There were two major surprises at the first knock-out stage, the round of 32, of the mixed pairs event at the European open bridge championships in Menton yesterday.
The powerful Italian Lavazza team, comprised mainly of Italy's five-in-a-row European championship winners, went out 51-54 to the number three Italian side, Canesi. Then the world champions and Bermuda bowl holders, the Meltzer team from the US, were beaten 44-58 by the less- known Welland American side.
Welland, in fact, had failed to survive the early qualifying rounds and got back into the championship proper by winning the Swiss. In a close match, the world seniors champions, Holt, USA, went out to the top Norwegian Brogeland team.
Among the favourites to survive are the Brazilian/USA side with Chagas and Mahmood, the French Quantin, Mouiel and Lemaitre teams and the Danish Schaltz side. Four of the five qualifiers from the Swiss won through to the last 16. In addition to Welland, O'Rourke, USA, the transnational Hauge and the Swedish, Bertheau also came back in through the Swiss. The only British side to get through to the last 32, Michele Brunner, John Holland, Rhona and Bernard Goldenfield, from Manchester, were beaten 51-87 by a mixed Netherlands/Israel team.
The most interesting clashes in the round of 16 are Brogeland, Norway v. Schaltz, Denmark and Chagas v. Mouiel. Registration for the mixed pairs championship takes place today.