The 2014 Cadet and Junior World Championships continued on Friday, 5^th April, in Plovdiv, Bulgaria with the preliminary stages of the Cadet Men’s Foil and Cadet Women’s Sabre events.  With each event split over two days, thirty-two fencers in each event progressed through to the round of 32 which took place on the following day.

Cadet Men’s Foil

With a total of 119 entries, John Feaster (V0D5) did not make the first round cut but Daniel Kiss (V4D2) did.  He went on to beat De Greef (BEL) 15-14 and then Sokolov (RUS) 15-9 to make the second day of the event.  There, he faced eventual quarter finalist, Files (CRO) and was beaten 15-3.

Despite a slow start from Guillaume Bianchi (ITA) in the first semi-final, he only trailed Anddrzej Rzadkowski (POL) 7-8 at the first break.  The Polish fencer pulled away, making the gold medal match by winning 15-8.  A bullish George Haglund (USA) took the second semi-final 15-10 over Enguerrand Roger (FRA) with an impressive tactical performance.

In the final Rzadkowski employed very long distance to counter Haglund’s excellent ability at close quarters. A variety of long attacks and stop-hits put him in a commanding position at 7-2 up just half way through the first period.  Despite a valiant comeback from the American, Rzadkowski became the 2014 Cadet Men’s Foil World Champion 15-7 with a superior game plan.

GB placings: Kiss 30^th & Feaster 110^th.

Full results here.

Cadet Women’s Sabre

Three British women were entered into this tournament joining a field of 82.  They all made the first round cut and progressed through the incomplete round of 128 with byes – Laura Gladdish (V3D3), Caitlin Maxwell (V5D1) & Isabel Turnbull (V2D4).  In the round of 64 Gladdish defeated Colon (PUR) 15-6, Maxwell beat Nanobashvili (GEO) 15-12 but Turnbull lost 15-6 to Zahonyi (HUN).  On the second day of the event Zahonyi (HUN) beat Gladdish 15-6 and Matuszak (POL) defeated Maxwell 15-9 in the round of 32.

Eunhye Jeon (KOR) lost the first semi-final in agonizing style on a red card for starting early against Julieta Toledo (MEX) with the scores tied at 14-all.  A one-sided second semi-final saw Alina Moseyko (RUS) defeat Misaki Emura (JPN) 15-10 with a fantastic display. 

In the final, the number one seed, Toledo, started slowly and fell 3-1 behind Moseyko.  She suddenly sprung into life and the Russian was only able to score once more before Toledo took the fight into the break at 8-4 with a number of her trademark blocking counter-attacks.  In the second period and at 8-11 down, Moseyko went on a stunning five-hit attacking comeback to lead 13-11 before the Mexican fought back to level at 13-13.  The momentum was still with the Russian though and a long attack followed by an opportunist continuation saw her take the World Championship title 15-13.

GB placings: Maxwell 18^th, Gladdish 31^st & Turnbull 57^th.

Full results here.

The first Junior Men’s individual events in Women’s Foil and Men’s Sabre conclude tomorrow.