Senior European Championships 2012 – Day 3

Two Gold Medals for Russia

In a departure from the standard schedule for a major international tournament day three of the European Championships featured Women’s Epee and Men’s Sabre Team.  There was no British entry for either event.

Women’s Epee Team

Estonia defeated world number four seed, Germany 45-35 in the round of eight but lost to world number one seed, Romania 45-37, which took them to the bronze medal match.  There they face Ukraine who knocked out world number three seed, Italy, 42-41, in the round of 8 but lost to world number 2 seed, Russia, 45-33, in the round of four.

In the bronze medal match Estonia took the narrowest of leads after three bouts 12-11 and stretched that to 25-23 after six.  Two periods of non-comabativity followed with both sides scoring three points each.  Estonia maintained that two point advantage for the final three minutes taking the team bronze medal 34-32.  The gold medal match between Europe’s top two teams, Romania and Russia was a thriller.  At the end of three fights – the third finishing due to non-combativiity – the Russians seemed to have control at 11-5 up.  The Romanians played a patient game over the next three bouts and crept into a 25-24 lead.  The seventh and eighth matches produced some fantastic fencing where the lead changed hands on a number of occasions but Sivkova (RUS) and Branza (ROU) went into the last fight locked at 36-36.  They shared ten hits in the final fight and with the scores level at time (41-41) Romania won the priority going into the final minute of fencing.  A nervy 15 seconds followed but then Sivkova (RUS) showed true bravery to feint to the high line and land her attack on Branza’s leg taking the European crown for Russia.

Full Results Here

Men’s Sabre Team

Italy (world rank number 4) defeated Hungary 45-38 in the round of 8 but then lost to the world number one team, Russia, 45-36.  In the bronze medal match they faced Germany who defeated France, 45-43 in the round of 8 but surprisingly lost to Romania 45-34 in the semi-final.  It was the first time that any Italians had featured at the gala final and they stormed to a 15-4 lead after three fights.  Germany composed themselves and by the end of the sixth match had opened up a five-hit lead (30-25).  A steady approach kept them ahead in the remaining matches and despite a late rally by Occhiuzzi (ITA), Germany took the bronze medal, 45-43.

The gold medal match featured both Romania (world number 5) and Russia (world number 1) again.  This one was tight all the way through with Romania leading 15-13 after three fights but Russia taking the lead, 30-27 after six.  It was a lead that they never let go with Kovalev, Reshetnikov and Yakimenko doing a professional job, taking the European title for Russia 45-42.

Full Results Coming Soon

It’s back to the individual events on day four of the tournament with Women’s Foil and Men’s Epee on the schedule.