It’s a busy weekend in fencing, with the third Epee Grand Prix in Colombia and Foil World Cups in Europe. In all, winners of seven World Championship and three Olympic golds will be in action:
● Epee Grand Prix in Cali (COL)
A large field of 183 men and 165 women are ready to go in Colombia. The top seeds:
Men:
1. Yannick Borel (FRA) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Bogdan Nikishin (UKR) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
3. Ruben Limardo Gascon (VEN) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
4. Dmitriy Alexanin (KAZ)
5. Koki Kano (JPN)
6. Sangyoung Park (KOR) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2018 Worlds Team silver
8. Kazuyasu Minobe (JPN)
9. Jacob Hoyle (USA)
10. Andrea Santarelli (ITA)
In the prior two Grand Prix tournaments, Borel defeated Yulen Pereira (ESP), with Hoyle third in Doha; Minobe defeated Santarelli for the Budapest title.
Women:
1. Man Wai Vivian Kong (HKG)
2. Young-Mi Kang (KOR) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver medalist
3. Ana Maria Popescu (ROU)
4. Mara Navarria (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
5. Courtney Hurley (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze; 2018 Worlds Team gold
7. Kelley Hurley (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist
8. Katrina Lehis (EST)
9. Yiwen Sun (CHN) ~ 2016 Olympic bronze; 2018 World Team bronze medalist
10. Olena Kryvytska (UKR) ~ 2017 Worlds bronze medalist
In the opening Grand Prix tournament in Doha, Julia Beljajeva (EST) won the title over Kseniya Pantelyeyeva (UKR), in Budapest, it was Popescu defeating Kang in the final.
Look for results here.
● Foil World Cup 5 in St. Petersburg (RUS)
An enormous field of 233 Foilers is in St. Petersburg, including the entire top 10 in the FIE World Rankings:
1. Alessio Foconi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion
2. Richard Kruse (GBR) ~ 2018 Worlds silver medalist
3. Race Imboden (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver medalist
4. Daniele Garozzo (ITA) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist
5. Giorgio Avola (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist
6. Gerek Meinhardt (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team silver medalist
7. Ka Long Cheung (HKG)
8. Andrea Cassara (ITA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist
9. Jun Heo (KOR) ~ 2018 Worlds bronze medalist
10. Alex Massialas (USA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
In the four prior men’s Foil World Cups, Garozzo, Kruse (twice) and Foconi have won; American stars Imboden and Meinhardt have taken silvers. Look for results here.
● Foil World Cup 5 in Tauberbischofsheim (GER)
A very good field of 200 Foil-istas are gathering in Germany, with nine of the top 10 in the FIE rankings:
1. Inna Deriglazova (RUS) ~ 2016 Olympic Champion; 2017 World Champion
2. Alice Volpi (ITA) ~ 2018 World Champion; 2017 Worlds silver
3. Lee Kiefer (USA) ~ 2018 Worlds Team gold medalist
4. Arianna Errigo (ITA) ~ 2012 Olympic silver; 2013-14 World Champion
6. Leonie Ebert (GER)
7. Ysoara Thibus (FRA) ~ 2018 World Champs silver; 2017 Worlds bronze
8. Hee Seok Jeon (KOR)
9. Eleanor Harvey (CAN)
10. Elisa di Francesca (ITA) ~ 2016 Olympic silver medalist
Deriglazova has been on fire, winning three of the four World Cups this season – in Katowice, St. Maur and Cairo – and has 23 career World Cup medals (11-2-10). She is the one to beat … if anyone can. Look for results here.
