Impressions from the players

This is what some of them think before the event gets underway.

Mabel Bocchi

Norberto Bocchi´s sister and press attachée of the Italian Bridge Federation

Our team is in a quiet mood. They are realising what they are worth but they are staying humble. It will be 50-50 between Italy and Poland.

Federica Zorzoli, assistant to the treasurer, is very reluctant:
What I have to say is not for publication…

Ghigo Ferrari, the tournament manager, realises he has to use his forces economically:
Looking at the length of the corridors here, I brought my electric bike from Italy to move around here in the hotel.

Guido Ferraro. Member of the Italian Open Team

Mathematically, we will be first…but I have always been bad at mathematics.

Jean-Paul Meyer, Chief Rama Commentator

Tenerife reminds me of one of my happiest memories about the Vilamoura championships in 1995. We all have joined forces to make the event as comfortable as possible for both players and officials. The battle for the gold will be between Italy and Poland, the other medal candidate will be Francew, Norway and Bulgaria.

Laurens Hoedemaker, 2nd EBL Vice President, is prepared for everything:

If necessary, we will all be volunteering to carry boards from one table to the other.

Maria Luisa Bondia, on-site organiser, remains confident:
With all the problems we have had, the only thing I can say today is Good Luck!

Marinella Canesi, Italian Ski Champion, is travelling through empty space:

I lost 50% of my luggage at the airport, as well as my system book; if she would lose her partner now, she should be able to win!

Panos Gerontopoulos, the Internet supervisor, shows great optimism:

Our website is completely new; we are going to perform miracles!

Paola and Antonella, Lavazza girls:

Each of us will be serving 300 cups of coffee a day. We will not have time to see the sun or to go to the beach. What a pity…

As Françoise Hardy said: Here I am, planted in front of my machine…

Philippe Soulet and Michel Abécassis, members of the French Open Team:

In the end we managed to select a French team in which there are no problems…

Sanda Enciu, Tournament director, is looking at life from the rosy side:

How wonderful to be all united in the same hotels. With the explosion of e-bridge and internet, you get the impression that the family gets bigger…

Sundseth per Bryde, NPC Ladies Norway, thinks she is at a horse racing track:

I am going for the management strategy. I will field the same team as at the recent Nordic Championships; they finished only third there because they were saving their energy to finish first here in Tenerife.

François Colin
Scorer of the French Team

He really is a vintage scorer now. He saves the hands played in his database of hands (containing about 8000 championship hands by now) and uses them when teams need a training program…

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