Last year the number of Women returning to International Competitions in Europe reduced drastically. Covid has had a severe and detrimental effect on us all but smaller countries just couldn’t field a women’s team. Some of the best players come from those smaller countries.
The EBL set up a committee and invited representatives from as many European countries as they could to meet online and discuss ideas how to address this problem. Lack of international training was cited as a problem for many. For the EBU this gives us an opportunity to encourage our own women players to reach the highest standards they can. We are delighted that an excellent training initiative has been launched by the EBL. It gives aspiring women players a readymade monthly competition to play against “like-minded people” and to build back or increase numbers for the EBL.
Some of you will have played in European Open competitions which have been successfully running every other year since 2007. Clearly, Covid stopped that happening. Now we hope to encourage the “next level” to be challenged outside our own shores.
What is the Initiative?
Every month there will be a “training competition” hosted by a leading International. The formula is to have 3 x 6 board matches against women from other European countries. At the end of it there will be group discussions on the hands. The first, on 16th January, run by the Polish NBO, will be led by Katarzyna Dufrat, who is a current World Bronze Medallist. The start time is 18.30 GMT. Note that all the documents refer to 19.30 CET. The international language is English.
Please see the attached documents. Having read them, if you and a woman partner of your choice or team are interested, let us know. If you and partner have no regular teammates, contact WomenBridgeCommittee@gmail.com who will try to help, but please try your local contacts first and only use this contact as a last resort.
There will be a limit on numbers so if interested, don’t delay
January 11, 2023