The 2007/08 Open Trials, featuring nine teams, consisted of two weekends of round robins followed by a semi-final and final. The Camrose teams will be selected after the round robin stage and the team which wins the final will represent England in the 2008 European Championships next June.

Click here for the team line-ups

Round Robins

After two weekends of Round Robins, the Liggins team won and therefore get selected for one Camrose weekend. They also get to choose their semi-final opponents who will be the Armstrong team. In the other semi-final, Townsend play Sandqvist.

Semi Finals

The first semi-final was held at the West Midlands Bridge Club on 10th/11th November 2007. Liggins versus Armstrong. After 77 of the 80 boards, the match was all square but 2 IMPs went to the Armstrong team on board 78 and the Liggins team couldn't turn it around.

The second semi-final, between Townsend and Sandqvist, was all very tight if you take away a very high-scoring 2nd set which Townsend won 85-45. The Sandqvist team won the second half but couldn't catch up.

Final

The final took place on 1st/2nd March 2008. Armstrong took an early lead but Townsend fought back well and, in fact, at one point in the final stanza were winning by a single IMP. However, when all the boards were scored up Armstrong had held it together and emerged the victors by 33 IMPs. A big congratulations go to John Armstrong, John Holland, Tony Waterlow and Paul Hackett who will be going to Pau representing England and will be joined by another pair and captain still to be selected.