Photo Milner team: Jacek Pszczola, Justin Lall, Hemant Lall, Sabine Auken, Reese Milner & Roy Welland
Buenos Aires, June 8, 2016
From Friday 27 May to Saturday 4 June, organized by the Colombian Federation of Bridge Clubs; the South American Championships were held in the different specialties.
The Organizing Committe President was the incomparable Don Santiago Londoño, the General Tournament Director of the event was Mr. Maurizio di Sacco (ITA) and the Chief Director was Mr. Fernando Gonzalez (COL). The event was attended by the President of the WBF Mr. Gianarrigo Rona (ITA), the WBF Treasurer Mr. Marc de Pauw (BEL), and the CSB President Mr. Marcelo Caracci (CHI) among others prestigious authorities.
South American Pairs Championships.
This tournament (153 pairs participated), was played in three categories: Open, Ladies and Mixed, they played three qualifying sessions, and two final sessions.
In the Open category the winners were Maurizio Machado (BRZ) & Eduardo Barcellos (BRZ), seconds Gabriel Chagas (BRZ) and Miguel Villas Boas (BRZ) in the third position arrived Vincent Demuy (USA) and Russ Ekeblad (USA).
In the Ladies category the podium was for Margarita Jaramillo (COL) and Maria Eugenia Ulrich (COL), who managed to win in the last board. Seconds; after an outstanding performance ended: Nathalie Sar Shalom (VEN) and Adriana Aguilar (VEN), the bronze was for Jacqueline Schnetzer (CHI) and Ana Llugany (CHI).
In the Mixed Category the winners were Valerie Gamio (ARG) and Miguel Reygadas (MEX), seconds: Monica Yussem Diaz (CHI) and Enrique Garcia Huidobro (CHI), the bronze was for Luisana Madueño (PER) and Juan Carlos Castillo (COL).
During the Pairs final it was played in parallel a consolation tournament whose winners were: Morella Pacheco (VEN) and Padma Daryanani (VEN).
South American Teams Championships.
On Monday May 30 began the South American Teams Championship, played in two categories: Open and Ladies. The participants level was the highest ever recorded in a South American event.
The qualifying stage was a Round Robin (Swiss): 11 rounds, 14 boards each and the top eight teams advanced to the quarterfinals.
The Open Butler was won byr Sabine Auken (GER) and Roy Welland (GER) and in the Ladies Category by Loreto Cuevas (CHI) and Alejandra Lavin (CHI).
The quarterfinal and semifinal matchs in both categories were:
The semifinals were played by the 4 highest ranked teams: the “Milner” team defeated the team “Perula” and the Ortega team defeated Chagas team.
Later in the final the Milner team: Sabine Auken, Roy Welland, Justin and Hemant Lall, Reese Milner and Jacek Pszczoła imposed on the Ortega team: Luz Ortega, Kevin Dwyer, Vincent Demuy, Russ Ekeblad, David Sabourin and Shawn Huang.
The bronze medal was for Chagas team: Gabriel Chagas, Miguel Villas Boas, Agustin Madala, Alejandro Bianchedi, Marcelo Branco and Ernesto Muzzio.
In the Ladies Category the two favorite teams met in the final and after a great parity in the score the “Hayman” team: Jessica Hayman, Grażyna Brewiak, Anna Sarniak and Katarzyna Dufrat defeated the “Nós” team: Sylvia Mello, Paula David, Isabella Vargas, Leda Pain, Marina and Graça Amaral Poncioni.
The Bronze was for the team “Of Course”: Agota Mandelot, Heloisa Nogueira, Malena Iacapraro and Maria del Rosario Garateguy.
Finally, during the last three days was played the Ciudad de Medellin tournament won by the “Perlita” team: Perla Sultan, Steve Hamaoui, Gonzalo y Federico Goded, Carlos Frontaura y Gustavo Alujas.
After the closing ceremony and the awards ceremony there was an unforgettable party where the great South American Masters: Agustin Madala, Carlos Hoyos and Diego Brenner delighted us with live rock music.
With the sun shining in the sky, we all said goodbye, really happy after renewing our vows of friendship and we arranged to meet at the next big Southamerican Championships, which will be held in the city of Santiago de Chile (CHI) from 3 to 13 May 2017 and will feature a new format that follows:
Nos vemos en Santiago!