Guernsey Bridge Congress

By entering an EBU congress or event you agree to abide by the terms and conditions set out in the Terms and Conditions document issued by the EBU.

Entry forms should be sent to cicbacongress@gmail.com. This email is monitored by volunteers so it may take a couple of days to get back to you. The online entry form should be downloaded and saved so you can complete it online. If you have any difficulties filling it in electronically you can also print it off, fill it in by hand, and then scan or photograph it and email it in to the above email address.

Online payments should be made to the following account:

• Account Name: Channel Islands Contract Bridge Association (Guernsey)
• Account Number: 01275497  Sort Code: 30 93 73
• Payment reference: 'First Name  Surname',  e.g. ‘Jane Smith’

For overseas payments the following information may be required:

• BIC: LOYDGGS 1001
• IBAN: GB26LOYD30937301275497

Current 2025 Guernsey Congress Winners

Championship Pairs (Ian Monachan Trophy): Jovi Smederevac & Sacha Wernle (picture)
Championship Pairs Non-Expert (Guernsey Tourist Board Trophy): Murray Kelly & Kathryn Evans (picture)
Seniors Pairs (Tourist Board Cup): John Holland & Raymond Semp (picture)

Multiple Teams (Hougue du Pommier Cup): Jan Petter Svendsen, Rune Hauge, Erik Sãlensminde & Daniel McIntosh

Swiss Pairs (Scotch Video Tape Cup): Daniel McIntosh & Erik Sãlensminde (picture)
Best Channel Island Swiss Pairs (Elizabeth Austin Trophy): Tim Gauld & Andy Hall
Best Non-Expert Swiss Pairs (Confiance Trophy): Julie Evemy & Annie Johnson (picture)
Swiss Teams (EBU Championship): Jan Petter Svendsen, Rune Hauge, Dan McIntosh & Erik Sãlensminde (picture)
Best Channel Island Swiss Team (Island Bridge Club Trophy): Cherry McMillen Lynne Williamson Sue Corbet & George Couzens (picture)
Best Non-Expert Swiss Team (Le Lievres trophy): Cherry McMillen, Lynne Williamson, Sue Corbet & George Couzens (picture)
Best Channel Island Pair overall in Swiss Teams and Swiss Pairs combined (Shell Fuel Supplies Trophy): Brian Parkin, Paul Williams, Liz Thompson & Sue Shaw (picture)

Seniors Pairs, Swiss Pairs and Swiss Teams are green pointed. Championship Pairs and Multiple Teams are blue pointed. 

Agreements

Level 4 agreements are permitted in all events. The EBU has a page where system card templates can be downloaded and completed.

This is a joint Congress with the EBU so EBU credits can be used towards entry fees by emailing comps@ebu.co.uk and asking to use them. The EBU will then contact CICBA direct to confirm the credits.

Prize Structure (see entry form for details) - In the event that a competition is drawn the winners’ prize money is shared equally. If a team/pair has a substitute(s) then the share is at the discretion of the pair/team. 

There are various additional prizes available for the best Non-expert and Channel Island pair/team in the Open Pairs, Swiss Pairs and Swiss Teams – awarded only at the discretion of the Guernsey CICBA Chair.

To be eligible for a Seniors prize, both players in a pair must have their 63rd birthday (or higher) during the calendar year (January-December 2025). For example, a player can win a Seniors prize at the age of 62 provided their 63rd birthday falls in 2026.

Guernsey – how to find out more

We look forward to seeing you on the lovely island of Guernsey. We have stunning beaches, cliff walks, historic sites (ranging from the pre-historic to our occupation by the Germans in WW2). And there are plenty of choices for memorable meals - including the newly opened and highly regarded Vraic. We have retained a free evening in the Congress schedule on the Saturday so you may wish to take advantage of it by eating out. NB Many restaurants – including Les Cotils during the Congress dates - will need to be pre-booked to ensure a table.

Please visit www.visitguernsey.com for information about accommodation, how to get to Guernsey, and things to do in Guernsey. You will also find information on all the usual booking platforms such as TripAdvisor, Booking.com and Airbnb. 

 Accommodation in Guernsey

Visitors to the Guernsey Congress have a free choice of accommodation arrangements including  self-catering and B&B. If you book online just double check that you book rooms in the right island – not Herm, Sark or Alderney!

Within a mile radius of Les Cotils the local hotels include: the Duke of Richmond, the Old Government House (known as the OGH), La Collinette Hotel and apartments, and the Premier Inn. 

Les Cotils (3* hotel at GY1 1UU) – is our base for the Congress. Les Cotils accommodation is very reasonably priced and is held for competitors during the competition week. NB It fills up quickly so early booking is recommended. Telephone: 01481 727 793. www.lescotils.com 

The following hotels usually agree special rates for Guernsey Congress competitors and their groups - further information will follow as these are confirmed. Please note that the 2026 Guernsey Bridge Congress discounted rates are only available if booked direct with the accommodation.

Duke of Richmond Hotel (4* hotel at GY1 1UY) is a larger nearby hotel some 150 yards from Les Cotils. The Duke of Richmond is offering an 18% discount on the best available rate for classic, sea view and kingsize rooms with breakfast (double or single occupancy). Telephone: 01481 726 221 or  reservations@dukeofrichmond.com  www.dukeofrichmond.com

Old Government House (OGH) Hotel (5* hotel at GY1 2NU) is about 10 minute walk from Les Cotils. It is offering significant room discounts for competitors and their parties on and around the Guernsey Congress dates. Special fixed rates start from £225 per classic double room per night (including breakfast). The OGH also has other room types and suites available at a special rates. Contact them direct and quote reference number 995352 - 2026 Guernsey Bridge Congress for details. Telephone: +44 (0) 203 815 8220 extension 2  or email reservations@theoghhotel.com www.theoghhotel.com

La Collinette Hotel, Cottages and Apartments (GY1 1SN) are about a 10-minute walk from Les Cotils or a 1-2 minute taxi ride away. It offers single rooms, doubles/twins, suites and self catering  4* cottages and apartments. Telephone: 01481 710 331 or email reservations@lacollinette.com www.lacollinette.com

Please note: Most hotels cannot guarantee check-in times earlier than 3pm but may be open to special arrangements for you.

 Travel to Guernsey

Being an island comes with some travel issues. Bad weather can unexpectedly delay boat and plane arrivals so allow yourself sufficient time to get to first day’s competition. Travel insurance is also recommended. Early bookings of flights usually come with the most generous discounts, whereas late travel bookings are likely to cost more. 

There are regular (fast and slow) ferries with Condor/Brittany Ferries and frequent plane flights with Aurigny (pronounced Or-Ee-Knee), BA and Loganair from Heathrow, Manchester, Gatwick, London City, Paris, Dublin and many UK regional airports. In addition there are ferry and airline connections via nearby Jersey.

www.visitguernsey.com also provides information about how to get to Guernsey.

Healthcare in Guernsey

Please be aware that Guernsey is not part of the UK’s National Health Service. All treatment – including A&E - is chargeable, so local residents pay for GP and emergency healthcare. It is therefore sensible to ensure that you have appropriate travel insurance.

There is a Reciprocal Health Agreement (RHA) with the UK which covers medically necessary healthcare from a registered provider that cannot wait until a UK resident returns home to the UK. UK visitors to the Bailiwick should bring their GHIC/EHIC card with them in order to prove their eligibility. More information about the RHA is available on the following link gov.gg/rha. 

The UK RHA does not cover emergency repatriation to the UK, non-emergency health issues, and non-medical issues (such as missing a flight due to illness or poor weather, or loss of luggage). Travellers are therefore still strongly advised to purchase travel insurance well before travel (so that it covers your travel plans as well your accommodation).

Things to do in Guernsey

We like to think we have it all. Great restaurants, natural beauty, wonderful walks, glorious beaches, a unique history with intriguing sites to visit, and a quaint town with plenty of unusual shops.  Our Norman heritage is shown in our French place names and our system of government, and we have been a stopping off place for boats travelling along the English Channel since before the Romans. The sea is important to Guernsey – we have one of the largest tidal ranges in the world – it makes for a constantly changing vista. All this crammed into an island which is only 30 square miles but has almost 30 miles of coastline.

If you have a few hours to spare then visit St Peter Port’s medieval Castle Cornet and its museums (GY1 1AU), or join a guided walk to explore bits of the island that even locals may not be aware of. Sea swimming is very popular year-round so try the  sea water bathing pools in St Peter Port (GY1 1AX) or one of the many beaches around the island. 

If you have more time available then then you can book a ferry for a day trip to the nearby islands of Herm or Sark. Or maybe just potter - wander around Candie Gardens (GY1 1UG - just around the corner from the Congress venue at Les Cotils), enjoy the view over the harbour out towards Herm and pop into the Guernsey Museum for a cup of coffee and to find out more about Guernsey’s unique history.

• TripAdvisor’s list of things to do in Guernsey
• Hauteville House - St Peter Port (GY1 1DG.) - Victor wrote Les Misérables and Toilers of the Sea when he lived in Guernsey during his years of exile from France. He redecorated his five-storey house to his amazing, unique, and very peculiar taste. Ticketed tours only of the house. Free access to garden.
• The Little Chapel - St Andrews (GY6 8XY) – this miniature chapel is a beautiful gem and open daily for free.
• There is a wealth of WW2 sites built during the German occupation of Guernsey. The many WW2 museums include the Occupation Museum, Forest (GY8 0BG) and the German Naval Signals HQ (GY1 1SN). They can keep you busy for days. Many sites are free to visit but remember to check if there are opening times or if it is a cash only site. Find out more about this period of history from Festung Guernsey - a group of volunteers who preserve sites of the era, and offer tours of the sites.