with a "point of information'' and asked why none of the wars since World War Two have been nuclear, she said: "Isn't 40,000 nuclear and biological weapons enough?'' The championship was held at the Bermuda College and was sponsored by the Junior Service League.

President of the Bermuda Debate Society John Barritt, MP said after an exhausting day of debates: "I'm impressed with the level of debate, particularly with the middle school students.

"I note their keen interest not only in numbers, but their intensity.'' Mr. Barritt added: "Our challenge now is to continue to provide the outlet to exercise these skills.

"This tournament has really taken off from 14 students ten years ago to over one hundred today.'' Mr. Barritt adjudicated dozens of debates, as did BJSL members, former debaters recently returned from university, and fellow lawyer Justin Williams, and David Notman.

"The adjudicators want to complement all the debaters for their performances today,'' he said. "We could all appreciate their hard work and preparation.'' "The senior championship was decided by the narrowest of margins you could have with five judges. It was a verbal tug of war and the BHS team put in an equally strong performance as Saltus.'' Last year's middle school outstanding debater, Zahra Muhammad of CedarBridge Academy acted as the senior speaker, officiating at all senior debates.

She also collected the adjudicators mark sheets to be submitted to an accountant for verification, read the rules and enforced them.

In the running for a spot with the other senior debaters for the National team headed for Pittsburg in the World Championships, but without a team from CedarBridge, Zahra said she had learned quite a bit watching the competition.

"I learned a lot watching them,'' she said. "It is a great experience.'' Mount St. Agnes Academy One won the middle school championship, defeating BHS Middle One, and Whitney Darrell of Warwick Academy won the BJSL plate as outstanding middle school debater.

BERMUDA COLLEGE EDC