Indonesia sets sights on 2001 Bermuda Bowl trophy
Indonesia sets sights on 2001 Bermuda Bowl trophy
JAKARTA (JP): After its defeat in the final to defending
champion France in the 10th Bridge Olympics on Greece's Rhodes
Island Saturday, Indonesia is now setting its sights on winning
the 2001 Bermuda Bowl men's team championship at home.
The Indonesian Contract Bridge Association's secretary-
general, Frans Waleleng, told The Jakarta Post yesterday the
target was fixed as soon as the World Bridge Federation, in its
meeting on Oct. 23 on the Greek island, announced that Indonesia
is to host the biennial event's first competition in the new
millennium.
When asked why Indonesia set such a long-term target instead
of a short-term one, Waleleng said the association, considering
the current ability of its players and the tough opposition from
China and Chinese Taipei, concluded that it would take Indonesian
players at least five years to snatch the bowl.
"Now that we've managed to be runners-up in the Bridge
Olympics, which was too good to be true, we might be able to
seize the bowl next year. But we do not want to be too
optimistic, " Waleleng said.
He added therefore that five years was more realistic given
that the association hopes to generate enough money to send its
representatives to the world's major bridge tournaments, as China
has done.
"We can take China as a model. It was bottom-placed in the
Bermuda Bowl championship in 1982 in Bangkok, finished somewhere
in the middle one year later in Hong Kong, was second to us in
1984 in Macao and became champion in 1985 in Sydney," he said.
A bridge observer and former national player, Januar Dt.
Majolelo shared Waleleng's view about the victorious year, but
emphasized to the national bridge body of the importance of
regeneration.
"We can still expect the services of the likes of Eddy Manoppo
and Henky Lasut in the next five years. But given that
Indonesians are prone to run out of steam at the last minute, we
badly need more back-up players," Januar said.
He criticized the association's failure to set up a nationwide
grooming program. Citing an example, he said that the association
had wasted the Jakarta Bridge Institute, built by the Jakarta
sports governing body in 1975.
Indonesia finished seventh after winning twice, drawing once
and losing once -- and severely -- to eventual champion the
United States in the quarterfinals of the last Bermuda Bowl in
Beijing, China, last year. It was Indonesia's best finish ever
since it first took part in the championship in 1982.
Next year's Bermuda Bowl takes place in Hamamed, a resort just
outside Tunis, starting on Oct. 8. To qualify, Indonesia has to
finish at least second in the championship's Asia Zone qualifying
tournament in May in Hong Kong. (arf/amd)