2024 Pennant Final
Our Most Successful Pennant Team – Ever
The Victorian Open Teams (Pennant) is our major annual Championship event. Over the years, it has been won by the who’s who of Victorian bridge. Bobby Richman, Charlie Snashall, Ailsa Tandy, Wally Scott, Felicity Beale and the great Victor Champion who won it five times. Jim and Norma Borin were seven-time winners while Dr Ian McCance won it on ten occasions.
Many of our leading current day players also have their names on the honour board, including Pete Hollands, Jeff Fust, Andrew and Justin Mill, Stephen and Danny Sharp, Andrew Macready-Bryan, Jenny Thompson, Jamie Thompson and Di Smart. Some who have enjoyed success on multiple occasions include Keith and Bridgette Kat (4), Jamie Ebery (6), Bob Gallus (7), Leigh Gold (10), Simon Henbest (10) and our one and only Emerald Grand Master, Simon Hinge (an impressive 12 time winner).
Four teams qualify for the playoff weekend. Three teams come through the Pennant playoff event, while the fourth team is the winner of the Country Championship (which in turn is via the regional championships). This year’s country team was the strong Geelong team of Denny Newland, Stephen Lester, Doug Newlands, and Arthur Robbins, who won the Pennant in 2022.
But for all the stars of the past and present mentioned above, this year’s winning team – The Thompson team – were dominant, and what a team they are. Between them they have won 65 Pennants, more than any other team in Victorian bridge history. On this measure, it makes them our most successful Pennant team ever. Ben Thompson (14 wins) was absent in Argentina on WBF duties. His teammates comprised Neil Ewart (4), Dave Beckett (4), Chris Hughes (9), Rob Fruewirth and Bill Jacobs.
- Rob has now taken his tally to 11 pennant wins, trailing only Simon Hinge and teammates Bill and Ben.
- Bill Jacobs win takes his tally to an incredible 23 Pennant titles, a tally that is unlikely to ever be broken.
After two-days of hard-fought bridge, the team celebrated – not with champagne nor prize money – but with the honour of helping pack up the room.
We congratulate this outstanding team.
