Fine N.Z. bridge play in world event

Press, 11 October 1982, Page 6

Fine N.Z. bridge play in world event

Special correspondent

Two Auckland contract bridge players. Jan Cormack and Kathy Boardman, formerly of Christchurch, have qualified for the final of the women's championship at the tournament of the world Bridge Federation in Biarritz. France.

In a field of 240 pairs and after four days of intensive competition. Mrs Cormack and Mrs Boardman were twenty-first in a programme that gave the 40 top pairs a further two days' play at the week-end for the world title.

The merit of their ranking cannot be exaggerated from a New Zealand standpoint. Moreover. there are storybook elements in their achievement.

The world pairs championships. open and women's, are staged every four years. Mrs Cormack and Mrs Boardman are the first New Zealand women to compete. But their partnership is of less than 12 months' standing, for Mrs Boardman moved to Auckland at the beginning of this year. They travelled to France

at their own expense.

The final qualifying scores were close. Jacqui Mitchell: and Gail Moss, of the United States, were top, with an average of 58 per cent. The New Zealanders' score represented 55 per cent. In coming twenty-first, Mrs Cormack and Mrs Boardman were comfortably ahead of some illustrious names in world bridge. Kathy Wei and Judi Radin. of the United States, the titleholders from 1978, were 61st.

Dorothy Haden Truscott, the world's highest ranking player in Master points, and her partner, were 50th and the veteran Rixi Markus, of England, twice a winner of the title in partnership with Fritzi Gordon, was 35th.

Jacqui Mithcell and Gail Moss were leaders almost throughout the qualifying rounds and are favourites for the title. But wherever Mrs Cormack and Mrs Boardman finish, they have the satisfaction of qualifying in a world championship at the first attempt and of greatly enhancing New Zealand's status in the tournament game.