players got underway at the Southampton Princess over the weekend with the Charity pairs event.

In a field of 152 pairs victory went to Shirley Stanton and Pat Elmendorf from Texas with Mexican internationals Nancy Lira and Miguel Reygadas finishing second.

Section placings (locals): First -- David Ezekiel, Jean Johnson; Molly Taussig, David Sommer; Penny Garrison, Laura Young. Second -- Janice Trott, Audrey Abbott; Lynn O'Neill, Audrey Smith; Shirley Leach, David Barber; Des and Tracy Nash, Charles Hall.

The Regional continued on Sunday with the first of the Championship events, the Masters and non-Masters pairs, played over two sessions in the afternoon and evening.

In a field of 170 pairs, the Masters was won by Dorothy and Henry Francis from Memphis, Tennessee with Bermuda's Peter Willcocks and Jean Johnson, a long time Island resident now living in London, taking second place.

Bermuda internationals Ernie Owen and Bill Souster finished sixth with Jack Rhind and Colin Moran placing ninth.

In the non-Masters, split into A & B divisions outright winners were Theo Long and Nelly Pollack from North York, Ontario. Bermuda's Gordon Russell and Penny Garrison placed fourth in the A division with Gerry Rech and Wendall Brown taking fourth in the B division.

Section placings (locals): First -- Jean Johnson, Peter Willcocks; Bill Souster, Ernie Owen; Magda Farag, Pat Hayward; Des and Tracy Nash; Pat Colmet, Laura Young; Gordon Bussell, Penny Garrison; Edna Clay, Ann Sims.

Second -- Sue Jones, Enid Hyland; Ian Harvey, David Perreira; Lynn O'Neill, David Sommer; Catherine Griffen, Sybil Strong.

Qualifying matches for the finals of the Bermuda Bowl were also played at the weekend between Canada, Mexico and Bermuda. After a three-way round robin, Bermuda met Canada in the decider with the Canadians emerging triumphant and thus booking their ticket to the finals in Beijing, China later this year.

The Venice Cup for ladies teams, played along the same lines, ended with a similar result with Canada defeating Mexico in the decider.