Great Britain’s USA-based nineteen year old Carolina Stutchbury claimed the individual women’s foil silver medal today at the 2025 European Fencing Championships in Genoa, Italy.
Stutchbury proved her threat to the podium by becoming the only British female fencer to have claimed a place on the podium at an EFC senior zonal championships since it was re-established in 1981, with bronze last year in Basel, Switzerland.
Her day began well, taking four victories from five fights in the ranking round, losing just a single match to Italy’s World number 14, Martina Batini. Ranked fifteenth for the knockout stages, Stutchbury played a sensible patient game against Austria’s Lena Mayerl, winning 14-6 on time. Clearly warmed up, she then dominated her next match against Ukrainian Olga Sopit, advancing 15-4.
A place in the quarter-final beckoned but her next opponent was in scintillating form. Italy’s Anna Cristino, injury replacement for World number two, Martina Favaretto, came through the ranking round undefeated. Taking an early lead, Stutchbury played it safe throughout but edged to 14-11 and just one point from the quarterfinals. As expected, Cristino did not give up and narrowed the gap to 14-13 before Stutchbury closed the match out.
Standing in the way of a second consecutive European Championships medal was surprise package, World number 178, Maria-Eleni Chaldaiou. The Greek giant-slayer had already taken out Hanna Lyczbinska from Poland and Italy’s defending Champion Arianna Errigo, both seeded much higher in the World Rankings, on route to the quarters. Again, Stutchbury got into the lead and then successfully absorbed wave after wave of Chaldaiou attacks before guaranteeing herself a medal with a 15-9 victory.
For the second time in the day, she faced Italian Martina Batini in the semi-finals and despite playing the game where she likes, in her half of the piste, Stutchbury kept a tight distance preventing her more decorated opponent from finding the moment to attack. The ploy worked well and Stutchbury took a well deserved 15-12 victory to make the final.
Her gold medal match was against 25 year old French fencer Eva Lacheray (FRA), with the World number nine coming into the event having claimed her first senior World Cup medal in Cairo eleven days earlier. Lacheray came out on the offense and took an early lead but by the first of two breaks, Stutchbury had leveled 7-7. The battle of wits continued in the second period. Relentless French attacks were countered by Stutchbury’s clever use of distance and variety of actions. Nonetheless, Lacheray headed into the third and final period 13-12 up. Lacheray stuck to the attacking game she played all day and edged Stutchbury into silver with a 15-13 victory.
Upgrading from European bronze last year, Stutchbury earned the accolade of becoming Great Britain’s first ever female fencer to win an EFC European Championship silver medal.
Speaking ahead of the medal ceremony, Stutchbury said:
“I’m delighted to have bettered my bronze medal from last year. To medal twice in a row gives me confidence in my ability to perform consistently at major events and I am looking forward to the World Champs in Tbilisi in July. As always, I am so thankful to my coaches, parents and everyone that has supported me here and at home.”
Piste-side coach, Keith Cook, added:
“It has been a real pleasure to support Carolina today. She managed to keep her cool despite the heat and humidity, fighting her way through some tough and experienced opposition. Beating two Italians in front of a noisy home crowd on the way to the final is testament to her mental resilience, and in the final she kept the pressure on until the very end.”
Onsite, the beaming President of British Fencing, Pat Aiyenuro, said:
“We could not be more proud of what Carolina has achieved in becoming the first British woman to win a senior EFC European Championship silver medal. I’d like to take this opportunity to thank everyone that has contributed to Carolina’s success – not just the GBR coaching team here in Genoa but also everyone that has contributed to her journey, her coaches, parents and supporters. I’d also like to thank the National Lottery which supports our athletes to compete in these events.”
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