WORLD BRIDGE FEDERATION

January 2006

Report on the WBF Women's Committee

Anna Maria Torlontano, Chairman of the WBF Women’s Committee, reports that a very successful and positive meeting of the Committee was held in Estoril, at which in addition to the Committee members she was delighted to welcome Esther Sophonpanich, President of Zone 6, from Thailand. Dianne Marler, President of the South Australia Bridge Federation has been appointed to the Committee as the representative of Zone 7 and Di Adrain, President of South Africa has been appointed as a second representative for Zone 8 to work closely with Lily from Egypt in the development of this large Zone. The current committee members are: Anna Maria Torlontano, Chairman, Zone 1; Joan Gerard, Vice Chairman, & Barbara Nudelman, Communications Director,,  Zone 2; Ernesto d’Orsi, Zone 3; Rehana Saigol, Mazhar Jafri & Yasmin Abu Jaber,  Zone 4; Mimi Bernazzani, Zone 5; Tadayoshi Nakatani, Esther Sophonpanich & Lilian Sun/Chen Zelan,  Zone 6; Dianne Marler, Zone 7; Lily & Diana Adrain, Zone 8; Secretary: Anna Gudge

Anna Maria said that each Zone had presented reports to the Meeting, which had outlined how the development of women’s bridge was progressing in those areas; it was noted that there has been greatly improved communication between countries and individuals and a far more positive attitude to the role of women within bridge.

The Committee was delighted with the progress of the Women’s area on the WBF website (at www.worldbridge.org/categories/women) which is developing well and has a lot of interesting and useful information about Women’s Bridge. Some of the Zones are looking at organising a Women’s Festival along the same lines of the one organised within Europe, which was felt to be a very successful way of introducing players to an international event.

It was agreed that special prizes should be awarded to the highest ranked Women’s Pair from each zone in the 2006 World Wide Bridge Contest, with WBF Year Points also being awarded to these pairs.

Anna Maria would like to thank most warmly all those who are working so hard for the development of Women’s Bridge throughout the world.