Ladies and Gentlemen,

We have now reached the end of the 1998 European Youth Bridge Championships, and, as general conclusion, I believe that you should all be proud for your performance over the last 10 days, whether as a player or an organiser.

Junior Bridge is 30 years old this year. We are glad that it continues to develop and grow as we envisaged from the start, and we are proud that you, today's young players, are able to enjoy a full programme of youth activity, exclusively organised for you. As you know, every even-numbered year in Europe, we run these Youth Team Championships which are the flagship of our programme,. This year we missed some regular participants in the Junior Series but we hope that this is temporary and I am sure we will be able to welcome countries like Belgium, Ireland, Portugal and Switzerland back again next time.

We are still at the beginning of our negotiations with the Polish Bridge Union, but hope that we will be able to host the first Youth Championships of the new millennium in the historic city of Krakow in the South of Poland. I do hope that some of the Eastern countries will find it easier to participate next time, especially if the Championship is held in Poland, a country with very well developed Junior Bridge and geographically very conveniently placed for them.

We know that our friends from Eastern Europe are experiencing difficulties but we also know that they are doing well, progressing fast and hope that they will overcome these difficulties soon. Many countries have a developed schools programme and we are glad that the Schools series, which was inaugurated in 1994 and held here for the third time, has attracted steady participation. We hope that it will start growing from the year 2000 where again the suitable location in Poland will be of help.

The European Youth Championships is not the only Youth event held inour part of the world, of course. Most of you have national Junior competitions in your countries and there are a number of bi-lateral meetings and regional competitions among young people in various areas of Europe. At the European level, we have also our Junior Pairs Competition which, in 1995, was expanded to become a World event and since then has been attracting young players from all over the world. A World Championship traditionally means that an event is reserved for the top players but nevertheless our World Junior Pairs is an event which embraces young players of all levels. It is a massive event which we hope to see even further enlarged. Unfortunately we do not know yet where in Europe it is to be held next year as we are trying to find the best location and offer you the best possible conditions. I would like to ask all of you to consider very seriously your participation in next year's World Junior Pairs.

As you probably know this Championship is followed by the World Junior Camp. What sort of Camp is it? Some may think that it is a Camp with rigid structure, a strict programme and heavy demands on the participants. Those of you who have attended Junior Camps know that it is nothing like this. These are Camps of bridge, fun, and above all Camps of friendship. Many of us have made many new friends in the Junior Camps. Bridge Camps have succeeded in combining a nice, funny and constructive time with new acquaintances. If you are a good player, the Camp is for you. If you are a medium player, the Camp is for you. If you are a novice player, the Camp is for you. I have attended all the camps since the very beginning and I can assure you that hardly have I come across disappointed participants. Last Monday, at the Congress of your National Juniors Officials, I appealed to your Federations to realise the importance of the Camp for Youth Bridge and asked them to try and support as many of you as possible to next year's Camp. Today I turn to you and I say the same. Try your best and do not miss next year's Camp. My dear young friends, the world of bridge is trying its best to offer you whatever would make your bridge career more affordable and entertaining.

To this end, next month, the World Championships which will attract the globe's best players in Lille, France, contains a competition for you. I am sure you have read the details of the Junior Triathlon in the Daily Bulletin. If you have not already made your plans, do so now. It is not too late. Please contact your Federation or even ask us directly if you are interested in a World Competition with no entry fee and with very inexpensive accommodation.

In our Meeting with your National Delegates we had last week, we discussed the problems faced by Junior Bridge today and I believe that we are all better prepared to face future conditions with the experience we gained from listening to one another. The National Juniors' Officials, together with your Captains, your Coaches and so many people in your countries are the ones who help Junior Bridge stay alive and prosper.

Today, however we need to thank a different group of people. I mean the people who worked very hard for more than two years in order to make this Championship the great reality is has been. Everybody has agreed that the Rathaus was the best venue bridge has ever had.

For this reason we must thank the Mayor of Vienna, Dr Michael Häupl, and, of course, the Austrian Bridge Federation headed by its President, Dr Franz Kriftner who not only ensured this venue for us but also assumed overall responsibility for the organisation of the Championship.

The Austrian Bridge Federation did well to call upon a man who has spent his life supporting Junior Bridge to organise the Championship. I am referring to Dr Gavriel Unger who, together with Mr Richard Wehler-Hardt, took the pains of gradually building up, stone by stone, what we have experienced in the last ten days. A good Championship depends on good co-operation between highly qualified international personnel and local organisers.

In this Championship I am happy to say that we really had a great staff, not only at the top but right through to the last back-room boy. I am sure you would like to join me in expressing our appreciation to all these people.

· The Team of Tournament Directors, headed by Chief Antonio Riccardi. Assistant Chief Marc van Beijsterveldt, and the rest of the team, Christian Bernscherer, Jeff Easterson, Dietlind Kelner and Robert Schuster.

· The Chairman of the Appeals Committee, Steen Møller and my good friend and Colleague on the EBL Executive Committee Nissan Rand who helped in the hearings.

· The Hospitality Team headed by Gerhard Schmidt.

· The Main Office Staff under Richard Wehler-Hardt.

· The Playing Room Staff under Erwin Stransky and Gunther Reiter

· The Scoring Team under Wim Hendriks

· The Duplication Team under Jan Boets

· The Line Up Team, Anita Strobl and Marianni Soukup

· The Programme Book Editor, Gunther Purkarthofer

· The Daily Bulletin and Internet Staff under Mark Horton with Patrick Jourdain and Fritz Babsch, Costas Economopoulos and Thanassis Matziaris, as well as the Production Team

· The Technical VuGraph team under Gianni Baldi

· The VuGraph commentators Barry Rigal and Hans Werge

· The Press Room under Hannelore Tomasberger

· And the man who is rarely thanked for successes and unexceptionally blamed for all failures, the Tournament Manager and Director of Operations, Dimitri Ballas.

I would also like to thank my own Committee represented here only by Anna Gudge as the other members were forced to miss these Championships.

We were very pleased at the start of the Championships to welcome Bill Pencharz, President of the European Bridge League. His presence here was revealing of the importance the League attaches to Junior bridge. Unfortunately pressure of work has prevented him from joining us tonight, but he has asked me to congratulate, not only the winners, but all of you for making this such a marvellous event.

We hoped that Mr José Damiani, President of the World Bridge Federation would be able to come to this Closing Ceremony, but sadly he has also sent his apologies. He is unable to join us in Vienna for a very good reason - very good for bridge, that is. Mr Damiani is working to organise a very special Championship, for just six teams, to be held at the Headquarters of the International Olympic Committee in Lausanne immediately after the World Championships. This Tournament is to be held under the auspices of the IOC and Mr Juan Antonio Samaranch, the President of the International Olympic Committee, is to preside over the event.

You will all realise, I am sure, the importance of this to Bridge at all levels, leading, as we are sure it will, to the full recognition of Bridge as an Olympic Sport. I have one final, but most important, group of people to thank. And that is you, the Players, your Captains and Coaches at the 1998 Youth Championships. You have competed in the best traditions of Youth Bridge, showing great sportsmanship, unfailing courtesy and wonderful behaviour. This is our great strength and an example to the world outside Junior Bridge. Juniors who were here before you have every reason to be proud of you. Juniors who follow you will know that you upheld all the standards that we have come to recognise as such an important part of our game.

Thank you for coming, thank you for your sportsmanship, thank you for your support. I wish you a safe journey home and look forward to seeing you again soon. Thank you very much.