James Davis makes quarterfinal at Havana Grand Prix

The senior international season continued at the weekend with the second foil Grand Prix of the season in Cuba.

Women’s Foil – Havana

One hundred and twenty-three fencers took part in the women’s foil event in Havana including Lisa McKenzie and Natalia Sheppard from Great Britain.  McKenzie was unable to win any of her five first round fights which meant that she did not make the cut.  Sheppard, however, won three of her first round matches and proceeded to the single-stage preliminary knockout fight.  She went on to make the second day of the event beating Carbone (ARG) 10-1.  In the round of 64, Sheppard faced world number 10, Yulia Biryukova (RUS) and lost 13-6.

Elisa Di Francisca (ITA) romped to a 15-5 victory over Inna Deriglazova (RUS) to take the title as Hee Sook Jeon (KOR) and Ysaora Thibus (FRA) completed the podium.

GB individual placings:  Sheppard 58^th & McKenzie 114^th.

Click here for full individual results.

Men’s Foil – Havana

One hundred fifty fencers took part in this event including Kristjan Archer, James Davis, Richard Kruse, Marcus Mepstead, Ben Peggs and Alex Tofalides from Great Britain.  With Davis automatically qualified for the round of 64, the remaining GB fencers had to fight in the preliminary rounds.  Kruse only dropped one of his six first round fights which was enough to earn him a bye directly to the 64.  Archer (V4D2), Mepstead (V2D4), Peggs (V4D1) and Tofalides (V3D2) all did enough not only to qualify for the preliminary knockout stages but also to earn byes through the first of two fights.  Only Tofalides made it through to join his teammates in the round of 64 as he beat Awaji (JPN) 15-12 with Matsuyama (JPN) beating Archer 15-2, Doerr (GER) defeating Mepstead 15-14 and Rajski (POL) eliminating Peggs 15-12.

In the round of 64 both Davis and Kruse progressed comfortably, beating Doerr (GER) 15-7 and Simon (FRA) 15-11, respectively.  Tofalides faced Le Pechoux (FRA) who he had beaten earlier in the season.  In a fight with a lot of needle and one that went into a non-combativity priority minute, the French fencer progressed 14-11.  In the round of 32, a superb performance from Davis saw him beat reigning world champion, Chamley-Watson (USA) 15-4 and he was joined in the 16 by Kruse who edged a tight fight with world number one, Cheremisinov (RUS) 14-13.  Kruse went on to fence Luperi (ITA) and was beaten 15-10 but Davis made it to the quarterfinal, beating Zherebchenko (RUS) 14-13.  It was another Italian that ended British hopes in the round of 8, as Garozzo beat Davis 15-7.

Dmitry Rigin (RUS) took the gold medal beating Alexander Massialas (USA) 15-12 in the final.  They were joined on the podium by Daniele Garozzo (ITA) and Race Imboden (USA).

GB individual placings:  Davis 5^th, Kruse 12^th, Tofalides 49^th, Peggs 70^th, Archer 77^th & Mepstead 107^th.   

Click here for full individual results.

The 2014/15 senior season continues on 20^th March with a epee Grand Prix in Budapest. 

(Front cover image courtesy of Federscherma – The Italian Fencing Federation.)