 THE ANNUAL BRIDGE INTERNATIONAL 2009 WAS AGAIN HELD AT HENIN BEAUMONT FRANCE ON EASTER MONDAY 13 APRIL 2009 AND WHAT A CONTRAST TO LAST YEAR - WARM SUNSHINE ALL THE TIME!
MOST OF THE PLAYERS STAYED OVERNIGHT AT THE NEARBY CAMPANILE AND MET FOR A QUICK GLASS OR TWO ON SUNDAY NIGHT IN THE HOTEL BAR.
THE BRIDGE DAY NORMALLY STARTS WITH LUNCH WITH THE MAYOR AT 12 BUT MUCH TO OUR SURPRISE THE LOCAL AUCHAN SUPERMARKET WAS OPEN DESPITE BEING A HOLIDAY MONDAY AND SOME OF US COULDN'T RESIST SOME OF THE OFFERS. HOWEVER, ALL WERE THROUGH THE 72 CHECKOUTS IN TIME FOR THE SHORT JOURNEY TO THE TOWN CENTRE AND "CEDRE BLUE".
ON ARRIVAL WE WERE GREETED WITH THE NEWS THAT THE MAYOR WAS IN PRISON AND WOULDN'T BE JOINING US FOR LUNCH! (Pictured Players and Hosts outside Cedre Blue enjoying an Aperitif in the warm spring sunshine prior to Lunch)
THE BRIDGE CLUB NEVERTHELESS ENTERTAINED US VERY WELL AND AFTER AN EXCELLENT LUNCH WE WERE LEFT TO MAKE OUR OWN WAY TO THE PLAYING VENUE. THIS PROVED QUITE A CHALLENGE IN ITSELF BUT AFTER ONE FALSE START WE ARRIVED JUST IN TIME FOR THE BRIDGE.
UNFORTUNATELY THIS YEAR THE BELGIUM CONTINGENT HAD COME ALONG AND DESPITE OUR BEST ENDEAVOURS OUR PLAYERS COULD NOT SECURE THE INTERNATIONAL PRIZE.
HIGHEST PLACED ENGLISH PAIR WERE DIANE ROGERS AND EDDIE LUCCIONI (MAKING THERE FIRST VISIT) WHO CAME FIFTH WITH A SCORE OF 60.92%, WHILE JUNE STACEY AND JEREMY BURNS WERE IN 13TH PLACE WITH 57.66%. THE OTHER UK PLAYERS WERE JENNY KENDALL AND RICHARD SISSONS, FRED HEINE AND RON JOLLIFFE AND VALERIE AND BRIAN BARRETT NONE OF WHOM ACHIEVED A SCORE OVER 50%. DESPITE THE RECESSION HOWEVER, EVERYONE STILL RECEIVED A PRIZE.
IN THE EVENING WE WERE ENTERTAINED IN STYLE TO A BUFFET DIINNER AT THE CLUB ROOMS AND EDDIE, WHO HAD EARLIER SHOWN CLEAR SIGNS OF AN ABILITY TO COMMUNICATE IN FRENCH, WAS DULY NOMINATED TO STAND UP AND GIVE AN EXCELLENT OFF THE CUFF AND WELL RECEIVED THANK YOU.
A TOAST WAS ALSO MADE TO ABSENT FRIENDS. TONY BABER, (see News Item above) WHO HAD CONTRIBUTED SO MUCH TO GET OUR INVOLVEMENT IN THE EVENT, AND LOCAL BANKER PHILIP WHO HAD ARRANGED MUCH OF THE FINANCING FOR THE COMPETITION AND WHO HAD TRAGICALLY BEEN KILLED SHORTLY AFTER LAST YEARS EVENT. BOTH PLAYERS WILL BE SADLY MISSED.
AN EARLY START WAS MADE ON TUESDAY MORNING TO RETURN TO CALAIS SO PLAYERS COULD GET BACK IN TIME FOR TONY'S FUNERAL WHICH WAS TAKING PLACE LATER THAT DAY. IN FACT 4 PLAYERS WERE ON THE LAST BOAT TO LEAVE THE PORT BEFORE THE FRENCH FISHERMANS BLOCKADE STARTED.
OVERALL ANOTHER EVENTFULL, IF NOT QUITE SO SUCESSFUL, WEEKEND OF BRIDGE. THE PLAYERS LOOK FORWARD TO RETURNING AGAIN NEXT YEAR.
FURTHER PICTURES ARE ON OTHER NEWS PAGE |