The United States women regained the Venice Cup championship last night, defeating a powerful China team, 249-184. The match was close most of the way, but the American came on very strong over the second half of the match.

Meanwhile the French Bermuda Bowl team opened up a 50-IMP lead on the United States after 128 boards. The Americans have only 32 boards left in which to overcome that lead. The United States II team are the defending champion, and France won the World Team Olympiad last year. (Since the big news is about the Venice Cup champions, we will devote most of our space tonight to that event.)

"I beat David," exulted Lisa Berkowitz, who was winning her first world championship. Her husband David is one of the highest ranked players in North America. "I'm the first one in my family to win a world championship - but I won't be the last," said Lisa.

"And I beat Fred," said Marinesa Letizia, who was winning her second world gold (McConnell Cup in 1994). Fred is her very close friend Fred Stuart, another major star in the American sky. Marinesa led a toast to their captain, Sue Picus. "It really was a great team effort," added Marinesa. I've never been on a team that worked so well together."

"Winning a gold is a helluva lot better than winning a bronze," said Mildred Breed. "No doubt about it - this is the highlight of my bridge career." "This is a lot better than Yokohama," said Randi Montin, who was fourth in the Venice Cup in 1991. This was her first world title, although she also won the Pan American Championship. "I'm thrilled. I've never been so excited," said Tobi Sokolow, who also is a first-time winner. She also was highly impressed by the team's solidity.

Jill Meyers was supremely happy at being a champion again. She won the Venice Cup in Chile in 1993. Picus, the non-playing captain, said this is the toughest of the five world medal she has won. She has won two Venice Cups and the McConnell Teams, and she also was second in the Venice Cup in Beijing two years ago. There's one more person on the team - a Tunisian they adopted. Wejdane Majeri was their recorder, and she was so friendly and helpful that the team adopted her as their team mascot. The team insisted on Wejdane joining them for the picture-taking. The team appeared before the vugraph audience after winning. The applause as they entered the vugraph room was deafening.

Joan Gerard, a WBF representative from the United States, presented each woman with a bouquet of flowers. Then four other North American representatives - Cecil Cook, Dan Morse, Virgil Anderson and George Retek - joined Joan in presenting each member of the team with a glass of champagne to celebrate.

Meanwhile the Chinese team for the second straight year had to resign themselves to finishing second. One of the pairs, as they met their teammates to compare scores, said in unison, "I'm sorry." Nevertheless the Chinese put on a courageous exhibition. They have definitely proven that China has become a world power in bridge.

Burgay has a 57 IMPs lead in Transnational final

The team captained by Krzsztof Jassen has a 57 IMP edge and will play 32-boards more today against the team captained by Leandro Burgay in the Transnational Open Teams. Jassen defeated Hanna, 67-66, and Burgay eliminated Gardynik, 76-44. Gardynik will be awarded the bronze medal because they finished higher in the Swiss standings than Hanna.