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 will be in Word so you should be able to 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.

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 2024 Guernsey Congress Winners

Championship Pairs (Ian Monachan Trophy): Jackie Davies & Robert Plumley
Championship Pairs Non-Expert (Guernsey Tourist Board Trophy): Peter Keeling & Marilyn Robilliard
Seniors Pairs: Raymond Semp & John Holland

Multiple Teams (Hougue du Pommier Cup): Dan McIntosh, Jan Petter Svendsen, Fred Moen, Jan Olsen

Swiss Pairs (Scotch Video Tape Cup): Erik Saelensminde & Rune Hauge
Best Channel Island Swiss Pairs (Elizabeth Austin Cup): Andy Hall & Tim Gauld
Best Non-Expert Swiss Pairs (Confiance Trophy): Phil Stevenson & Keith Roy
Swiss Teams (EBU Championship): Gunnar Hallberg, Sally Clark, Sally Brock & Barry Myers
Best Channel Island Swiss Team (Hougue du Pommier Cup): 
Best Non-Expert Swiss Team (Le Lievre trophy): Liz Thompson, Sue Shaw, Keith Roy & Phil Stevenson
Best Channel Island Pair overall in Swiss Teams and Swiss Pairs combined (Shell Trophy – Fred Austin):

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.

+     -  In the event that a competition is drawn the winners’ prize money is shared equally.

*      - 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 later that year.

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 plenty of choices for memorable meals. We have included 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 - may need to be pre-booked.

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. 

N.B. Special 2025 Guernsey Bridge Congress agreements/discounts for accommodation are only available by contacting the hotels direct. More details below and to follow.

 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. 

The following hotels are also offering special accommodation arrangement for the 2025 Guernsey Bridge Congress competitors and their parties. NB You will need to contact each hotel direct to get the special deals/arrangements – the 2025 Guernsey Bridge Congress deals are not available online or through any booking platform. Early reservation of accommodation is recommended.

Les Cotils (3* hotel at GY1 1UU) – is our base for the Congress. Les Cotils accommodation is very reasonably priced and it is holding all the bedrooms during the 2025 Guernsey Bridge Congress for competitors and their parties – so mention that you are in the Guernsey Bridge Congress if you are checking availability/booking there. NB Early booking is recommended. Telephone: 01481 727 793. www.lescotils.com 

Duke of Richmond Hotel (4* hotel at GY1 1UY) is a larger nearby hotel some 150 yards from Les Cotils.  It is offering a generous discount rate with full English breakfast included. Prices range from a classic double room down to £212 from £290 per night going up to the Junior suite at £402 rather than £545. Just remember to mention that you are in the Guernsey Bridge Congress when you contact them to check price/availability/make a booking and ask for the Bridge Congress/special States of Guernsey discount rates. Telephone: 01481 726 221 or email reservations@dukeofrichmond.com  www.dukeofrichmond.com

Old Government House (OGH) Hotel (5* hotel at GY1 2NU) is about 10 minute walk from Les Cotils but is closer to all the facilities of the Town centre. The OGH is a sister hotel to the Duke of Richmond. It is offering a range of discounts – such as a Classic room at  £225 (rather than £295) up to a Seaview King /Balcony room at £363 (rather than £575). Remember to mention that you are in the 2025 Guernsey Bridge Congress when you contact them to check price/availability/make a booking and ask for the Bridge Congress/special States of Guernsey discount rates. Telephone: 01481 724 921 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 4* cottages and apartments. The special 2025 Congress offer is for a single room @ £85.50 per person per night, including breakfast (normal rate £95.00) or  a double room for single occupancy @ £128.25 per night including breakfast (normal rate £142.50) or a double room for double occupancy @ £85.50 per person per night, including breakfast (normal rate £95.00). Payment will be required at the time of booking.  In addition there is self-catering accommodation at the rate of £960.00 per unit per week (with a maximum 4 adults per unit this could be very cost-effective). 50% from the total cost will be required to secure the reservation with the remaining balance due one month prior to arrival.  Contact  La Collinette direct to check prices/terms/availability/make a booking. Remember to mention that you are in the 2025 Guernsey Bridge Congress to get the discounts. Telephone: 01481 710 331 or email reservations@lacollinette.com www.lacollinette.com

Please note: Most hotels cannot guarantee check-in times earlier than 3pm.

 Travel to Guernsey

Being an island comes with some travel issues you may not have thought about if you live on the mainland. Bad weather can affect both boat and plane travel so allow yourself sufficient time to get to the Congress. Early bookings of flights usually come with the most generous discounts, whereas late 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) and Blue Islands airlines flying from Manchester, Gatwick, London City, Paris, Dublin and many UK regional airports. In addition there are ferry and airline connections via our nearby sister-island, 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 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. 

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.

Things to do in Guernsey

We like to think we have it all. Great restaurants, natural beauty, 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, or perhaps do your own self-guided walk along the cliffs and coves of Guernsey’s south coast. Sea swimming is very popular year-round at the sea water bathing pools in St Peter Port (GY1 1AX) or at any one of the many beaches around the island. 

If you have longer 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.