Clare Coles

Our President

Clare remembers learning bridge as an eight year old in a tent in Italy; and it quickly became a family favourite.  In the following years other hobbies took over and it wasn’t until the family moved to Te Miro about 25 years later that she learnt the game properly with her friend Lauren under the expert tuition of Marie Davis. They were taught “5 card majors” and she recalls grappling with the bidding system and agonising over how to play hands for some time. Indeed on her desk she still has  the sobering reminder, in form of framed results, of when one year she came bottom! She pottered along for a number of years while her two boys were young children, at that time being the youngest member in the club for at least five years.  It wasn’t until Jane joined the club and wanted to accelerate her learning that Clare picked up her act and knuckled down to improving her game but most importantly at the same time enjoying the sport and bringing others along on her journey to Grow the Game of Bridge.

Clare continues to work hard both at her Bridge and is active and dedicated in promoting Bridge throughout New Zealand, her most recent achievement being elected to the NZ Bridge Board.

Her hard work improving her Bridge resulted in Clare and her partner Kevin winning the  Open Swiss Title at the National Congress in 2016 and the WAPS in 2017. 

Cambridge is lucky to have such a dedicated and talented player leading our club.