25th - 27th August 2026, Cairn Hotel, Harrogate
Northern Midweek Congress
- a mid-week bridge competition in Yorkshire!
Cairn Hotel, Harrogate, 25th - 27th August 2026
TD in charge: Jonathan Lillycrop
The Northern Midweek Congress is a lovely mid-week bridge competition, this year we will be returning to the Cairn Hotel in Harrogate. Historically a very popular congress held in Harrogate in late Summer, the event is again being run by Oliver Cowan in partnership with the EBU.
Jack-High Swiss Pairs (5 x 5 board matches)
Aimed at players with an NGS of no higher than 56.99% and run over 2 sessions in the afternoon, the entry fee for this event includes a fantastic afternoon tea for all competitors in the break.
Open Pairs (24-26 boards subject to movement)
A Blue Pointed duplicate session open to everyone, being played on the Tuesday evening and suitable for all.
Swiss Pairs (6 x 8 board matches)
Starting at 12:30pm, there will be 3 matches before the break, where players will have the option to pre-order afternoon tea to be taken in the hotel restaurant or players are free to go out into Harrogate if they prefer. There will be 3 more matches after the break with play aiming to finish by 7:30pm, allowing people to go into Harrogate for the evening or travel home.
The Swiss Pairs is part of the Pairs Player of the Year Award.
Swiss Teams (6 x 8 board matches)
Starting at 11am, there will be 2 matches before the break, with an optional meal, which is a 2-course sandwich lunch. This will be followed by 4 matches after lunch with a short coffee break after match 4, with a planned finish time of no later than 6:30pm, allowing plenty of time for trains back to London (and elsewhere!).
To enter
By entering an EBU congress or event you agree to abide by the terms and conditions set out in the Terms and Conditions document.
This event is being run by Oliver Cowan on behalf of the EBU, entries should be made directly with Oliver at ocbridgecomps@gmail.com.
Payments should then be made to:
Sort Code: 20-76-92
Bank Account: 13206572
Bank Account Name: Oliver Cowan Events Ltd
Holders
2025
Swiss Pairs - John Troiano & James Thrower (picture)
Swiss Teams - Ollie Burgess, Alice Coptcoat, Jason Hackett & Maria Whelan (picture)
Open Pairs - Athena Chow & Tom Copeland (picture)
Jack High Swiss Pairs - Jane Holdrick & Sue Wright (picture)
| Day | Start Time | End Time | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| TUE 25 | 13:30 | 18:00 | JACK-HIGH SWISS PAIRS |
| 19:30 | 22:30 | OPEN PAIRS | |
| WED 26 | 12:30 | 15:30 | SWISS PAIRS (matches 1-3) |
| 15:30 | 16:30 | Break | |
| 16:30 | 19:30 | SWISS PAIRS (matches 4-6) | |
| THU 27 | 11:00 | 13:00 | SWISS TEAMS (matches 1-2) |
| 13:00 | 14:00 | Lunch Break | |
| 14:00 | 18:30 | SWISS TEAMS (matches 3-6) | |
| Coffee Break after match 4 |
| Code | Event | Price 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| A | Open Pairs & Both Green Point Events | £75 |
| B | Green Point Swiss Pairs | £35 |
| C | Green Point Swiss Teams | £35 |
| D | Both Green Point Events | £67.50 |
| E | Open Pairs | £10 |
| F | Jack-High Swiss Pairs | £30 |
Master Points
Both Tuesday events are Blue Pointed.
Wednesday & Thursday events are Green Pointed.
Agreements
Level 4 agreements are permitted in all events.
Jack-High Swiss Pairs are Blue Pointed at Regional scale.
Venue and Tariff
2026
The venue in 2026 will be the Cairn Hotel in Harrogate. There will be free tea, coffee, biscuits and sweets throughout.
Rooms should be booked with the venue. Call the hotel for prices. Hotel phone number: 01423 504005.
Please note: Most hotels cannot guarantee check-in times earlier than 3pm.
Previous Winners
2025 results
2024 results
2023 results
2022 - event not held
2021 - event not held
2020 - event not held
2019 Northern Midweek Congress results
2018 Northern Midweek Congress results
2017 Northern Midweek Congress results
2016 Northern Midweek Congress results
2015 Northern Midweek Congress results
2014 Telford Midweek Congress results
2013 Telford Midweek Congress results
Previous winners at the congress