Congratulations again to Bc De Lombard. The club won the Champions’ Cup last year but this time, last year’s winning players are representing the Contact Club from Geneva. Their opponents, in this really grand final, were… De Lombard, of course, playing here with Aarnout Helmich, Jacco Hop, Jan Jansma, Rob Lindeman, Dennis Stuurman, Tim Van De Paverd. After a breathtaking final five boards, De Lombard managed to hold on to their halftime lead, albeit by just 3 IMPs. An unexpected defensive mistake on board 28 (from the allotted 32) brought the tension back but when the smoke cleared, the Dutch had survived. Congratulations thus also go to the new winners who can enjoy the Cup one more year in Rotterdam.
The final in the women’s event was less sensational. The Polish Women Champions (Aleksandra Jarosz, Ewa Morawska, Anna Sarniak, Joanna Zalewska, Piotr Koluda captain) took an early lead and never really looked back. At halftime their margin was 18 but in the second half, they added 35 1 to win by a convincing enough 52 IMPs.
Bronze medals go to the Italian-Turkish ASD from Reggio Emilia for the women and to Division Nationale 1 from France for the Open Series.
European Champions Cup podium (Open)
🥇 BC DE LOMBARD
Aarnout Helmich, Jacco Hop, Jan Jansma, Rob Lindeman, Dennis Stuurman, Tim Van De Paverd
🥈 CONTACT CLUB GENEVA
Jacek Kalita, Michal Klukowski, Franck Multon, Michal Nowosadzki, Pierre Zimmermann, Fernando Piedra (captain)
🥉 DN1 CHAMPIONS
Thomas Bessis, Baptiste Combescure, Pierre Franceschetti, Cedric Lorenzini, Quentin Robert, Hilda Setton
European Champions Cup podium (Women)
🥇 POLISH WOMEN CHAMPIONS
Aleksandra Jarosz, Piotr Koluda (captain), Ewa Morawska, Anna Sarniak, Joanna Zalewska
🥈 2024 CHAMPIONS
Sally Brock, Fiona Brown, Helen Erichsen, Diana Nettleton, Nevena Senior, Nicola Smith
🥉 ASD BRIDGE REGGIO EMILIA
Angela De Biasio, Luigina Gentili, Irem Ozbay, Enza Rossano, Luisa Venini, Dilek Yavas, Luisa Venini (captain)
In the B and C groups, the winners were:
Women B: Viking Girls from Norway, beating their compatriots Baro.
Women C: Masa of Magic from Poland.
Open B: BC St. Erik from Sweden
Open C: Premier League Champions from England.
Congratulations to the bronze winners and also to the winning teams mentioned above in the B and C groups.