KEY POINTS:
A team from Norway has won the world championship of bridge in Shanghai, China this weekend.
New Zealand teams, meanwhile, showed some early promise but failed to make the final stages of the tournament.
The event was held under the auspices of the World Bridge Federation (WBF).
After a number of runner-up and third-place finishes in recent times, Norway came through strongly in the Open final to defeat their opponents from the USA by a comfortable margin.
Norway is a country with a population similar to New Zealand's, but their success on the world stage comes from the fact that bridge is a very popular activity in that country.
Perhaps the climate in Scandinavia makes a card game like bridge such an attractive alternative to outdoor pursuits!
In the womens' world championship event, USA won over Germany - the Germans' third appearance in the biennial final since 2000 (they won in 2001).
USA completed a very strong tournament at Shanghai by also winning the Seniors event ahead of Indonesia.
New Zealand had representative teams in all three categories.
Our women's squad turned a few heads right at the start of the tournament, two weeks ago, by racing into an early lead ahead of all the more fancied opposition.
However, this great start was pegged back as the event wore on, the women eventually finishing mid-field.
The New Zealand Open and Seniors teams both finished well off the pace.
NZ teams at the world champs: (finishing place in brackets)
Open (20th)
David Ackerley, Scott Smith, Alan Grant, Anthony Ker, Jeff Miller, Graeme Stout. Captained by Richard Solomon.
Women (14th)
Jan Alabaster, Jan Cormack, Christine Gibbons, Jenna Gibbons, Shirley Newton, Jenny Wilkinson. Captained by Alan Turner.
Seniors (21st)
Mike Cornell, Vivienne Cornell, David McLeish, Stanley Abrahams, Douglas Russell, Trevor Robb. Captained by Jonathan Westoby.
