Women’s Sabre World Cup – Dakar

The weekend’s action began in Dakar, Senegal with Alice Watson representing Great Britain in a field of 101 fencers.

Watson won two of her five first round fights that meant that she made the preliminary knockout stages.  She met Olena Voronina (UKR) and the Ukrainian fencer knocked her out.

It proved to be a tough event for some of the more established names on the international scene with Ibtihaj Muhammad (USA) going out in the round of 64 and her teammate, Mariel Zagunis falling in the round of 32.  The gold medal fight between Olga Kharlan (UKR) and Charlotte Lembach (FRA) was as exciting as it gets.  Kharlan went on to that the title, winning 15-13, cementing her status as the World’s number one in her weapon.  The bronze medals went to Ilaria Bianco (ITA) and Anne-Elizabeth Stone (USA).

In the team event Kharlan (UKR) led Ukraine to victory, beating Italy 45-35 in the final.  Korea defeated the USA 45-39 to take the bronze medal.

GB placing:  Watson 69^th.   

Full individual results here.

Full team results here.

Women’s Foil World Cup – Budapest

Catherine Cook, Natalia Sheppard and Catriona Sibert were part of the 146-strong field taking part in the individual event in Hungary at the weekend.  All three made the preliminary knockout stages with Cook winning three of her six fights, Sheppard winning three from five and Sibert taking two victories from five fights.  Sibert’s day was ended by Ito (JPN) in the first preliminary knockout, 15-8.  Cook beat Balogh (HUN) 15-11 whilst Sheppard’s first round performance earned her a bye.  Massialas (USA) prevented Cook from making the second day, beating her 15-4 but Sheppard got the better of Matsumoto (JPN), 10-7, to make the round of 64.  The world number nine (at the time), Jeon (KOR) stood in her way.  A valiant effort in the first two periods from Sheppard meant that it was all to fight for in the final three minutes.  Jeon’s experience came through as she went on to win 8-5.

Unsurprisingly, there were two Italians in the final match but not the ones you might expect.  Valentina Cipriani edged the match 15-13 over Alice Volpi.  Arianna Errigo (ITA) and Hyun Hee Nam (KOR) took the bronze medals.

Great Britain did not take part in the team event as Italy went on to beat Russia 45-40 for the gold medal.  France beat Poland, 45-37, for the bronze medal.

GB placings:  Sheppard 57^th, Cook 90^th & Sibert 104^th.

Full individual results here.

Full team results here.

Women’s Epee World Cup – Leipzig

Corinna Lawrence and Francesca Summers represented Great Britain in Germany, joining a massive field of 208.  Both Lawrence (V4D2) and Summers (V3D3) made the first round cut but both were knocked out, 15-14, in the first preliminary knockout by Schuenke (GER) and Suhrbier (GER), respectively.

The title went to Violetta Kolobkova (RUS) who beat Yana Shemyakina (UKR) 15-4 in the final.  Man Wai Kong (HKG) and Emese Szasz (HUN) took the bronze medals.

Great Britain did not take part in the team event.  Hungary stormed to the win, beating Russia 45-29 to take the gold medal.  China beat Estonia 45-41, to take the bronze.

GB placings:  Lawrence 81^st & Summers 128^th.

Full individual results here.

Full team results here.

Men’s Sabre World Cup – Madrid

A field of 198 took part in this event where Great Britain was represented by Soji Aiyenuro, Matthew Clarke, Alex Crutchett, James Honeybone, Thomas Mottershead and Maiyuran Ratneswaren.  Clarke (V0D6) and Ratneswaren (V1D5) did not make the first round cut but Aiyenuro (V4D2), Crutchett (V4D2), Honeybone (V3D3) and Mottershead (V3D3) did.  Crutchett was unlucky to draw Pillet (FRA) in the first preliminary knockout and lost 15-11.  Aiyenuro beat Ocinski (POL) 15-14, Honeybone saw off Williams (USA) 15-7 and Mottershead won 15-7 against Nikolic (AUT).  British interest ended in the second preliminary with Aiyenuro going out 15-12 to Medard (FRA), Honeybone 15-10 to Moreno (ESP) and Mottershead 15-6 to Ciari (ITA).

Junghwan Kim (KOR) won the gold medal beating Csanad Gemesi (HUN) 15-11 in the final.  The bronze medals went to Tiberiu Dolniceanu (ROU) and Diego Occhiuzzi (ITA).

In the team event Great Britain were narrowly beaten 45-41 by Spain in the round of 32.  Korea took the gold medal by thrashing the USA 45-25.  Hungary beat Russia, 45-25, for the bronze medal.

GB placings: Aiyenuro 83^rd, Honeybone 88^th, Mottershead 92^nd, Crutchett 105^th, Ratneswaren 181^st & Clarke 188^th.

Full individual results here.

Full team results here.