The Venice Cup is a biennial world championship contract bridge tournament for national of women. It is contested every odd-number year under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation (WBF), alongside the Bermuda Bowl (open), Wuhan Cup (mixed), and d'Orsi Bowl (seniors). Entries formally represent WBF Zones as well as nations, so it is also known as the World Zonal Women Team Championship, one of three World Zonal Team Championships.World Championships . World Bridge Federation (WBF). Retrieved 2011-12-04.40th World Teams, Information. It was first contested in 1974 as one long match between two teams and has been concurrent with the Bermuda Bowl from 1985.
The Venice Cup is also the name of the trophy awarded to the winning team. It was donated by Italy when Venice hosted the inaugural contest.
The most recent event took place in 2023 in Marrakesh, Morocco.. 46th World Bridge Team Championships, WBF. Retrieved 2023-09-07.
Structure
See a description of the identical "Senior Bowl" structure or a detailed account of the 2011 event (below)
1937 world championships
Austria won the first world teams championships in both open and women categories, conducted 1937 in Budapest, Hungary.
They were organized by the International Bridge League, essentially the predecessor of both the European Bridge League (est. 1947) and the WBF (1958). World War II practically destroyed the IBL and its nascent world championship tournament series. With Austria the leading nation at the card table, the 1938 Anschluss of Germany and Austria was a great disruption. The leading bridge theorist and mentor, Paul Stern was an outspoken opponent of Nazism who fled to England that year.
Another 1938 refugee from Austria to England, Rixi Markus (born Erika Scharfstein) was a member of both the 1937 champions and the 1976 Great Britain team that was defeated by the United States for the second Venice Cup.Rixi Markus player record at the World Bridge Federation.Rixi Markus (1910–1922) biography at the World Bridge Federation.
Historical results
China is the only bridge nation outside Europe and the United States to win the Venice Cup. Following its third-place breakthrough in 1991, China finished second in 1997 and 2003, and third in 2007, before winning in 2009.
Every Venice Cup tournament has run alongside the Bermuda Bowl except in 1978, which was not a Bermuda Bowl year. Before 1985, however, the Open tournament was more frequent; from that time they have run together in odd years.
United States teams won the first three championships and they have won 10 of 17 including six as one of two USA teams.
The first two "tournaments" were head-on matches between representatives of North America and Europe, like the Bermuda Bowls of 1951 to 1957. The next two were open to one team from every WBF geographic zone. From 1985 the Venice Cup and Bermuda Bowl have run side-by-side in odd years, expanding together from 10 to 22.
Prior to the inaugural Venice Cup, there had been four Olympiad tournaments for women contested 1960 to 1972. The winners had been United Arab Republic, Great Britain, Sweden, and Italy. (After losing the first Venice Cup tournament in 1974, Italy would defend its Olympiad title in 1976 and lose the third Venice Cup in 1978.) (The United States won the first three Venice Cups 1974/76/78 but did not win any early Olympiad tournament.)
Year, Site, Entries Medalists 197420th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1974. WBF. May 20–28
Venice, Italy
2 teams 1. USA Bette Cohn, Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Truscott, Betty Ann Kennedy, Marietta Passell, Carol Sanders 2. Italy Marisa Bianchi, Luciana Canessa, Rina Jabès, Maria Antonietta Robaudo, Anna Valenti, Maria Vittoria Venturini 197622nd World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1976. WBF. May 2–8
Monte Carlo, Monaco
2 teams 1. USA Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Truscott, Betty Ann Kennedy, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Carol Sanders 2. Great Britain Charley Esterson, Nicola Gardener, Fritzi Gordon, Sandra Landy, Rixi Markus, Rita Oldroyd 197824th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1979. WBF. The Venice Cup tournament whose standings are listed here was not conducted alongside the 1979 Bermuda Bowl as this source implies, but one year earlier as part of the "5th World Championships", as the meet is now known. (Select the name of any Venice Cup team.) That non-Olympic even-year series originated in 1962 as the "World Pairs Olympiad". June 17–30
New Orleans, USA (separate from Bermuda Bowl)
5 teams 1. USA Mary Jane Farell, Emma Jean Hawes, Dorothy Hayden Truscott, Marilyn Johnson, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss 2. Italy Marisa Bianchi, Luciana Capodanno, Marisa D'Andrea, Enrichetta Gut, Andreina Morini, Anna Valenti 3. Argentina María Teresa de Díaz, Adriana C. de Martínez de Hoz, Maria Elena Iacapraro, Marta Matienzo, Clara Monsegur 198125th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1981. WBF. October 19–30
New York City, USA
5 teams 1. Great Britain Pat Davies, Nicola Gardener, Sandra Landy, Sally Sowter, (Maureen Dennison, Diana Williams)* 2. USA Nancy Gruver, Edith Kemp, Betty Ann Kennedy, Judi Radin, Carol Sanders, Kathie Wei 3. Brazil Agota Mandelot, Sylvia Mello, Elisabeth Murtinho, Suzy Powidzer, (Maria Lena Brito, Alice Saad)**
* Dennison–Williams in 1981 did not play enough boards to qualify for the title of World Champion ** Brito–Saad in 1981 did not play enough boards to qualify for third place
The third and fourth Venice Cup tournaments welcomed one team from each WBF geographic zone. On both occasions there were entries from Europe, North America, South America, and South Pacific; they were joined by Asia in 1978, Central America and the Caribbean in 1981. All of the entries were national teams, listed here by zone. 1978: Italy, USA, Argentina, Australia, Philippines 1981: Great Britain, USA, Brazil, Australia, Venezuela Except for USA ahead of Italy in 1979, those were also the final standings. (Under the same rules, there were six teams in the 1979 Bermuda Bowl tournament because Asia and CAC both participated. A second team from Europe was added in 1981.)
1985
The fifth Venice Cup was not until 1985, when the two tournaments were permanently joined side-by-side in odd years with the same structure (like the Olympiad tournaments established in 1960). Since then, the numbers of teams entered have been identical except once.
For 1985 the champion teams from Europe and North America were granted slots in the 4-team semifinal knockout. One representative from every other zone, the host country team, and second teams from Europe and North America, played round-robin for the other two semifinal slots. As for all three renditions under that format, five other zones participated (not yet Africa) and there were ten teams in the field. 1985 Venice Cup, final standings Great Britain (Europe 2) USA 1 (North America 1) France (Europe 1) Chinese Taipei (Pacific Asia) USA 2 (North America 2) Australia (South Pacific) Argentina (South America) Brazil (host country) Venezuela (Central America & Carib.) India (Asia & Middle East)
Year, Site, Entries Medalists 198527th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1985. WBF. Oct 19–Nov 2
São Paulo, Brazil
10 teams 1. Great BritainPat Davies, Sally Horton, Sandra Landy, Nicola Smith, (Michelle Brunner, Gillian Scott-Jones)* 2. USA 1 Betty Ann Kennedy, Jacqui Mitchell, Gail Moss, Judi Radin, Carol Sanders, Kathie Wei 3. FranceDanièle Allouche, Véronique Bessis, Ginette Chevalley, Fabienne Pigeaud, Catherine Saul, Sylvie Willard 198728th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1987. WBF. October 10–24
Ocho Ríos, Jamaica
10 teams 1. USA 2 Cheri Bjerkan, Juanita Chambers, Lynn Deas, Beth Palmer, Judi Radin, Kathie Wei 2. France Danièle Allouche, Véronique Bessis, Hélène Bordenave, Ginette Chevalley, Bénédicte Cronier, Sylvie Willard 3. Italy Marisa Bianchi, Luciana Capodanno, Marisa D'Andrea, Carla Gianardi, Gabriella Olivieri, Anna Valenti 198929th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1989. WBF. September 9–23
Perth, Australia
10 teams 1. United States Kitty Bethe, Lynn Deas, Margie Gwozdzinsky, Karen McCallum, Beth Palmer, Kerri Shuman 2. Netherlands Carla Arnolds, Ellen Bakker, Ine Gielkens, Elly Schippers, Marijke van der Pas, Bep Vriend 3. Canada Francine Cimon, Dianna Gordon, Mary Paul, Sharyn Reus, Gloria Silverman, Katie Thorpe 199130th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1991. WBF. Sep 29–Oct11
Yokohama, Japan
16 teams 1. USA 2 Nell Cahn, Stasha Cohen, Lynn Deas, Sharon Osberg, Nancy Passell, Sue Picus 2. Austria Gabriele Bamberger, Maria Erhart, Doris Fischer, Terry Weigkricht, (Rosi Spinn, Britta Widengren)*** 3. China GU Ling, LIU Yiqian, SUN Ming, ZHANG Yalan, (SHAOMIN Shi, WANG Liping)**
1991 to date After 1989, the championship fields were expanded from 10 to 16 teams. European and North American zones were granted four and three slots respectively, without special treatment for any. (The American Contract Bridge League allocated two places to United States teams and one to the winner of a playoff, if necessary.)
1991 Venice Cup participants by zone Europe: Austria, Germany, Netherlands, Great Britain (1st to 4th in Europe) North America: USA 1, USA 2, Canada South America: Argentina, Venezuela C. America & Carib.: Martinique Asia & Middle E.: India Pacific Asia: China, Chinese Taipei, Japan (host) South Pacific: Australia Africa: Egypt
All three teams from Pacific Asia advanced to the quarterfinal knockout stage, a very strong performance. China became the first team from outside Europe and the Americas to win a medal.
Through 1993, United States teams won seven and Great Britain two.
Year, Site, Entries Medalists 199331st World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1993. WBF. Aug 29–Sep 11
Santiago, Chile
16 teams 1. USA 2 Karen McCallum, Jill Meyers, Sharon Osberg, Sue Picus, Kerri Sanborn, Kay Schulle 2. Germany Daniela von Arnim, Karin Caesar, Marianne Mögel, Pony Nehmert, Waltraud Vogt, Sabine Zenkel 3. Sweden Lisbeth Åström, Pyttsi Flodqvist, Linda Långström, Catarina Midskog, Bim Ödlund, Mari Ryman 199532nd World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1995. WBF. Oct 8–20
Beijing, China
16 teams 1. Germany Daniela von Arnim, Sabine Auken, Pony Nehmert, Andrea Rauscheid, (Karin Caesar, Marianne Mögel)* 2. USA 1 Karen McCallum, Kitty Munson, Sue Picus, Rozanne Pollack, Kerri Sanborn, Carol Simon 3. France Véronique Bessis, Claude Blouquit, Bénédicte Cronier, Catherine D'Ovidio, Colette Lise, Sylvie Willard 199733rd World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 1997. WBF.1997 World Bridge Championships contemporary coverage, 1997. WBF. Oct 19–Nov 1
Hammamet, Tunisia
18 teams 1. USA 1 Lisa Berkowitz, Mildred Breed, Marinesa Letizia, Jill Meyers, Randi Montin, Tobi Sokolow 2. China Gu Ling, Lu Yan, Sun Ming, Wang Wenfei, Zhang Yalan, Zhang Yu 3. USA 2 Juanita Chambers, Lynn Deas, Irina Levitina, Beth Palmer, Kerri Sanborn, Kathie Wei 200034th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 2000. WBF.Orbis World Bridge Championships contemporary coverage, 2000. WBF. January 7–21
Southampton, Bermuda
20 teams 1. Netherlands Jet Pasman, Anneke Simons, Martine Verbeek, Bep Vriend, Marijke van der Pas, Wietske van Zwol 2. USA 1 Renee Mancuso, Jill Meyers, Randi Montin, Shawn Quinn, Janice Seamon-Molson, Tobi Sokolow 3. Denmark Trine Bilde Kofoed, Dorte Cilleborg, Bettina Kalkerup, Kirsten Steen Møller, (Mette Drøgemüller, Charlotte Koch-Palmund)** 200135th World Team Championships: Results & Participants, 2001. WBF.World Bridge Championships contemporary coverage, 2001. WBF. Oct 21–Nov 3
Paris, France
18 teams