FENCING Preview: Season openers in Germany, Estonia and France!

The FIE schedule for 2018-19 gets started this week, with competition in the men’s Foil, the women’s Epee and women’s Sabre:

Men’s Foil in Bonn:

The 47th Lowe von Bonn tournament comes this weekend for both individuals and teams. A total of 236 fencers are entered; the top entries by their FIE World Rankings show the entire top ten lined up to compete:

1. Alessio Foconi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Richard Kruse (GBR) ~ 2018 World Championships silver medalist
3. Race Imboden (USA) ~ 2018 World Championships Team silver medalist
4. Andrea Cassara (ITA) ~ 2018 World Championships Team gold medalist
5. Alexey Cheremisinov (RUS) ~ 2018 World Championships Team bronze medalist
6. Timur Safin (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze medalist
7. Daniele Garozzo (ITA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion
8. Alex Massialas (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
9. Erwann Le Pechoux (FRA) ~ 2017 World Championships Team bronze medalist
10. Giorgio Avola (ITA) ~ 2018 World Championships Team gold medalist

Individual competition will be held on Friday and Saturday, with the team event on Sunday. Follow the results here.

Women’s Epee in Tallinn:

The 49th Glaive de Tallinn will be held in the Kalev Sports Hall, with 258 entries, including the surprise World Champion from 2018! The top entries according to the World Rankings:

1. Mara Navarria (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Ana Maria Popescu (ROU) ~ 2016 Olympic Team gold medalist
4. Olena Kryvytska (UKR) ~ 2018 World Championships bronze medalist
5. Yiwen Sun (CHN) ~ 2017 World Championships Team silver medalist
6. Young Mi Kang (KOR) ~ 2018 World Championships Team silver medalist
8. Katrina Lehis (EST)
9. Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG)
10. Courtney Hurley (USA) ~ 2018 World Championships bronze medalist

Competitions for individuals and teams are scheduled; live results are available here.

Women’s Sabre in Orleans:

This is also a venerable competition, the 21st World Cup for women in Sabres in Orleans, with 188 ready to compete. The top entries, according to their world rankings:

2. Sofya Velikaya (RUS) ~ 2018 World Championships silver medalist
3. Anna Marton (HUN) ~ 2015 World championships bronze medalist
4. Cecilia Berder (FRA) ~ 2017 World Championships bronze medalist
5. Bianca Pascu (ROU)
8. Sofia Pozdniakova (RUS) ~ 2018 World Champion
9. Rossella Gregorio (ITA) ~ 2018 World Championships Team gold medalist
10. Dagmara Wozniak (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic Team bronze medalist

There will be competitions for individuals and teams; look for results here.