REIMS – Team Poland has won its third World University Bridge Championship, after 2004 and 2010. For Piotr Zatorski, it is the second time he’s won University gold, since he was also on the winning team in Kaohsiung. He also has a European gold medal from 2009.
Silver went to the Czech Republic, and Bronze to Poland 2. On that team played Jan Sikora, for whom it is the fourth medal in University bridge (he previously won 1 gold and 2 silver). For the Polish Coach, Stanislaw “Bubu” Gołebiowski, it is the first time his teams won two medals, which gives him 11 medals out of 11 championships (Poland did not win a medal at their first appearance in 2002).
When the last day started, Poland 1 had a lead of 16 Victory Points over the Czech Republic, but those two teams would meet in the first of two matches during the day. Poland 1 won their encounter 16-14, virtually guaranteeing them the gold medal in that same round. In the last round, nothing special happened, although both teams had a few scares against nominally weaker opponents.
The WUC Bridge finished with a nice reception in the Mumm champagne house, closing a great championship for everyone involved.
(Source: Herman De Wael, 2012 WUC Bridge Organising Committee)