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new tournament: new players performing well.

Tournaments are in full flight at the moment with several full or almost full houses. At the end of March Marlborough held its mini Congress, a full weekend of bridge with 5A teams on Saturday and 5A Open Pairs on Sunday.

22 teams battled it out on the Saturday, split into two grades.  1^st place in spades and overall winners were the Davies Team of Kate, Pam Dravitzki, John Patterson and Ruth Brucker and 1^st in Hearts and 5^th overall the Gordon Team of Barbara, Raewyn Taylor and Valerie and Mike Fitzsimons.  Golden Bay were well represented in the Hearts, with the Blackie Team of Alan and Anne, Pam Wood and Annie Telford coming 2^nd and 8^th overall and the Burdett Team of Beth, Jenny Cooper, Jude Edmondson and Suzan van Wijngaarden, 3^rd and 12^th overall.

1st in Spades and overall                         2nd in Hearts and 9th overall                       3rd in Hearts and 12th overall

        
Ruth Brucker, Pam Dravitzki, Kate Davies         Robin Young (representing Marlborough)      Beth Burdett, Jenny Cooper, Suzan Van Wijngaarden
 and John Patterson                                    Pam Wood, Annie Telfer, Alan and Ann            and Jude Edmonson
                                                                    Blackie                                              

44 pairs played in the 5A on Sunday with congratulations going to:

          1st in Spades and overall                   1st in Hearts and 4th overall                 2nd in Diamonds and 13th overall

       
   Ernie Sutton and Max Robb                              Wayne Smith and Jo Gear                              Pamela and Julian Glyn

Spades

1^st Ernie Sutton & Max Rob

2^nd Lindsey Guy and Steve Gray

Hearts

1^st Jo Gear and Wayne Smith

2^nd Jenny and Peter Story

Diamonds

1^st Tony Quinlivan and Sam Gurney

2^nd Pamela and Julian Glyn

Clubs

1^st  Kerry Roberts and Gill Webby

2^nd Valerie and Mike Fitzsimons

A week off for Easter and then 52 tables descended on Nelson for the Women’s Pairs on 10 April.  Huge thanks to the men who looked after these 104 women with Adrian Abraham directing; Steve Gray and David Laing scoring; Kevin Hill, Toby Gordon, Gary Chalmers and Peter Bone preparing the food and Gary Chalmers and Mike Fitzsimons in the bar!  As always Joan Heaphy wowed us with her magnificent flower arrangements and also huge thanks to the Nelson committee for all the work behind the scenes.  Belinda Fletcher, lawyer very kindly sponsored the tournament, and she came along to play with her mum, Jenny.  Thank you Belinda.

   1ST in Spades and overall      2nd in Spades                             1st in Hearts

 

        
   Lindsey Guy and Pamela Dravitzki                    Sita Monaghan and Sally Moore                       Mary Hamilton and Vicky Adnams

all pictures feature Belinda Fletcher, the event sponsor.

2nd in Hearts                                                1st in Diamonds                                        2nd in Diamonds

        
Ann Cegarra and Mary McCallum                       Kay Cotton and Joan Heaphy                      Joan Owen and Gillian Williams

1st in Clubs                                                    2nd in Clubs                                         3rd in Clubs

      
Pam Wood and Annie Telford                           Margot Wilson and Myra Sandall                  Jenny Vaile and Theresa Goldsworthy
new players whose names are becoming
a regular feature.

Congratulations to the following especially those in the hearts grade who were well up the field:

Spades          

1^st       Pamela Dravitzki & Lindsey Guy and 1^st overall

2^nd       Sally Moore and Sita Monaghan

3^rd       Rebecca Osborne & Jana Bott

Hearts

1^st       Vicki Adnams and Mary Hamilton (2^nd overall)

2^nd       Ann Cegarra and Mary MacCallum (3^rd overall)

3^rd       Jo Price and Erica Baldwin (5^th overall)

Diamonds

1^st       Kay Cotton and Joan Heaphy

2^nd       Joan Owen and Gillian Williams

3^rd       Janet Howell and Karen Logan

Clubs

1^st       Pam Wood and Annie Telford – whose names are becoming a regular feature!

2^nd       Margot Wilson & Myra Sandall

3^rd       Theresa Goldsworthy & Jenny Vaile

Greymouth on 17 April.  This was the first time they have hosted a tournament, last year's being a lockdown victim.  A great day, and some great results.  Special mention to the overall winners, Justine and Martin Thompson, the first time they have won an Open tournament and were justly delighted with themselves.  And to the Meek siblings, Richard and 12 year old Mollie, who learnt last year during lockdown and came 3^rd in the Club section. 

Greymouth's first winners     and future winners, maybe?

                 
Justine and Martin Thompson     Richard and Mollie Meek

And finally, 1 May was Richmond’s 8B, sponsored by Oakwoods retirement village. Sheila Beggs directing, wishing she could have taken a dollar for every opening lead out of turn…..if she had she figured she may have been able to take advantage of the Cook Island travel bubble!  And thanks again to Zoe and Milla in the kitchen.  The field was split into 4 grades, with it being a full house (and waiting list!) and congratulations to the following:

Spades

1^st Pam Dravitzki and Kathryn Brookes

2^nd Steve Gray and Lindsey Guy

3^rd Tony and Susan Hinkley
   First in Hearts                                Third in Hearts                       First in Diamonds

           
  Peter Grooby and Leigh Gamby                       Bee Campbell and Chris Sutton                        Richard Brookes and David Laing

Hearts

1^st Leigh Gamby and Peter Grooby

2^nd John Penny and Chris Turner

3^rd Bee Campbell and Chris Sutton

Diamonds

1^st Richard Brookes and David Laing (6^th overall)

2^nd Janet Howell and June Tippett

3^rd Julia Armstrong and Carolyn Gatenby
   Third in Diamonds                    First in Clubs                     the most important people present!

         
   Carolyn Gatenby and Julia Armstrong      Jessica Le Bas and Evelyn Muncaster         the barmen, of course! Mike Fitzsimons and Bevan Bruce

Clubs

1^st Jessica Le Bas and Evelyn Muncaster (9^th overall)

2^nd Diane Horton and Shirley Culley

3^rd Christine Wallace and Marina Gosnell

Thanks to organisers, directors, dealers, committees, scorers, caterers, kitchen helpers and everyone who makes these tournaments such a huge success.  They couldn’t happen without you.

Finally, Top of the South held its IP Trials in Nelson on 8th May and we wish the following all the best for the IPs in Auckland in November

Open

Adrian Abraham & Tony Hinkley

Kevin Hill & Wayne McCoy

Women

Freda Herring & Jocelyn Wallace

Susan Hinkley & Carol Minchin

Senior

Jim Jessep & Maurice Carter

Jenny & Peter Story

Intermediate

Peter Bone & Tom Pyatt

Chris Henry & Kathy Dowling

Pam Whitehead is the Chef de Mission.

In other news….

Lessons are underway in Richmond, Nelson and Golden Bay.  Golden Bay have joined the growing number of clubs to use bridge tabs.  Nelson recently held the 3 night Ann Urquhart Memorial competition where funds raised are donated to Nelson Women’s and Children’s refuge.  Thank you Nelson players for your generosity.  Nelson is trailing another afternoon bridge session, on Wednesdays.  That has the club playing weekday!  Good luck with the trial; am sure as we edge into winter it will be a huge success. 

And good luck to all our teams set to battle it out this weekend for the Top of the South Intermediate and Junior Club winners.

 

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