The little-discussed SPORT ACCORD SLATES (in Beijing 2011)
I was shocked to not see any mention of the above on our blog sites (but I easily could have missed it). It is basically a distant cousin to the Olympic games (the mind games for which Jose Damiani has been actively pursuing a place for bridge for several years and asked everyone to send their BEST PAIRS). Travel expenses and full board accommodation will be paid by the sponsoring organization, including business class air travel. The teams invited:
Open Event — China, Italy, Norway, USA
Women’s Event — China, England, France, USA
Players to arrive December 8th or 9th
Opening ceremony 12/9 evening
Closing ceremony 12/16 late afternoon
The USBF has been asked to send an Open team and a Women’s Team. Rumors were flying but the word on the street (unconfirmed) was the first three choices (MECKWELL; LEVIN/WEINSTEIN and GRECO/HAMPSON turned the invitations down for their own personal distinct reasons). In the Women’s Group LYNN DEAS and BETH PALMER accepted without consideration – and are quite deserving. The remaining two open spots for the women’s and all three pair vacancies for the Open will be decided by ballot. Players in the 2010 USBC and 2009 USWBC received an email asking for an expression of interest in competing and indeed they did.
SPORTACCORD OPEN SLATE
Gloria Bart
Les Bart
Steve Beatty
George Jacobs
David Berkowitz
Alan Sontag
Peter Boyd
Steve Robinson
Drew Casen
Jim Krekorian
Mark Cohen
Milt Rosenberg
Doug Doub
Adam Wildavsky
Fred Gitelman
Brad Moss
Matthew Granovetter
Pamela Granovetter
Jiang Gu
Xiaodong Shi
Bob Hamman
Ralph Katz
MIchael Kamil
Roy Welland
Kyle Larsen
Rose Meltzer
Michael Rosenberg
Chris Willenken
Fred Stewart Kit Woolsey
SPORTACCORD WOMEN’S SLATE
Cheri Bjerkan
Rozanne Pollack
Mildred Breed
Marineza Letizia
Disa Eythorsdottir
Betty Ann Kennedy
Margie Gwozdzinski
Kathy Strauch
Irina Levitina
Kerri Sanborn
Linda Lewis
Pam Wittes
Karen McCallum
Sywia McNamara
Shawn Quinn
Migry Zur Campanile
Janice Seamon-Molson
Tobi Sokolow
Schedule:
Date Event 10:30/ 19:30 Open Women
10th Teams double round robin 3×16 4 teams 4 teams
11th 3×16
12th Final & playoff 3×16
13th Pairs 12 pairs 12 pairs
14th
15th Individual 24 players 24 players
16th 10:30/14:00
17th Departure
Prizes:
Total 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th 6th 7th 8th
Open teams $66,000 30 18 12 6
Open Pairs 44,000 10 8 7 5 4 3 2 1
+1000 for best each session (total 4,000)
Open Individual 30,000 8 6 5 4 2 1/2 1 1/2
+1000 for each best session (total 3,000)
Open total $140,000
Women teams $60,000 24 18 12 6
Women Pairs 30,000 8 6 5 4 2 1
+1000 for each best session (total 4,000)
Women Individual 20,000 6 4 3 2 1/2 1 1/2
+1000 for each best session (total 3,000)
Women total $110,000
(METHOD OF CHOOSING OF TEAMS) USBF BOARD TO CHOOSE NOMINEES FOR SPORTACCORD EVENT AND YOU CAN ALSO APPLY YOURSELVES. Those finishing high (1st and 2nd in last two years’ NABC team games, etc.) are eligible to vote.
It shall be interesting to see who makes the teams. To some (professionals who turned it down for individual personal reasons – it amounts to diddly squat compared to their regular professional fees although that was not necessarily reason for the refusals). IT DID COME AT A BAD TIME – one week after the Seattle NABCS. To others it is both the honor and the money. The question is who will get the nod. Can’t wait to see what they come up with!!!! In any event, I hope the selectees make us proud.
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Had no clue what you were talking about. I don’t go on the USBF site so was completely in the dark. Some famous names — some not so famous. It’ll be an interesting result when posted.
Thanks for sharing. You’re always on the ball.
I thought January 31st they would be announced and then I read February 11th.
What’s the holdup?
RUMOR FROM GOOD SOURCE (but unofficial) says the teams
will be (OPEN):
David and Alan
Brad and Fred
Bob and Ralph
The WOMEN’S (ALREADY DECIDED WERE BETH AND LYNN) and Irina and Kerri and Janice and Tobi were added.
Certainly a team we can be proud of! Good luck to the U.S. contingent.
As Gabriel Heater (news correspondent during World War II) used to occasionally start his radio show 60+ years ago: “There’s good news tonight”.
It seems there appears to be strength in quality and numbers, particularly so when very good, usually experienced bridge players, like used here to vote. as well as the Hall-of-fame electors, have something to say about choosing.
If the two slates chosen for the Sports Accord tournament this December are indeed accurate it would be difficult for anyone to argue. Although there is one completely new partnership (of the five chosen) the results come as close to feeling warm and fuzzy, especially if the best representatives are the main objective. At least to me is for our picks to be world class (or close), substantially ethical (slam dunk), and experienced enough to ward off evil spirits during the adversity which is sure to rear its head during the event.
The women partnerships who were in the running for being selected were, on a competitive basis, even more qualified than the open ones, since the two pairs to be chosen along with Beth and Lynn were pretty much the cream of the crop, both for individual prowess and for partnership experience.
Kudos are certainly in order for this particular challenge and although, I doubt seriously that our open team would be rated to finish any higher than third, they are nevertheless an able team for all of us to root for. At least, in my opinion, the womens team will be among the favorites so before I get carried away, let us all look forward to following the progress next December on BBO.
Again thanks to the electors, we had a nice, clean selection process which augers well for future selections, when need be.
Bobby:
It is nice to know that some elections such as choosing important teams or voting for the Hall of Fame are determined by merit, rather than influence, general politics or God forbid just money.