Report from the Foil World Cups in Gdansk and Paris

The senior international season resumed this weekend with foil events in Gdansk, Poland and Paris, France.

Women’s Foil World Cup – Gdansk

Five British fencers joined a field of one hundred and fifty-five competing in the first senior international of the year in Gdansk, Poland at the weekend.  Yvonne Chart (V2D4), Natalia Sheppard (V5D1) and Katie Smith (V3D3) progressed through the poule stages but Catherine Cook (V1D5) and Chloe Dickson (V0D6) did not make the cut.   Sheppard earned a bye through the first of two preliminary knockout fights as Chart fell 15-4 to Boldor (ROU) and Sanada (JPN) knocked out Smith 15-6.  Sheppard took on Sanada in the second preliminary and was just edged out, 3-2, in a tight fight.

Astrid Guyart (FRA) won the title, beating Hee Sook Jeon (KOR) 15-7 in the gold medal match.  The bronze medals went to Ines Boubakri (TUN) and Ysaora Thibus (FRA).

Great Britain was not one of the seventeen teams to compete on Sunday in an event which was won by Russia who beat the USA 44-35 in the gold medal match.  Italy totally dominated Germany in the bronze medal match, winning 45-14.

GB individual placings:  Sheppard 65^th, Smith 105^th, Chart 119^th, Cook 142^nd & Dickson 151^st.

Click here for full individual results.

Click here for full team results.

Men’s Foil World Cup – Paris

There was also a men’s foil World Cup in Paris at the weekend where ten British fencers lined up in a field of two hundred and sixteen.  With James Davis and Richard Kruse exempt from the preliminary rounds the remaining contingent of eight took part on day one of the event.  Archer (V3D3), Halsted (V4D2), Melia (V2D4), Mepstead (V5D1), Rattan (V3D3) and Tofalides (V3D3) all made it through the poule stages but Hendrie (V2D4) and Peggs (V1D5) did not make the cut.  Melia fell 15-13 to Schvartz (FRA) in the first of three preliminary knockout fights as the rest progressed with byes.  Mepstead went on to beat Y. Saito (JPN) 14-11 and Journet (FRA) 15-5 to make the round of 64 and was joined by Tofalides who beat two French fencers, Chastanet and Le Pechoux, 15-8 and 15-10 respectively.  Archer fell 15-10 to Kwak (KOR), Escurat (FRA) beat Halsted 15-10 and Matsuyama (JPN) knocked out Rattan 15-11.

In the round of 64 Davis progressed with a comfortable 15-6 victory over Marcilloux (FRA) and was joined in the next round by Kruse who eased passed H. Kim (KOR) 15-11.  Despite leading for most of the fight Mepstead lost 8-7 to Rajski (POL) in a priority minute as last year’s winner, Lefort (FRA) beat Tofalides 15-10.  In the round of 32, Davis held on to an early lead to beat Rajski (POL) 13-11 on time as Kruse beat Lei (CHN) with an impressive 15-10 victory.  Kruse then fell 15-9 to Lefort in the following round but Davis comprehensively beat Ota (JPN) 15-6 after a slow start by both fencers.  In the quarterfinals, Lefort continued to be a thorn in the British team’s side as he beat Davis 15-10.

Race Imoden (USA) took his second title of the season, beating Daniele Carozzo (ITA) 15-13 in the gold medal match.  Enzo Lefort and Alex Massialas went home with the bronze medals.

Great Britain was one of twenty-five entries to the team event and they beat Israel 45-32 in the round of 32.  An impressive 45-36 victory over Japan in the next round was followed by a 45-36 loss to Russia.  In the placing matches they beat China 45-43 and then Germany 45-37 to finish fifth.  The American team continued their strong weekend beating Italy 45-44 to the gold medal.  Russia sealed the bronze medal with a 45-43 victory over France.

GB Individual Placing:  Davis 5^th, Kruse 12^th, Mepstead 46^th, Tofalides 62^nd, Halsted 112^th, Archer 121^st, Rattan 123^rd, Melia 166h, Hendrie 186^th & Peggs 206^th.

Click here for full individual results.

Click here for full team results.

The 2014/15 senior season continues this coming weekend with a Women’s Epee World Cup in Barcelona and a Men’s Epee World Cup in Heidenheim.