The ABF has been invited to send, and intends to endorse, an Under 31 Team to the 18th World Youth Bridge Teams Championship to be held at Palazzo dei Congressi, Salsomaggiore Terme, Italy from 31st July – 9th August 2020.

ABF support to the endorsed U31 Team will be limited to providing Australian team uniforms, standard travel insurance coverage, and payment of the entry fee only. i.e. the endorsed team will be substantially self-funded and will need to meet the cost of all airfares, ground travel, accommodation, meals, etc. Note the ABF understands Friends of Youth Bridge is prepared to contribute $4000 towards expenses which will be solely for the benefit of the team members and not a non-playing captain.

Eligibility
All players nominated must be eligible to play for Australia as per the ABF’s Eligibility to represent Australia Policy.
In addition to the other requirements requested by the WBF Eligibility Code and Rules & Regulations, each player in the Under 31 Series must have been born on or after 1st January 1990.

Selection
Teams wishing to nominate for this event need to lodge an expression of interest with the ABF Secretary abf_secretary@live.com.au no later than close of business on 27 March 2020. This should include the names of all proposed team members, together with choice of self-funded playing/ nonplaying Captain (ABF relationship restrictions will not apply in this case).

If more than one team applies selection will be made based on PQP’s earned for the 2020 playoffs with points earned as a partnership being doubled (teams of 5 may double PQP’s for 2 partnerships only). For this calculation points earned in Women’s events shall be added to, and will rank equally with, points earned in Open events. In the event that total team PQP’s are tied then the team with the highest number won in partnership (and therefore doubled) will qualify. Notwithstanding this selection criterion there is no requirement for players to have earned any PQP’s.

The ratification of members of a team, or indeed a decision not to send a team, is at the sole discretion of the ABF MC.

For further information about the championships refer http://championships.worldbridge.org/salsomaggiorewytc20 and
http://championships.worldbridge.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/2020WYBTC1stInformationLetter.pdf