By Adam Coombs

Ian Freeman, a second-year English major, claimed the title of top debater in North America, besting more than a hundred other competitors.

Freeman and his partner, Padraic Ryan finished as the third place team, losing to a team from the University of British Columbia in the semi-finals. The North American Championships, which took place the last weekend in January, attracts teams from all across Canada and the United States, including most major Ivy League schools.

Freeman is the first member of Carleton University Debating Society to finish as top speaker at a title tournament. Two other Carleton teams attended the tournament, but finished outside of the quarterfinals.

This is the second weekend in a row where Carleton Debate has found success, when Ryan won the prestigious McGill Winter Carnival Invitational.