John Holland & Alan Mould (both Manchester) - pictured left - finished 2015 in style at the Northern Year End Congress, successfully defending the Swiss Pairs and Open Pairs titles they won the previous year.
In the Open Pairs which started the congress John and Alan finished on 64.7%, beating Peter Hodgson & Steve Male (both Scotland) by a very narrow margin - just half a match point.
Their victory in the two-day Swiss Pairs which followed was more emphatic. Despite winning only once on the final day they finished well clear of the field on 149 VPs from ten matches as their closest rivals fell away. Jeff Smith & Jackie Pye (both Lancashire) moved up from fifth after the first day to claim second place on 130 VPs, with Mark Weeks & Stuart Matthews (both Merseyside & Cheshire) moving up from ninth to finish third.
In the Mixed Pairs on the first day, Geoff Kenyon & Carole Kelly (both Yorkshire) finished on 63.37% to take the title (see picture here). Barrie Newall & Julia Newall (both Lancashire) were second with 59.88%.
The Swiss Teams event was won by Glenda Lloyd, Peter Boardman (both Cumbria), Sally Wraight & Philip Wraight (both Westmorland) (see picture here). They were undefeated in their seven matches, and finished on 98 VPs, two clear of the team of Joy Blakey, Irving Blakey, Rhona Goldenfield, Bernard Goldenfield (all Manchester). The Commins and Hayward teams were joint third with 94 VPs.
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January 4, 2016