There will be a new Bermuda Bowl champion in 2007. A team from South Africa that barely qualified for the quarter-final round pulled one of the biggest upsets in the history of the event on Monday, defeating the powerful Italian team 184.7-167.

South Africa’s next challenge will be USA 1 in the semi-final round, while Norway and the Netherlands play in the other match. South Africa earned the final qualifying spot on the last deal of the round robin and, with their carryover, stormed out to a 95.7-36 lead after two sets in their head-to-head with the defending Bermuda Bowl champions.

Italy rallied to close the gap, and they actually took the lead during the deciding sixth set, but South Africa regained the lead on board 27. Swings on the last two boards accounted for most of the final margin.

There was also drama in the Venice Cup as France survived a 50-6 loss in the fifth set of their match with USA 2 to emerge with a 179-178 win. Semi-final matchups in that event will pit USA 1 against China Global Times and Germany against France.

In the Senior Bowl, USA 1 came from behind against France in the final two sets to win relatively easily. They will face USA 2 in the semi-final, while Brazil and Indonesia tangle in the other match.

Also on Monday, the Transnational Open Teams got under way with nearly 150 teams. Scores and team rosters will be published in Wednesday’s Daily Bulletin.