Winter Summit: Ending the year on a high note
✨ The 2025 Winter Summit, the last BP1000 tournament of the year, kept all its promises. A not-to-be missed event on the Funbridge calendar, this high-level tournament brought together 3,589 bridge players in the qualifiers, before seeing 947 finalists compete for the title and end 2025 on a high note.
With 10 times more Bridge Points up for grabs, the players were under maximum pressure: their performances were rewarded, the tension was constant, and the climb to the top was worthy of winter summits 🏔️. Let’s take a look back at this edition and a particularly high-level final!
Summary
Qualifiers: a demanding selection phase
Qualifiers: an uncompromising climb 💪
The 2025 Winter Summit qualifying phase attracted 3,589 participants, all determined to secure their place in the final and try to receive 10 times more Bridge Points for the last time this season.
For these qualifiers, 100 tournaments were available, with each player allowed to participate in as many as they wanted, and selected based on their 5 best scores, in order to achieve a minimum average of 60%.
👉 In total, 947 players made it to the final, i.e. around 26% of participants. This proportion perfectly illustrates the high level of this end-of-year BP1000.
Here are the top 10 players in the qualifiers:
Final: the last summit to conquer ✨
Open only to qualified players, the Winter Summit final gathered 947 bridge players in an intense and hard-fought competition.
In the final, the eligible players competed in 8 tournaments of 20 deals, and the final rankings were established based on the cumulative scores.
Here are the top 10 players in the final:
A final with a prestigious line-up ⭐
The 2025 Winter Summit final brought together a particularly strong line-up: national team members, Funbridge personalities, young talents, and content creators. A true concentration of high-level bridge to end the year on a high note!
🏅 Champions in contention
- Luc Bellicaud (French Junior team) very close to the top with 60.09%
- Jérôme Rombaut (French Open team) with a solid 58.35%
- Sabine Auken (German World Champion) who shone again with 57.34%
- Ewa Morawska (Polish Women’s team) with 56.80%
- Colin Deheeger (French U31 World Champion)
- Vincent Gallais, aka Galesh (staff member), who played a very solid single tournament with 61.12%
- Several young French players took part: Élise Nugues, Wilhelmine Schlumberger (Girls team) and Nao Tabata (Junior)
🎥 Streamers
- Dominique Fonteneau (France)
- BridginWithKai (USA)
- Wilder_Bridger (Germany)
- Ozikiewicz (Poland)
2025 Winter Summit top 3
🥇 Julien Bernard (France) came out on top in the last BP1000 tournament of the year with a very high-level performance and a score of 63.35%, earning 1,264 Bridge Points. One of France’s best players confirmed his status by winning this final hands down after 160 deals.
🥈 Milan Macura (Czech Republic) came second with 61.44%. A Funbridge ambassador and well-known figure on the Bridge Points Circuit, he remains consistent in major events.
🥉 Marcel Simeoni, aka marcesim, completed the podium with an average of 60.42%, a great achievement in a particularly competitive final.
Congratulations to the top 3 players, who perfectly reflect the high standards and prestige of the BP1000 events!
Interview with Julien Bernard, winner of the 2025 Winter Summit 🎙️
How did it feel to win this event?
I’m really very happy to have won this tournament, especially since there were some great players involved. It was my very first BP1000, and I found it really fun… I’ll definitely be playing again!
Any anecdote about this BP1000?
Throughout the whole tournament, my girlfriend asked me every night what I was doing on my phone for so long. Well, 160 deals obviously take a while!
Any advice for BP1000 participants?
Take a break after two bad deals. It helps you start again with a clear head, keep cool… and play better afterwards!
Now is your turn!
Here’s a great deal about getting forced selected by Julien. Can you take 10 tricks?
You will see our winner’s score at the end of the deal, along with his detailed comments!
What do you like about Funbridge?
What I love is that you can play against players from all over the world—sometimes even the best—while staying comfortably at home. It’s incredibly convenient, and it gives you access to a very high level of play.
What’s your bridge journey?
I started in secondary school, in a club at lunchtime. And since then, bridge has become my job. I really enjoy teaching and passing on my knowledge. I joined the French Junior team quite early on, and I was lucky enough to become European Junior Champion in 2013. More recently, I was also crowned European Open Vice-Champion in 2023.
What do you like about bridge?
I like the depth of the game and the fact that you’re always learning. That’s what makes it so exciting: you’re always improving, whether you’re competing or teaching.
Thank you to all the participants 🩵
A huge congratulations to the 3,589 participants in the qualifiers and especially to the 947 finalists who made it to the top of the 2025 Winter Summit.
💬 We would love to get your feedback:
- What did you think of this edition?
- Which moments impressed you?
And of course, see you very soon for new competitions on Funbridge!
