Individual Silver and Bronze plus team Gold and Bronze for GB fencers at GLL Camden International

(Front page image courtesy of Bronagh Miskelly)

It was a good day for GB fencers, Jessica Corby (Salle Ossian) and Maria Chart (Truro Fencing Club) at the GLL Camden Cadet Sabre International on Saturday 31^st January as they put in medal winning performances.

Both girls emerged from the first round poules with five victories from five fights with Chart ranked fifth and Corby ranked seventh.  Their solid starts earned each fencer a bye through the round of 64.  Chart then went on to beat Serafino (ITA) 15-7 and Saricam (TUR) 15-14 before losing to Lucarini (ITA) 15-7 putting her into the repechage.  A comfortable 15-7 victory over German fencer, Laux secured her berth in the quarterfinal.  Meanwhile Corby beat Polastri (ITA) 15-4, Psofaki (GRE) 15-12 and Arpino (SUI) 15-6 to join her teammate.

Both fencers guaranteed themselves medals as Chart beat her club mate, Caitlin Maxwell 15-12 and Corby defeated Lea Laux 15-11.  In the semi-finals, Chart faced Lucia Lucarini again and could not get the better of her, going out 15-8.  It was a different matter in the other semi-final as Corby progressed after her opponent, Maria Chouri (GRE) had to withdraw through injury.  Corby started the final well going 3-1 up but her Italian opponent adjusted her attacking approach and led 8-6 at the break.  Lucarini made light work of the second period and confidently took the title with a 15-8 victory.

Speaking about her gold medal winning performance, Lucia said; “After losing in last year’s semi-final in Camden I worked extremely hard with my coach for this event.  I think the competition in London is the best on the circuit!  My goals now are to win the European Championships and then the World Championships.”

Maria said; “I was fencing really well all day and felt it was great preparation for the Cadet Europeans.  I’ve been training hard to peak for this competition and the hard work paid off so I’m really pleased.”

Speaking about her silver medal, Jessica added; “Before today my best result at a cadet international was sixteenth so to finish second here was a great improvement.  Being in front of a home crows really helped me and the atmosphere at the event was brilliant.”

As well as Caitlin Maxwell’s top eight finish, Chloe Halliwell showed promise by finishing sixteenth in the girls event.

Whilst there were no British medallists in the boy’s event, Caspian Watt (Shakespeare Swords) made the quarterfinal, finishing eighth and Eden Amsalem (Camden Fencing Club) took fifteenth place.

The boys final was an all-French affair as Quentin Vervoitte beat Fabrizio Scisciolo (ITA) 15-9 in the first semi-final and Elliott Bibi defeated Alberto Arpino (ITA) 15-6 in the second semi-final.  The gold medal match began with both fencers intent on attacking their opponents with Vervoitte getting the better start.  Bibi levelled things up at 5-5 before Vervoitte took an 8-6 lead into the break.  With no coaching for either fencer in the break it was Vervoitte who returned to the piste with a change of tactics.  His more patient approach and increased variety saw him take the gold medal, 15-9.

A humble Quentin Vervoitte spoke after the event; “It was a cool match with my teammate and I was pleased to win.  Next for me is the European Championships in Maribor.”

It was a double medal-winning day on Sunday for the teams from Great Britain.  The boys beat Bulgaria 45-36 and then Greece 2 45-36 before losing 45-25 to France.   They went on to beat Germany 45-35 to secure the bronze medal.  The girls team did even better taking the gold medal after beating Bulgaria 45-32,  a combined team from Belgium and Iceland 45-29 and then Romania 45-35.