EUROPEAN BRIDGE LEAGUE

Anna Maria Torlontano
EBL Women Committee Chairman

Turin, February 2005

For the EBL NBO Officers' Seminar

REPORT ON THE ACTIVITY OF THE EBL WOMEN COMMITTE

Dear friends,

Dear Presidents and Friends, as usual in my reports, I will touch two points regarding the activity of the Women Committee. The first is the past, ..well the recent past! The second, is the future! As you know the Women's sector. specially in some Countries. is a very difficult one. I'll try to summarize the situation.

Our aims are as follows:

• to convince all NBO,s to send their Women Players, representing their Country, to our EBL Championships. We need to increase above all the number of the Teams.
• to try to increase and develop the Women's Bridge in general, specially in the less advanced Countries.

First of all I would like to point out what has been done to date:

In February 2004 I wrote all NBO,s a very long letter touching the most important points regarding the Women's Bridge, like the importance of sending a Women's Team to represent their CountrY in the EBL, WBF Teams Championships, as well as in the University Teams Bridge Cup and also offering suggestions, help like teaching material and program, and advice on how Women can become trained Directors in accordance with the EBL and WBF policy.

I sent a second letter,in which I asked all NBO,s to inform us about the names and functions of the Women who have been appointed to specific positions within the Federations either in the Board. in the Administrative capacity, public relations, etc.. or as teachers or tournaments Directors, to be mentioned in the Rubrica "Women Stars."

In a third letter, I informed the NBO,s about this " Rubrica" that for the moment, appears in the WBF Web-Site, category Women. We have already, as you know, the biographies of Rixi Markus, Dorothy Truscott, and Sabine Auken.

On this subject, you cannot imagine the number of answers that I received, words of appreciation and congratulations.

We are settling now also the EBL Web- Site.

Speaking about the events that we organize in Europe, I can say that frankly I am not satisfied with the number of the Women's Teams participating in the European Women Teams Championships.

Even though the Women Players in Europe are more numerous than the men, the Women's Teams, compared with the Open Teams, are less. I wrote and spoke to the Presidents, stressing the point that within the Olympic Movement all Sports are divided into separate events for Women and Men, and it's very important that the Women Players could have the opportunity to develop within their own field.

I made a specific inquiry above all to the NBO,s who did not send a Women's Team, asking the reason why. The answer, specially from some Eastern Countries, is always the same:

• The budget is not enough to send two teams.
• They have not enough good players to form a National Team.
• Lastly they cannot afford the expense of sending a Women's Team to the European Championship

and to the WBF Championship , twice in the same year.

On this subject, I remember that I had the opportunity to speak in Barcelona with Mike Rosemblum, President of the Russian Bridge Federatrion. He was not so sure, at that time, to send the Women Team to Istambul.He promised me to do his best. Did you see what happened? We had the marvellous surprise that the Russian Wome's Team won the "Venice Cup" I am very proud of them and this means something for all the countries who have some perp0lexity in sending "their Women" abroad!!

Another event that we organize, as you know, is the "European Women Bridge Festival", organized every two years, for the medium-ranked Women Players, not used to play abroad.

As you know, in July 2004, we organized the European Women’s Bridge Festival,in Vienna.

this incredible event ended on Sunday the 25th. I have no words to describe you the happy and warm atmosphere during all the period, the enthusiasm of the players, the friendship born among all of them and the wish to meet again, all together, in a short while.

It was a meeting that all cultured people, who love the beautiful, could not miss!

I try to sum up the most important points:

Number of participants, quite good but not as we expected. About 100 players.

And this was principally because of the dates. For example I had not the usual number of the Italian and French players, because in July, nearly all of them take their holidays with the family.

But Vienna was too "attractive" to renounce the only possibility to go there. We accepted very willingly , after having asked also the Gianarrigo's advice, the warm and persistent invitation of the Austrian Bridge Federation, to hold in Vienna the Women Festival in the same period of their Austrian Festival.

The Individual tournament was held in the most beautiful and new Bridge Club of Vienna.

We had the luck to play the "pairs tournament" in the magnificent and prestigious City Hall- Rathaus. The players were absolutely enchanted. We have never played in a such fantastic venue before. It was difficult not to be emotional!

This "FESTIVAL", as you know, was a Transnational event, extended to the Women Bridge Players from all over the World, with players come not only from Europe but also from Dubai(12)- China (8)- Japan- Iran- India.

Before the "Welcome cocktail", Donna Shiller, President of the Austrian Bridge Federation and myself made a speech. Donna during this event was very kind and friend. In her speech she emphasized the "importance" of the role of the women as players and in the management of Bridge. Austria is the only country, she said, to have two Women as President and Treasurer!!

I wish to say also that my great friend, Maria Teresa Lavazza, was fantastic, once again. She offered me many many gifts for the participants that I displayed on a very big table together with the "cups" offered by the Italian Bridge Federation. Maria Teresa is a very big supporter of my activity for the Women Bridge, and she is always ready to help me. Of course I offered her, on behalf of the Committee, a very prestigious gift. More prizes were also provided by the Austrian Bridge Federation.

We organized in the free time many interesting and pleasant tours in the town and out side, like Shonbrunn castle , Grinzing village, Danube by boat, with professional guides.

Coming back to the Prize- Giving, in my speech, I thanked all the players for their participation and perfect behaviour during the whole event.

Even if I invented the European Women Jamboree or Festival for the medium ranked lady players, in which serious bridge is mixed with a pleasant program, I insisted on pointing out that the principal reason for which this Festival exists is BRIDGE. We work for the Women Bridge, we believe in it, according also to the IOC policy, in which the Women now are much more important in every fields, because, now, Bridge is a Sport.

I added: "You deserve our full consideration". and if we include in this manifestation pleasant and interesting tours and social events, is just to let you enjoy every day your bridge-holiday, taking home with you, at the end, an unforgettable souvenir.

But BRIDGE, I repeat, is always the most important thing for us of the EBL Women Committee, as well as for you, the players!

I continued: José Damiani, President of the World Bridge Federation, created a motto:

"BRIDGE FOR PEACE"

It's exactly what we mean today.

Peace means tolerance, comprehension, understanding, willing to be together with people from different countries, to socialize with them...

FINAL COMMENTS:

-First of all this Festival didn't cost a "penny " to EBL, on the contrary produced a small amount that has

been deducted from the Women Committee budget.

-Second, is that I am sure that this kind of socialization is very productive and stimulating for the future of our organization and then for the increase of the Women Bridge.

-Very briefly, I wish to touch the second point: "the future".

The next event also regarding "the Women", is the "European Open Bridge Championships", which will be held in Tenerife, Canary Islands., in June 2005. A "Women Pairs Championship", will be included in this Championship, Transnational and open to the Players from all over the World.

As in Menton, an "European Cup" and Replicas, will be presented to the first three European Women Pairs, in the general classification, only European, and not transnational, since the European Women Pairs Championships ", held for 8 editions, has been cancelled and included in this megagalactic "Open Bridge Championship".

With this "EUROPEAN CUP" we intend to save the image of the past Women Pairs Championship.

The only difference from Menton, is that, we will present these "CUPS", before the titles and not immediately after. I do hope that this will happen also for the "Open and Seniors Pairs".

Then, also for this reason, we intend to give much importance to this event for Women, even if the EBL will make itself a very big advertising, we intend to produce as usual, our brochure that, together with my personal letter, have been sent to all the women players who participated in the past championships of whom we have the addresses, to the WBF Women Committee members, to the Presidents, Women Delegates, to the Presidents of the Countries belonging to the WBF, as well as in Internet, both EBL and WBF sites, category Women, to the Press and to IBPA Bulletin.

That's all. Thank you for your attention.

Anna Maria Torlontano