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Australia and New Zealand have hit the world bridge stage.

As you may well be aware, this year’s World Bridge Games and World Youth Championship have been delayed until February next year. The WBF have decided that the 2021 Bermuda Bowl/ Venice Cup events will continue as planned in the late European summer/ autumn. This means two major events in the same year, two big expensive trips for both Bridge Associations and the players themselves. This is especially true for countries like New Zealand and Australia who have far to travel to most such competitions.

In addition, there are current concerns about the level of safe international travel out of both Australia and New Zealand especially in February 2021 and of the events themselves.

Among other issues is that the February 2021 events clash with the hugely internationally popular Gold Coast Congress.

Under current WBF policy, countries need to take part in the previous world event to be eligible for future ones. Thus, New Zealand and Australia have to take part in both the 2021 events to preserve their future places.

The Australian Bridge Federation and New Zealand Bridge have got together and written a joint letter to the WBF raising a number of important issues. The letter was also sent to all member countries. It will be considered by the WBF at a meeting later this month.

In addition, this letter was picked up by a monthly international bridge publication, International Bridge Press Association and has been featured by its Editor, Canadian John Carruthers, as its front-page Editorial in its May edition. Not just that, but the Editor is very sympathetic to the points made by our two Associations.

We thought you might like to know what is happening internationally and see what this publication has said. If so, please read here. IBPA Bulletin.pdf 

We will let you know what happens later this month.

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