Shock exits of fancied teams continued in the round of sixteen of the mixed teams event at the European Open Bridge Championships in Menton yesterday.
First the strong Chagas team, comprised of players from Brazil and the US and including Zia Mahmood, were beaten 36-70 by the French Mouiel squad. Then the French Quantin side went out to the mainly Italian Soroldoni team. It was not so much the defeat of the French side which was the surprise as the size of the Italians' victory, 111 points to 17. Soroldini, who has the legendary Benito Garozzo in the side, is now fancied to go all the way.
Another impressive winner was the Danish Schaltz team which disposed of a good Norwegian, Brogeland, team, 72-51. Playing with Dorothy Schaltz are Lars Blakset and the world's leading husband and wife partnership, Sabine and Jens Auken. The biggest surprise perhaps was that four of the five teams which failed to qualify in the preliminary rounds but which later got back in through the Swiss repechage survived the round and are now in the last eight.
They are Welland and O'Rourke US, Bertheau Sweden and Hauge, a team of six, mainly Scandinavians, but with young Scottish internationals, Susanne Cohen and Paula Leslie.