Davis shines as USA medal in Belgium and Spain
This weekend saw Belgium and Spain host World Cup events.
Women’s Sabre World Cup – Ghent
Four Brits joined a field of 156 in Ghent for this individual World Cup event. Both Hutchison (V4D2) and Kempe (V3D2) earned byes through the first preliminary knockout. Nicoll (V3D3) and Roberts (V2D4) made the first round cut but had to fight in the first preliminary stage. There Nicoll defeated Carreno (VEN) 15-7 but Roberts lost 15-10 to Ho (HKG). None of the remaining British fencers made it through to the second day with Hutchison losing 15-13 to Guaneri (ITA), Kempe 15-8 to Varhelyi (HUN) and Nicholl 15-7 to Stagni (ITA). The event was won by Zagunis (USA) who beat Kharlan (UKR) 15-13 in the gold medal match. The bronze medals went to Galiakbarova (RUS) and Socha (POL).
Great Britain faced China in the round of 16 of the team event where they narrowly lost 45-40. In the placing matches they lost 45-35 to Ukraine and 45-44 to Venezuala before beating Mexico 45-33 to finish fifteenth. Italy took the gold medal by beating Korea 45-28 in the final. The bronze medal went to the USA who beat Azerbaijan 45-32.
GB Individual Placings: Hutchison 73rd, Kempe 82nd, Nicoll 92nd & Roberts 114th.
Men’s Foil World Cup – La Coruna
Seven British men’s foilists headed to Spain, joining a field of 152 in the World Cup event in La Coruna. By virtue of his world ranking Kruse automatically progressed to the round of 64 on day two of the event. Davis and Mepstead recorded V5D1 in the first round to earn themselves byes straight through to join Kruse. Peggs (V4D1) earned himself a bye to the second preliminary knockout stage but Cook V3D2, Archer V2D4 and Melia V2D4 had to fence in the first preliminary knockout. There, Cook beat Essam (EGY) 15-9 and Melia defeated Tseyler (RUS) 15-7 but Archer lost to Szeki (HUN) 15-11. In the second preliminary Melia knocked out Pranz (AUT) 15-11 but Cook and Peggs lost 15-9 to Barrera (ITA) and 15-11 to Rajski (POL), respectively. In the round of 64 Davis beat Yunes (UKR) 15-14 in the priority minute, Kruse knocked out Lecocq (BEL) 15-5 and Mepstead took out Osmanski (POL) 15-6 but Melia lost 15-8 to Baldini (ITA). In the round of 32 Nista (ITA) knocked out Kruse 15-11 and Cassara (ITA) beat Mepstead 15-7. However, Davis dismantled Aspromonte (ITA) 15-7. He then went on to knock out Nista (ITA) 15-9 to make the quarterfinal of the event. A tight fight with Meinhardt (USA) followed with the score tied at 10-10 on time. Meinhardt scored the winning hit to knock Davis out 11-10. The event was won by Akhmatkhuzin (RUS) who beat Heo (KOR) 15-7 in the final. The bronze medals went to Massialas (USA) and Meinhardt (USA).
In the team event Great Britain (Cook, Davis, Kruse & Mepstead) defeated Korea 45-36 in the round of 16 but then lost 45-38 to Germany in the round of 8. In the placings matches Great Britain lost 45-43 to France but then beat Egypt 45-30 to finish 7th. The event was won by Italy who beat the USA 45-30 to take the gold medal. Russia beat Germany 45-38 to take the bronze medal.
GB Individual Placings: Davis 7th, Kruse 22nd, Mepstead 27th, Melia 63rd, Peggs 69th, Cook 85th & Archer 115th.
It’s an all female affair next weekend with an epee World Cup in St Maur, a foil World Cup in St. Petersburg and a sabre World Cup in Bologna.
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