KATHERINE KEMPE WINS COLE CUP SATELLITE

Kempe secures gold whilst Honeybone takes silver & Smith wins bronze

This year’s Cole Cup Satellite event was held at the Leon Paul Fencing Centre over the weekend and it was a successful tournament for British fencers.

Women’s Sabre

Thirty-five fencers took part in the first event of the weekend and it was Katherine Kempe (GBR) who stood on the top of the podium during the first medal ceremony of the day.  Dropping just one of her six first round matches – against Ywen Lau (SIN) – saw her ranked ninth for the direct elimination stages.  A relatively straightforward 15-11 victory over Ewa Bielczyk-Maczynska (POL) in the round of 32 was followed by a tighter 15-14 victory over compatriot Bridget Pleasant in the 16.  She went on to beat Sara Estrada (ESP) 15-9 to guarantee herself a medal. 

In the semi-final she edged past Olga Hramova (BUL) 15-13 and faced Eileen Grench (PAN), ranked 33^rd in the World for the gold medal.  Kempe emerged the winner after a tight match which also ended 15-13.

Sophie Williams also had a successful day, finishing the tournament in fifth place.

Men’s Sabre

Forty-one fencers took part in this event which ended with three British fencers on the podium.  James Honeybone (V6D0), Jacob Gander Compton (V5D1) and Alex Crutchett (V5D1) emerged from the first round ranked first, fifth and seventh respectively.  Honeybone progressed to the semi-final comfortably beating Marc Oakes (AUS) 15-2, Stephen Rocks (GBR) 15-5 and Yu Yong Choy (SIN) 15-7.  Gander Compton joined him there beating David Chan (SIN) 15-12, Lothar Winiger (SUI) 15-12 and Kirk Slankard (GBR) 15-8.  Crutchett also made the semi-finals with victories over Gunnar Augustsson (ISL) 15-6, Thomas Mottershead (GBR) 15-0 and Ricardo Bustamante (ARG) 15-12.  World number 18, Vincent Anstett (FRA) completed the semi-final line-up.

In the first semi-final Honeybone eased past Gander Compton 15-2 as Anstett progressed with a 15-7 victory over Crutchett.  An incredibly close gold medal match followed and it was the Frenchman that took the title 15-13.

Women’s Epee

Thirty-eight fencers took part in this event and Katrina Smith ensured that there was British representation on each podium of the competition, by finishing third.  A somewhat shaky start saw her drop two of her five poule fights, leaving her ranked twelfth for the direct elimination.  She went on to beat Samantha Hughes (GBR) 15-7, Abbi Matthews (GBR) 9-8 and Vikte Azukaite (LTU) 14-13 to make the semi-finals where she lost 15-12 to world number 19, Ayaka Shimookawa (JPN).  The Japanese fencer went on to take the title, beating Caitlin Chang (JAM) 15-10 in the final.  Maria Hugas-Mallorqui (GER) was the other losing semi-finalist. 

Medora McCarthy (GBR) also made the quarterfinal, finishing fifth.