Junior team trials
picks young pairs

The complicated process of selecting two U.S. teams for the World Junior Team Championships next year in Australia advanced a step when Andrew Hurd-Tim Crank and Noble Shore-Charlie Garrod finished first and second, respectively, in the Junior Team Trials.

The finish guarantees that they will be on one of the two U.S. teams, but one of the pairs could be selected to play with the first team – John Hurd, Joel Wooldridge, Joe Grue and John Kranyak. If so, the second team will be the top two remaining pairs from the trials. In third place were Brad Campbell of Smyrna GA and Jason Feldman of Champaign IL.

Should the first team select a pair not in the top three of the trials, Hurd-Crank and Shore-Garrod will be the second team. They will select a captain and choose a third pair from among the competitors in the four-session event which concluded Sunday. Team lineups will be announced at a later time.

The event started with 22 pairs in a qualifying stage and 16 pairs in a two session final. It was conducted under the auspices of the United States Bridge Federation.

Hurd, 22, of Charleston SC, just graduated from the College of Charleston with a degree in business administration. Crank, 23, of Wheaton MD, is a part-time tournament director.

Shore, 23, lives in Charlottesville VA and is a grad student in computer science at the University of Virginia. Garrod, 25, is also a grad student in computer science, at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.