LJUBLJANA – The 3rd European Universities Bridge Championship concluded on 6 October with an exciting Closing Ceremony at the Hotel Uvala Scott in Kraljevica, Croatia. Over 70 participants representing 10 universities from 8 countries took part in this year’s edition of the event. In this championship a special, non-competitive team also took part, Rijeka II. The team consisted of high school students which joined the championship as the 12th team, which helped in avoiding any imbalances in the schedule and to promote bridge amongst students and within EUSA.
The opening took place on 1 October, attended by Mr Haris Pavletic, President of the Organising Committee and EUSA Executive Member; Mr José Savoye, EUSA Executive Committee Member in the role of EUSA Representative; Mr Geert Magerman, EUSA Technical Delegate for Bridge; Mr Harry Van De Peppel, European Bridge League Representative; Mrs Snježana Prijić-Samaržija, representative of the University of Rijeka and Mr Sven Pal, Chairman of the Student Council of University of Rijeka.
The main organizer of the event, held under the umbrella of EUSA, with the contribution of the Croatian University Sports Association, Bridge Sport Club Opatija and the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality Management in Opatija was Rijeka University Sport Association. The Association has good experience in organizing EUSA events – 7th European Universities Volleyball Championship in 2007, 6th European Universities Handball Championship in 2011. In the upcoming years the Association will host the FISU World University Bridge Championship in 2014, the 4th European Universities Taekwondo Championship in 2015 and be a local partner in the 3rd European Universities Games in 2016.
Medal Podium
In the finals of the team competition, the title of champions went to Wroclaw University of Technology I (POL), winning a thrilling final match against the University of Potsdam (GER). In the pairs’ competition, the title of champions went to Roman Kowalewski and Lukasz Nierzwicki from the Gdansk University of Technology (POL).
Medals and awards were presented by Mr José Savoye, EUSA Executive Committee Member in the role of EUSA Representative and Mr Haris Pavletić, President of the Organising Committee, otherwise also EUSA Executive Member. Also attending were Mr Geert Magerman, EUSA Technical Delegate for Bridge; Mr Harry Van De Peppel, European Bridge League Representative and Mr Marko Žunić, EUSA Technical Commission Vice-Chair and the Organizing Committee Vice-President.
At the medal awarding ceremony, the biggest applause was given to the Wroclaw University of Technology I from Poland, winning the gold medal at the 3rd European Universities Bridge Championship.
All teams are warmly welcomed to join the next European Universities Bridge Championship, with the EUSA flag passed to the next organizer in 2015 – the University of Warsaw, Poland.
More info can be found at www.bridge2013.uniri.hr and www.eusa.eu.
(Source: EUSA)