International Teams

We congratulate the 2015 Open, Women and Youth Teams to represent us at the Asia Pacific Championships in Bangkok, and prospectively at the World Championships later in the year:

Open:
M.Courtney-P.Wyer, N.Griffiths-L.Milne, G.Ware-M.Wilkinson.
NPC TBD.

Women:
M.Bourke-S.Lusk, C.Ginsberg-B.Travis, V.Biltoft-L.Fuller.
NPC D.Appleton.

Youth:
Renee Cooper-E.Pattison, S.Williams-J.Thompson, S.Harrison-M.Henbest.
NPC N.Griffiths (APBF Championships), J.Williams (World Championships)

(The Senior Team will be selected in March.)

International Teams Selection Schedule

The Management Committee has endorsed the previously published Tournament Committee proposal to move forward the dates of the Open, Womens’, and Seniors Playoffs for 2017 onward. For the playoffs to select the 2017 teams, the tentative dates are:

Open:                        12th November 2016

Women’s/Seniors’:      3rd December 2016.

Note that 2016 will contain two Playoffs, and that the PQP cycle for the 2017 representative year will end with the 2016 Hans Rosendorff Teams.

The dates for the playoffs to select the 2016 teams will be advised in the usual way as part of preparing the 2016 Calendar.

National Directors

We are delighted the ranks of National Directors have increased. Dave Parham (WA), Chris Snook (QLD) and Sebastian Yuen (ACT) have been appointed National Directors, Level 3. Congratulations to all three of them.

Recent Events

January/February is a very full part of the tournament calendar. We are pleased particularly with the continuing success of the Summer Festival of Bridge and the Gold Coast Congress – despite the impact of Cyclone Marcia in the latter case. It is good to see an overseas team from Indonesia won the Gold Coast Open Teams, illustrating how attractive our events are to overseas visitors.

Marketing Initiatives

The Management Committee has asked the National Marketing Officer, Sandra Mulcahy, to prepare a presentation targeted at club managers/administrators on ways to increase membership and participation etc.

Pianola Bridge Club Management Software

James Ward of Pianola (http://www.pianola.net/) and his Australian agent, John McIlrath, gave a demonstration of the Pianola software. It aims to assist with membership management, email marketing, and presentation of results to players. Managers or committees of clubs may wish to see whether this product could be of value to their clubs and members.

Liaison with NZCBA and WBF Zone 7

The ABF and other South Pacific representatives meet annually as the Zone 7 Committee (representing the South Pacific Zone of the World Bridge Federation). It was confirmed the Zone 7 Championships will be held during the APBF Championships in Bangkok in May 2015.

ABF Privacy Policy

The ABF privacy policy was adopted. It will be published at https://www.abf.com.au/privacy/

Event Licencing

Licences are being drafted for the Australian National Championships (from 2016), and the planned Canberra in Bloom Bridge Festival. This will put these events on the same contractual basis as other ABF licenced events.

Future Meetings

The MC welcomes feedback and suggestions on the above matters or other subjects. The next ABF meeting is the Annual General Meeting on April 18-19, 2015.

ABF Management Committee:

Bruce Neill (President), Allison Stralow (Secretary), Roy Nixon (Treasurer),
Dallas Cooper, Simon Hinge (MC Members)
Russel Harms (General Counsel), Keith McDonald (President Emeritus)
Jane Rasmussen (Executive Secretary)
3 March 2015.