Organisers of this year's Bermuda Regional Bridge Tournament have voted it a success, with first time visitors making up 40 percent of those attending.

The event was heavily marketed overseas for the first time, and the plan appears to have worked.

Organiser Edna Clay said the foreign publicity blitz was designed to ensure there was no fall off in numbers caused by the event being switched from regular venue, the Fairmont Southampton Princess, to the Sonesta Beach Hotel.

The change in venues was due to renovations at the Southampton Princess.

The week-long tournament, which finished on Saturday, attracted competitors from the United States, Canada and Bermuda.

In the final session of flighted teams, overseas players took all the prizes.

But a local team of Jean Bath, Edna Clay, Tony Saunders and Charles Hall finished runners-up in the B flight.

William Pollett, Dick Meredith, Stuart McKellar and Maurice Spencer were second in the C flight.

Former World Champion Mike Passell from Texas won the Maude Lines trophy for the player with the most points in the tournament.

The Normal Bach trophy for the local player with the most masterpoints went to Vera Petty and Roman Smolski, who player together all week.

Dick Meredith was the local non-master who won most points.

Last year, Bermuda hosted the Orbis World Bridge Championship, with hundreds of top class players from around the world competing.