Anguilla, this year, was the proud host of the 29th Annual OECS Bridge Championships from April 22nd to April 24th 2016. The venue was the conference room at La Vue Bread and Breakfast. Approximately Sixty (60) participated in this event coming from various countries in the OECS and Caribbean areas. The countries that participated in the championship this year included Antigua, Anguilla, St. Kitts-Nevis, St. Lucia, Dominica and Martinique; St. Maarten/St. Martin, Trinidad and Guadeloupe also participated as invitees. There were four sessions of play: The OPEN PAIRS on Friday the 22nd, OPEN TEAMS, the NATIONAL TEAMS on Saturday April 23rd and the NATIONAL FINALS, the OPEN FINALS and the SWISS TEAMS Play on Sunday the 24th April 24th 2016.
The OPEN PAIRS winners were: First Place – . Patrick Aiello & Philippe Mathieu from Guadeloupe; Eugene Gustave & Louis Suivant from Martinique and Joseph & Pat Howard from Trinidad
The NATIONAL TEAM CHAMPIONSHIP winners were in First Place: Louis Suivant & Eugene Gustave Bernard & Daniele Le Clerq from Martinique, in Second Place Ian Slack & Samuel Franks Bechara Kassab & Eustace Liburd from St.Kitts-Nevis and in Third Place, Alan Gumbs, Allan Pines, Carol Baines & Roy Horsford from Anguilla. It is to b noted that Martinique played in the tournament as an official member of the OECS Territories for the first time and won the championship in this their first outing. Anguilla missed playing on the finals by 0.39 of an IMP and would have ended up either being the Champions or the 1st Runner-ups.
The OPEN TEAMS CHAMPIONSHIPS were: First Place Jan Peter Holland & Abdool Khan, Michael & Louise Roger from Sint Maarten, Second Place Patrick Aiello & Philippe Mathieu, Dianne Grell & Michal Andrews form Guadeloupe/Trinidad, and Third Place Rufus Bryan, Una Gumbs, Ivy Broder and Dwight Chizen from Anguilla
The SWISS TEAMS winners were in First Place Rufus Bryan, Una Gumbs, Ivy Broder and Dwight Chizen, in Second Place, Pat & Joseph Howard Peter Beckles & Clayton Bruce from Trinidad and in Third Place Alan Gumbs, Allan Pines, Carol Baines & Roy Horsford from Anguilla.
The tournament was keenly contested and all the players expressed their appreciation for the hospitality showed to them by their Anguillian Hosts. At the end of the tournament it was confirmed that Dominica will host the 30th Annual OECS Championships in 2017 and Martinique will host the 31st OECS Annual Championships in 2018
Over forty (40) firms and individuals contributed towards the event including DigicelPlay, who sponsored the Trophies, Nagico who sponsored the Tee Shirts, Anguilla Electricity Company who sponsored the Gifts and Giveaways, La Vue Hotel Bed and Breakfast who provided the Venue, and Orchard Romney and Beck. During the closing ceremony, the President of the Anguilla Bridge Association, Mr. Jere Alan Gumbs expressed his sincerest thanks to all those who contributed in any way towards the event which resulted in Anguilla having a very successful outcome. The Parliamentary Secretary, Mr Cardigan Connor also spoke and thanked the participants for travelling to Anguilla for the event. He persuaded them to return to the island for no other reason but to relax themselves on the thirty odd beautiful beaches that we have on the island. Mrs Ivy Broder gave the Vote of Thanks on behalf of the Club.
– Contributed
(Published without editing by The Anguillian newspaper.)
