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Bulletin- Regional Championships 2026 & Beyond

 

The Board has grappled with the sustainability of this long-standing event on the calendar. It should be a representative and prestigious event but rising costs and timing challenges have made delivery of the current format (7 teams, all together for a two-day tournament) unattractive to many, right from the selection process.

Therefore, effective for the 2026 event the following changes will be rolled out:

·         The event will break into two segments, firstly a double round robin contested online over the weekend of 2 & 3 May previously earmarked for regional selection trials.

·        The top two teams in each section at the end of the double round robin will contest an in-person 2 session final held in Palmerston North on the Friday before congress starts.

·         The Head Director will advise tie breaking procedures prior to the start of the event.

·         Regions will need to select or hold trials any time prior to that weekend in May 2026.

·         Regions may select 6 person teams for the online segments.

·         NZ Bridge will cover the RealBridge and Directors’ costs for the online segment. There will be no entry fee for players for this portion.

·         NZ Bridge will host and cover the delivery costs of the in-person segment but advise that no player subsidies will be payable – i.e. no travel or accommodation costs will be met by NZB.

·         The Dougal Maclean Trophy criteria will be extended to include the in-person finals.

 

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