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National Congress Update 20th August
We really hope the news about this year’s National Bridge Congress is and remains good. The best news we can give this year is that it will take place as scheduled between Saturday 26th September and Saturday 3rd October at the Sir Don Rowlands Centre on the shores of Lake Karapiro.
It’s a lovely venue which will have provided some players with challenges over accommodation close-by and perhaps in the logistics of getting to and from the venue. We hope those who are coming have solved those issues..but if not, please let me know, and I will try and make suggestions for you.
I say “the best news we can give” rather than certainty because, as everyone knows, we cannot predict at which level our country will be at come the end of September. For an activity involving more than 100 people, we need to be on Level 1. We hope the news in the next few weeks will, in that respect, be good.
NZ Bridge are really keen for our National Congress to go ahead. We hope for Level 1 and that there will be a Congress.
a view of the main playing room. It's OK...we will have bridge tables throughout!
Where we are at
With our two main Pairs events (Ryman Healthcare New Zealand Open and Restricted Open Pairs), we have so far, a combined total of 66 tables while the Open /Restricted Open Teams have a combined total of 75 tables. We have space for more though even with these numbers, we will definitely have good competitions.
Other events are filling up more slowly.
Click here to enter an event.
Please, please….enter all events…and pay for the events in advance
Turning pairs away who have not pre-entered is something we just do not want to do. We really would like you to pre-enter all events, even those from which you may later withdraw because, for instance, you have qualified for the last 16 or 8 of the New Zealand Teams.
Late withdrawals are fine but late entries (after the dates and times listed on the Congress website) are not.
As per previous years, please remember that entering and paying for events are two different procedures. Just because you have paid does not mean you have entered….and vice versa.
For paying, you can use the on-line credit card facility or just pay into the Congress bank account through on-line banking.
Click here to pay
A Cash-less Congress
We want you to pay before arriving. We will pay out those who are lucky enough to win prize-money after the event. Rather than collecting your prize-money from the Congress Reception Desk at the Centre foyer, we will ask you to go there to provide a bank account number into which we will pay your prize-money directly after the event.
Program
Congress this year is different from past years. Here are some of the main changes.
- Different format for NZ Open Pairs (one session shorter) and NZ Open Restricted Pairs. We hope all players will enjoy this year’s format where, for all, there will be the exciting experience of Barometer scoring.
- No Youth Teams. However, we expect there to be a Youth Teams event to be held in Auckland on Friday September 25th.
- NZ Open and Restricted Open Teams. Qualifying rounds for NZ Open Teams and the full Restricted event will consist of 8 x 12 board matches finishing on the Wednesday lunch-time.
- No evening play any evening. Play will conclude mainly by 5.30pm. This has meant the events held on the last three days have been revised. Some events like Mixed and Same Sex Pairs will not happen though a new Open Teams event, Karapiro Teams, will take place on Friday afternoon and Saturday. Intermediate and Junior events will start on the Thursday morning. See Timetable of Events for the full program.
- Novice Pairs. This has now shifted to midday on the second Saturday, 3RD Please encourage new players at your club to play and to enter in advance. Just $10.
- Prize money paid into players’ bank accounts as stated above.
- There will be no Prize-Giving dinner. However, in its place, there will be a finger-food function immediately after play on Saturday October 3rd at the venue, which we hope players will stay and enjoy.
- There are no free transfers from Hamilton Airport this year.
- There will be no daily Bulletins but there will be daily reports from the Congress on the New Zealand Bridge website.
It will be different from other National Congresses but what will not will be the friendly and competitive atmosphere for which we always try to achieve. There will be lunch-time food a ‘plenty at the venue and also the opportunity for refreshments there after play each day.
We will recommend restaurants and bars in Cambridge where you will be greeted as bridge players, nice atmosphere, discounted prices. More of that, closer to the date.
the view outside:seating for lunch and a nice view to act as a backdrop
for your discussion of the morning session
On-line bridge has been wonderful for many of us this year. However, we love the real face-to-face contact which for much of this year we have been deprived. We hope that our National Congress will bring wonderful experiences to all who attend, whether or not you are fortunate enough to be successful.
Please let me know if you have any queries. I will endeavour to answer them satisfactorily.
Richard Solomon
Chairman, New Zealand National Congress Organising Committee
Richard.Solomon@nzbridge.co.nz 027 245 5418 09 232 8494
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