The successful launch of the World Junior Camp in Ghent ‘95 and its sequel Sportilia ‘97, set the ground for the establishment of a most important event. Accordingly, the WBF Youth Committee is proud to announce that the 3rd World Junior Bridge Camp will take place in Nymburk Sports Centre, Nymburk, Czech Republic, 12-20 July 1999.

Junior Bridge Camps have existed in Europe for over 20 years now, and played a very important role in the development of the game among young people. Camps do not mainly address the champion players but the lesser mortals; they aim at helping young people make new friends, and strengthen ties already developed between older friends, under the umbrella of their common hobby. In the Camps there are very few rules, but many possibilities open to those who wish to take them. Many great players, including some of today’s World Champions, started their careers as shy participants at the European Camps where the rule has been that whoever joined once, came back again and again.

The WBF is happy that, with the cooperation of the European Bridge League and the support of the American Contract Bridge League, many obvious difficulties in the establishment of a World Junior Camp were overcome and the first events of the series proved such an astonishing success. This year we expect an even greater success and we wish to thank the Czech Bridge Federation for undertaking to host the event.

We hope that all Zones and NBOs will back the World Junior Camp by advocating it to their Junior players and by supporting them, financially and otherwise, to participate. It may not be obvious, but as the concept of the Junior Camp spreads around the world, so will bridge itself!

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