Team Canada at the 2013 Bermuda Bowl

Greetings from beautiful Bali, Indonesia. This is one view as we walk from our hotel lobby toward the beach. Awesome!

Call us crazy, but we truly are here for the bridge!

Canada’s entry in the 2013 Bermuda Bowl is a mix of young(ish) and old(ish), Easterners and Westerners, male and female, first-timers and past-timers. The team members are Judith and Nicholas Gartaganis, Daniel Korbel, Jeff Smith, Paul Thurston, Darren Wolpert and NPC Hazel Wolpert.

There is quite a time difference between Bali and Canada. As we post this message, it is just coming up 3:00 p.m. Monday afternoon. If you are in Ontario, it is nearly 3:00 a.m. in the morning Monday and for you Albertans, it is past midnight, heading toward 1:00 a.m.

Everyone arrived safely and smoothly several days ago (except for Hazel who landed on Saturday). We have used the lead-up time to relax and enjoy many of the sites and activities to be found on the island. The most amazing thing about Bali is the people. We have been welcomed warmly and everyone is exceedingly polite, helpful and happy (they do live in paradise, after all).

But it will soon be time for us to get down to business. The Captain’s meeting takes place in two hours, with the Opening Ceremonies scheduled for 8:00 p.m. tonight at the Nusa Dua Convention Center.

The team wishes to thank our sponsors for their generosity. We very much appreciate the financial support received from the Canadian Bridge Federation, Ron Zambonini, Master Point Press, Unit 192 (Eastern Ontario and Outaouais), Unit 166 (Ontario), ACBL District 18 (WASUMI) and Hazel’s Bridge Club in Toronto.  

We also wish to acknowledge the incredible coaching support provided by Eric Kokish and Beverly Kraft, who invariably go far beyond what is required to help any Canadian player with a desire to tap their skill and experience in preparation for the competition.