Poland – The next World Youth Team Championships will be held in Istanbul (Turkey) in August 2014. The Championships are open to teams representing the 8 geographical Zones of the World Bridge Federation, and the host country. From Europe (Zone 1), in addition to host team (Turkey), there will be 6 teams in Juniors’ category, 6 teams in Youngsters ‘ category and 5 teams in Girls’ category. According the Wroclaw ‘s outcomes, the qualified teams for Europe are in Juniors’ category: France, Poland, Israel, Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands; in Youngsters’ category: Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Poland, France, Slovakia; in Girls’ category: France, The Netherlands, Italy, Poland, Hungary.
Usa – Team Schwartz (with Richard Schwartz, Sam Lev, Neil Chambers, Allan Graves, Bob Hamman, and John Schermer) will be USA1 and Team Lynch (with Carolyn Lynch, Eddie Wold, Roger Bates, Mike Passell, Garey Hayden, and Marc Jacobus) will be USA2 for for the 2013 d’Orsi Senior Bowl in Bali (Indonesia, 16-29 September).
The CSB (Confederacion Sudamericana de Bridge) has updated the Southamerican Rankings after the end of the 2013 South American Bridge Championships played in Angra 2013, Brazil. The Open top ten: 1 Miguel Villas Boas (Brazil), 2 Joaquin Pacareu (Chile), Benjamin Robles (Chile), 4 Gabriel Chagas (Argentina) 5 Marcelo Caracci (Chile), 6 Jose Manuel Robles (Chile), 7 Diego Brenner (Brazil), 8 Pablo Andrés Lombardi (Argentina), 9 Marcello Castello Branco (Brazil), 10 Pablo Ravenna (Argentina). Miguel Villas Boas, Gabriel Chagas, Diego Brenner (Brazil) and Pablo Ravenna (Argentina) will play the upcoming Bermuda Bowl in Bali. More info at CBSNews: click here >>
China – The Israeli Women’s team is being invited to participate in the 3rd SportAccord World Mind Games being held in Beijing, China in December, 2013. This is a very prestigious event: there are large cash prizes and there are only 4 teams invited. In addition to Israel, invited teams are the United States, China, and the winner of the upcoming Venice Cup. This is a compromise the WBF has devised as a result of controversial events that forced the Israeli Women’s team to withdraw from the World Championships in Bali.
France – Giorgio Duboin and Guido Ferraro from Italy won the Open pairs event at the Biarritz International Bridge Festival. Second place went to Jacek Kalita and Michal Nowosadzk from Poland; thid place went to Eric Colinet and Michel Debodt from Belgium. Zia Mahmood and Kjetil Myhre won the IMP tournament, second place went to Jacek Kalita and Michal Nowosadski, third place to Boye Brogeland and John McAllister. The Biarritz International Bridge Festival takes place at the Bellavue Congress Centre in Biarritz (France) from Friday, June 28 2013 to Wednesday, July 10 2013.
Sweden – Women’s team for Venice Cup 2013 has been announced. As all know, Israel withdrew the team from the Venice Cup 2013 (WC in Bali, Indonesia September 16-29), thus the WBF (World Bridge Federation) invited Sweden, which ended up seventh in the last European Championships (Dublin,Ireland, 2012). Sweden accepted to participate and announced its team: Kathrine BERTHEAU, Catharina FORSBERG, Maria GRONKVIST, Jessica LARSSON, Sandra RIMSTEDT, Emma SJOBERG, Lena KARRSTRAND (not playing captain) Fredrik ALFREDSSON (coach).
Canada – The Canadian Open and Women teams won the play-off matches against Mexico. Thus Canada qualified to compete in the Bermuda Bowl and the Venice Cup competitions at the 41st World Bridge Team Championships to be held in Bali, Indonesia September 16-29, 2013. In the Bermuda Bowl Canada will be represented by Judith Gartaganis, Nicholas Gartaganis, Paul Thurston, Jeff Smith, Darren Wolpert, Daniel Korbel, and Hazel Wolpert (NPC), while in the Venice Cup Canada will be represented by Ina Demme, Karen Cumpstone, Joan Eaton, Sondra Blank, Sylvia Caley, Katie Thorpe and Francine Simon (not playing captain).
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This article will be updated throughout the month of July