At the North American Bridge Championships in Providence, Rhode Island an Australian team of Sartaj Hans, Peter Gill, Nabil Edgtton and Michael Whibley from New Zealand have beaten the Top seeded USA Nickell team in the Spingold event.
In a thrilling win the Australians led all the way but had to withstand a nerve wracking finish to win 104 to 97. The Australians were a four man team against the six person USA team over a gruelling 12 hour day. The Australian team are all aged in their 30s and 40s to beat a far more experienced team that arguably are the best in the world.
The final round was screened on Bridgetv.com.au with Sophie Ashton, wife of team member Sartaj Hans, giving a typically highly emotional Australian commentary after getting her kids off to school. Sophie is a champion bridge player herself winning many tournaments including last week being in the winning Open Interstate Team in the Australian National Championships held in Adelaide.
Two other young Australians, Liam Milne and Andy Hung, are in the American Bramley team including the legendary Bob Hammond, has also won its first two matches. Ian Thomson the Treasurer of the ABF says “Bart Bramley has been a supporter of younger bridge players for many years and now to the benefit of two outstanding younger Australian players”.
Liam said on the Australasian Bridge facebook page “Huge result from the boys today. Historic”. Sophie, who I thought was going to have a heart attack from the tension and emotion said “so exciting for Australian Bridge”.
Ironically, the two teams now play each other tonight in the knockout competition but it does mean that either four(including one NZ) or two Aussies go forward into the Quarterfinals.
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