Xuzhou Women’s Epee Grand Prix, Seoul Men’s Foil World Cup & Women’s Foil Grand Prix & Athens Men’s Sabre World Cup
No British Fencers make it past the round of 64
The international senior ranking season continued this weekend after a short break with events in China, Greece and Korea.
Women’s Epee Grand Prix – Xuzhou
Only Corrina Lawrence competed for Great Britain in this event joining a field of 79. Winning three of her six first round matches meant that Lawrence was ranked 45th for the round of 64. There she met Pop (ROU) and was eliminated 15-11 to finish 49th. Choi (KOR) took the gold medal beating Branza (ROU) 15-9 in the final. The bronze medals were taken by Del Carretto (ITA) and Sun (CHN).
Men’s Foil World Cup – Seoul
Eight British men headed to Korea, joining a field of 128 in the World Cup event in Seoul. Davis and Kruse both automatically qualified for the second day by virtue of their world ranking. Melia (V4D1), Peggs (V4D2) and Mepstead (V2D3) did enough to qualify directly to the second preliminary knockout match. Rosowsky (V2D4) qualified for the first knockout match but Bryant (V1D4) and Hendrie (V0D6) did not make the cut. Rosowsky joined his teammates in the second preliminary knockout stages by beating Toldo (BRA) 15-9. Only Mepstead progressed any further beating Hinteseer (AUT) 15-9 to make the round of 64. Melia lost 15-7 to Moon (KOR), Peggs was eliminated 15-14 by Zhang (CHN) whilst Kim (KOR) defeated Rosowsky 15-13. None of the British fencers survived the round of 64 as Davis fell 15-8 to Hertsyk (UKR), Kruse 15-9 to Rigin (RUS) and Mepstead 15-2 to Abouelkassem (EGY).
Cassara (ITA) beat Le Pechoux (FRA) 15-8 to take the gold medal with Li (CHN) and Mertine (FRA) taking the bronze medals.
In the team event Great Britain drew Korea in the round of 16 and lost 45-36. In the placings matches they lost Belarus before beating Hong Kong and then Brazil to finish 13th. Italy beat the USA 45-39 to take the gold medal as France cruised past China 45-33 to take the bronze medal.
GB Individual Placings: Davis 34th, Kruse 38th, Mepstead 58th, Melia 66th, Peggs 71st, Rosowsky 73rd, Bryant 113th and Hendrie 123rd.
Women’s Foil Grand Prix – Seoul
Only Sheppard took part in this event joining a field of 65. She won three of her six first round matches and progressed directly to the round of 64 where she lost 15-11 to Pop (ROU). The event was won by Deriglazova (RUS) who beat Guyart (FRA) 15-13 in the final. Erba (ITA) and Jeon (KOR) won the bronze medals.
GB Individual Placings: Sheppard 45th.
Men’s Sabre World Cup – Athens
Three British fencers joined a field of 176 at this World Cup sabre event. Crutchett and Honeybone both registered four victories from six in the first round but Saunders, making his senior debut, only registered one victory from six and missed the cut. Honeybone received a bye through the first preliminary knockout as Crutchett defeated Mendez (VEN) 15-11. In the second knockout match Desci (HUN) defeated Crutchett 15-5 but Honeybone progressed by beating Giakoumatos (GRE) 15-14 to make the round of 64 – his sixth consecutive appearance on the second day of a major international ranking event. Unfortunately he could not progress any further as Gemesi (HUN) defeated him 15-7. The gold medal was won by Szilagyi (HUN) who beat Wagner (GER) 15-9 in the final. Anstett (FRA) and Gu (KOR) took the bronze medals.
In the team event Great Britain faced Austria in the round of 32 and narrowly lost 45-43 despite a stunning 13-5 stint from Honeybone in the sixth leg. They placed seventeenth. Germany beat Italy 45-34 to take the gold medal with Russia beating Belarus 45-35 for the bronze medal.
GB Individual Placings: Honeybone 47th, Crutchett 82nd & Saunders 159th.
The senior international circuit moves on next weekend with the men’s epeeists heading to the Paris World Cup, the men’s foilists going to the Tokyo Grand Prix, the women’s foilists going to the Shanghai World Cup and finally the men’s and women’s sabreurs competing in Chicago for their respective World Cup events.
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