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Ashley Bach and Michael Cornell have played a lot of bridge at the Auckland Bridge Club premises whether at the Akarana Bridge Club, the Teams Group (formerly the Auckland Masters Group) or at the Auckland Bridge Club itself. It was thus fitting that they should receive their gold medals at the club for winning the World Open Pairs in Wroclaw, Poland, in early September 2016.

Their performance in winning the event was heroic in itself, finishing with a score of over 75% over the last 10 boards. Yet, they were then declared as runners-up, only for a scoring error to be found on the card of the pair who had beaten them, Sabine Auken and Roy Welland.

The error was found out of time but Auken and Welland joined the ground swell of support which said and requested the World Bridge Federation to award the gold medals to the pair who had truly won at the table, Ashley and Michael. The WBF agreed with the gold medal presentation before the start of the first session of the Auckland Club’s New Year Pairs being the happy result.

John Wignall, Ashley, Michael and Arie Geursen

John Wignall, WBF Vice President, flew especially from Christchurch to make the presentation, with New Zealand Bridge President, Arie Geursen, also present, along with the Presidents of the Auckland Bridge Club, Anne Barrowclough, and the Akarana Bridge Club, Mark Hangartner. Members of both players’ families and New Zealand Chef de mission, Derek Evennett, were also present.

Michael and Vivien Cornell

This was the climax of New Zealand’s most successful ever international performance. Our Women’s and Open teams qualified for the first time ever for post section play with the Women’s Team reaching the last 16 and the Open Team the last 8 after knocking the world class French team out of the competition. Ashley and Michael were part of that team. They then added the cream on the cake by winning the Open Pairs.

John Wignall referred to the way Ashley and Michael had behaved when they had initially been denied their gold medal, “with the utmost dignity and integrity. Now was the time to celebrate.” Indeed. Congratulations to Ashley and Michael from all New Zealand bridge players.

Family Celebrations

    

Michael's mother, Sybil, was present.        Ashley's father, Peer, who was not only

She is still an active player at the              present but who is playing the New Year

Auckland Bridge Club and is playing        Pairs with Ashley.

the current 3 night Open even

Richard Solomon

Click here to listen to Michael Cornell and Richard Solomon being interviewed on national radio

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