Regionals in northwestern Iowa may not produce thousands of tables. But, if you are looking for non-stop hospitality, warmth, and people that love bridge in a small town atmosphere, then the Spirit Lake Regional is the place to be! Last week, all of it was on display, as players from around the Midwest and beyond enjoyed KO's, pair events and a Sunday Swiss.
Betty Runkle, chairwoman of the tournament, worked tirelessly to make certain that the venue was as good as possible. Her daughter flew in from Florida to help - and help she did! We were supplied with daily treats, sodas, pizza and more. The directing staff, as always, did a fine job, too.
The stars of the tournament were Judy and Phil Schwarz, of Lakeville, MN. They started out with a couple of thirds in pairs and a compact KO, then surged ahead to win the next compact KO, regular KO and the Sunday Swiss Teams. 
Judy and Phil's team on Sunday performed especially 
stupendously. Along with Paul Meerschaert and Mike Cassel of MN, they ended up earning 106 victory points out of a possible perfect 120! Pretty impressive! To see how all of the field did throughout the week, check tournament results here.
Saturday between sessions, District 14 held a board meeting. Minutes will be posted from this meeting when they are available.
Our thanks to the fine folks from the Spirit Lake area, to Betty Runkle, her daughter and all the many volunteers who made this warm and friendly tournament possible.
And please enjoy more photos of everyone who came to the Spirit Lake 09 Regional below!
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