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We’re back from Congress, with its record total of a reported 141 tables one morning. It was good to see so many Board members out there playing and enjoying their bridge. So, bridge admin doesn’t have to mean the end of your playing days. Allan Joseph, much involved in the Wellington directing community and also directing at Congress, switched to playing the cards in the final event - nice to see that’s also possible.

John Davidson and Susan Laurenson, who are not strangers to the Rubber Bridge playoffs at Congress, came second in the final. I haven’t caught up with the details yet, but I’m sure we’ll hear about it on club night.

A Wellingtonian and his (arranged) partner were noticed sitting beside the South wall before the start of the Mixed Sex Pairs. There was a quiet word with them and they went North to the Same Sex pairs. It wasn’t the start of a protest. They were just engrossed in sorting out a system.

Coming Up

If you’re in town for Labour Weekend and would like a night, or two or three nights, of bridge, the Kairangi Bridge Club are holding their three session, 5A point, tournament on the Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. You can play the entire event or just pick the nights that suit.

Starting time is 7:30pm, as you might expect, but there is a BUT. There is a possibility of a rugby game of interest that weekend, so the starting times for Saturday and Sunday might change to suit. The optimists are thinking the most likely change will be on Saturday with a 4:30pm start. Final timing will be confirmed on the club website by Monday the 21st.

The Regional Committee is holding its annual meeting with Clubs in mid-October. We’re using it as an opportunity for clubs to swap information and views, and work together on shared issues.

 

 Recent Tournament News

Sixteen pairs contested the Hutt Intermediate on the 11th August. I deduce from the results that it was a Howman movement. Ian Possenniskie and Martyn Dowman of the Hutt Club won both sessions, with second place getters, Catherine Chapman and Sharyn Bowen, also from the Hutt Club, coming second in both sessions.

Our local Open players had options on the weekend of the 17th and 18th August. Several took a trip out of the region to Whanganui for the Fullerton Teams at the Whanganui Bridge Club. The travel wasn’t wasted for the Luoni team, of John, John Davidson, Kate Davies and John Patterson. They led from the fourth to the final eighth session. The Rigler team, Lynda, Peter Delahunty, Graham Stronach and Sandy McKirdy were third of the 22 competing teams.

Two Session Winners at the Hutt                                    Mighty Scorers at Upper Hutt

                         
Martyn Dowman and Ian Possenniskie                              Martyn, once more, and Jeffry Craanan
topped both sessions                                                         who posted 72% in Session 1 and just enough
                                                                                           in the afternoon to beat off Richard Solomon (pictured)
                                                                                           and Allan Joseph

Another option, the Upper Hutt Multigrade in our region, garnered 35 pairs on the Sunday, with Jeffry Craanan and Martyn Dowman winning with 66.17% over the two sessions. Allan Joseph and Richard Solomon were second on 65.75%. These two pairs scored 72% in the morning session, both fading (!) to about 60% in the afternoon.

The Otaki club held their Intermediate and Junior tournaments on the 25th August. Both events had biggish fields, shading many of the inner city clubs for numbers. In the Intermediate, visitors from the Central region had some success. Laura Griffin and Cindy Lowndes were first. Claudia Duncan of Paraparaumu and Stafford Ball were second. Club members Moira and Graeme Wylie came seventh. Trish Schroder and Linzee Inkster won the Junior from Oliver McCready and Caroline Hull.

Tops at Karori

                       
That's Mindy Wu and Brian Cleaver, either
 side of Karori Vice President, Kraus Cordes

Wellington Regional Bridge Committee chair, Mindy Wu, paired up with Brian Cleaver to win from Russell Dive and Anthony Ker in the Karori Open Pairs that same weekend. Nigel Kearney and John Davidson, he of Rubber Bridge fame, were third.

John’s been busy, as he next went up out of the region (just) to Levin for their Multigrade Swiss Pairs on the last day of August. He and Anne-Marie Russell won the event. The largish raiding party from down south had a good day, taking the next five placings as well.

Chasing the Sunshine...

Another touring group, this time from Akaroa, came up to Wellington on their annual tour. It is done for the good weather, as was told to me. Co-incidentally, Wellington Club’s Intermediate and Junior tournaments were being held on the Sunday. Several pairs warmed up on the Thursday night at the Wellington club, but the tournament prize lists favoured the locals. Helen and Murray Climo were unbeatable in the Junior, being 0.3% away from averaging 70% over both sessions. Two youth players, Hannah Revell and Oliver McCready came second on 61.66%. Rosy Moar and Jared Greig, were third.

Karen Eriksen and Jude Lucas won the Intermediate by a good margin. Ged Farnan and James Winskill were second from Jane Brenan and Sandy Connon. Perhaps from responding to the challenge from the visitors, there were good turn outs, 18 pairs in the Junior and 24 in the Intermediate.
         Wellington Intermediate Winners

 
Karen Eriksen and Jude Lucas, either side of Ruth Brucker, representing
the host Wellington Club

Our Regional Bridge Mate’s hard work over the year paid off when the Victoria Club was running low on entries for its Intermediate and Junior Tournaments. Several Novice pairs entered in the last week, and a combined tournament was able to be held. Pauline and Mike Murtagh took first place and Oliver and Caroline repeated their Otaki second placing.

                                                        Victoria' s    Best

            
Winners were Pauline and Mike Murtagh...  followed by  Caroline Hull and Oliver McCready
                                (also featured in both pictures was Victoria President, Derek Gill)

The popular South Wairarapa Multigrade once again attracted a large field. The Ker brothers,  often mentioned in dispatches, averaged 66.8% for another win. Brian and Mairi Fitzsimons, who are temporary Wellingtonians these days, were second.

The Paraparaumu Multigrade competed with the opening events of Congress. Even so, twenty four pairs turned up and Jane Windle and Maree Cudby won with Robyn Freeman-Greene and Dale Lacey next, both pairs averaging over 58%.

 

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