The selectors have chosen the team for the ladies European Championship in Ostend. The "Big Four", reigning world champions Brock/Smith and Dhondy/Senior, selected themselves. (Not literally!) Youngsters Fiona Brown and Susan Stockdale got the nod to complete the team, ahead of Catherine Jagger and Sarah Teshome who are the reserve pair.
Trials take place this weekend to find England's teams for the Lady Milne Trophy, the ladies home international series. I do mean teams plural, we have two this year, to make the numbers even.
The top three pairs will automatically be the funded "England" team. The next three may play on the self-funding "English Bridge Union" team if they wish, and then down the list in order if a pair declines.
20 pairs have entered in total, a very good turnout. Perhaps we will have debut internationalists by Sunday night? A list of pairs and further information here:
www.ebu.co.uk/internationals/ladiestrials.htm
It's going to be on BBO, starting 7.15 tonight (Friday). Good luck to you all!
Congratulations to the top six in the LM trial, especially Nicole Cook and Susannah Gross who I believe will be making their England debuts, albeit on the "EBU" team. I think both our teams have a good chance in the Lady Milne. Scotland are also strong so it could be a close contest, and dare I say it perhaps the standard of bridge will be better than last year?
ReplyDeleteAlso to Paul Hackett and co who won the final of the senior trials quite easily.
Incidentally regarding a previous blog, GB's first World Junior championship was 1989 Nottingham as I wrote in the first place, not 1987 as suggested by Anonymous.