sitemaster's blog

Every month each of the seven regions is expected to post a report of its goings-on to the Board. Waikato-Bays is the star in this firmament with only a few months missed over the years. Rona Driscoll carried the batten until 2014. Anna Kalma has been doing the job since then. Her reports are published on the NZB Facebook page. We thought to start posting them on this site to as a service to our Facebook phobic followers. Click on the attachment below to download the latest one.

Kevin & ClareCongratulations to Clare Coles and Kevin Whyte who overcame Jo and Sam Simpson, the current holders of the Dan Gifford trophy for rubber bridge in NZ. Jo and Sam, by rights, should have been representing our country in Italy right now but we all know what happened about that! The match, played at Tauranga, went the full distance in a very tight contest with the Cambridge pair prevailing at the end.

Clare and Kevin have played a lot of bridge together. This file photo shows them as winners of the WB Intermediate League in 2012. In a pantheon of many other successes they won the national Open Restricted Pairs in 2016 and were recently runners-up in the 2020 Waikato Area Pairs. We wish them luck at the national finals in a month's time.

As, due to Covid-19, we were unable to hold trials this year we will be selecting teams. Applications are invited from players who wish to put their names forward by 31-July - either as Pairs or as Teams - for selection of Opens, Womens, Seniors, and Intermediate teams to represent the Waikato-Bays Region in Wellington from 21-23 November.

2020 Inter-Provincial Finals
NZ Bridge is continuing to hold this event as four “man” teams separate to the National Congress. Please note that the finals have a huge impact on our finances. We will apply for a grant towards the costs, but there is no guarantee we will receive any funding. Therefore please be aware that the region will only be able to fund accommodation on a twin-share basis.

Adrienne, Ted, Sabrina, CarolSaturday's third round of the Waikato-Bays Intermediate League held at Mount Maunganui was cleaned up big-time by players from Thames. Ted Cliffin partnering Adrienne Donald won the day followed by Thames president Carol Crowfoot with partner Sabrina Peters. The latter pair currently head the League table with four rounds to play.

The Mount club also ran the WB Junior League's second event won by Michele Liddle and Joy Williams of Matamata. Runners-up were Roz and Bob Strawbridge of Waitomo. These four are at the top of the Junior League which has just two more sessions to go.

Finally some light at the end of a long tunnel .. and it's not an oncoming limited express! There are quite a few results showing for Week 24 in X-Clubs and we expect many more this week as clubs reboot their seasons.

Covid-19 laid waste to the tournament schedule with several iconic events having been cancelled. Luckily the Te Aroha Teams will still take place albeit in the Hamilton clubrooms. We will miss our usual magnificent lunch, however, and have to make do with a self-supplied vegemite sandwich on the day.

The WAPs will rise again from the ashes by taking the best two of three results played at Matamata on Feb-16, Thames on Jul-5, and Hamilton on Aug-2. Click here to see the amended Rules.