Fencing in the News

[LongBlade]

Fencers still up despite two bronzes
By JP Abcede
Philippine Daily Inquirer
Inquirer News Service
December 1, 2005

news.inq7.net/sports/index.php?index=1&story_id=58377

THE PHILIPPINES settled for two bronze medals yesterday but held on to the overall lead in the fencing competitions of the 23rd Southeast Asian Games at the San Juan gymnasium.

Women's individual epee gold medalist Melly Joyce Angeles claimed responsibility for her squad's 37-42 loss to Indonesia in the women's team epee semifinals.

And the women's sabre team could not come out of a 12-point hole it dug itself in and bowed to Thailand, 45-36, in the semifinals.

Indonesia later bagged its first gold by beating Thailand with a late game surge, 43-34, in women's team epee. The women's team sabre gold went to Vietnam, which downed Thailand in the finals, 45-36.

The Filipinos kept the overall lead going into today's final events with three golds, a silver and five bronzes, including the third place finishes late Tuesday of Avelino Victorino and Ramil Endriano in men's individual epee and men's individual foil, respectively.

Thailand and Vietnam have two golds so far but the Thais have four silver medals to the Viets' two.

Angeles surrendered 10 points in her faceoff with Enny Handayani that gave the Indonesians a comfortable 27-22 lead at the end of the sixth round.

Vietnam took the other bronze in women's team epee while Indonesia also bagged a bronze in the women's team sabre.

The defending champion RP men's epee team, which includes actor Richard Gomez, Amando Bernal, Avelino Victorino Jr. and Wilfredo Viscayno Jr., clinched the gold at the expense of Thailand, 45-42.

[LongBlade]

Fencing Teams Head Into NCAA Action At The Brandeis Invitational
CollegeSportsTV.com
New York, NY, USA
November 30, 2005

www.cstv.com/sports/c-fenc/stories/113005aab.html

QUEENS, N.Y. - The fencing teams begin NCAA competition at the Brandeis Invitational on Saturday, Dec. 4 in Waltham, Mass. St. John's 2005-06 schedule is highlighted by the team's first ever home invitational on Feb. 19 at Carnessecca Arena.

Fencing Season Preview

The St. John's men's and women's fencing teams are known to be one of the elite fencing programs in the nation. The 2005-06 squad look forward to defending that reputation by making its own mark on the Red Storm legacy.

After taking third place at last season's NCAA Championships, the Red Storm recorded its tenth straight top-five finish under head coach Yury Gelman. Junior Erzsebet Garay helped clinch third with her own fourth place finish for the women.


Junior Erszebet Garay will serve as captain of the women's team.

Garay had an incredible run during NCAA Championships taking 19 of 23 bouts in foil. The fourth place finish also earned her All-American honors. During the regular season she posted a record of 28-5, the most wins of any woman on the team. As captain of the women's team this season, Garay hopes to lead the Red Storm back to the top form it was in when St. John's took the 2001 NCAA Championships.

"Bobe (Garay) did an amazing job last season," said Gelman. "Taking fourth place at the NCAA Championships was incredible for her, especially to only have four losses."

Junior Ben Bratton returns this season and will serves as captain of the men's team. After taking second place at NCAA during his freshman campaign, Bratton finished up 2004-05 with another All-American honor. He closed the season with a 19-4 record in the epee.

"Ben is really well known and is one of the top in the nation," said Gelman. "He took second place his freshman year and he looks like he's going to be very good again this season. He is very well respected. Both of them (Bratton and Garay) are very talented and are very good captains. I am very pleased with them."

The 2005-06 roster is filled with young talent and many of the newcomers will have some large shoes to fill.

The loss of Sergey Isayenko, Arpad Horvath and Nitai Kfir leaves a whole in the core of the men's team. In Isayenko and Horvath, the team graduated two NCCA champions and All-Americans in the sabre and epee, respectively. In foil, Kfir posted was a three-time All-American as well as two-time NCAA Northeast Regional Champion.

Gelman has been hard at work replacing these students and feels he has a solid start. With a group of experienced returners, the Red Storm will be ready for the tough competition it faces in the upcoming season.

Juniors Adam Rodney and Nijmy Cadet are back in action this season, with Rodney competing in the epee and Cadet anchoring the sabre team. Cadet finished the season with 20 wins and 10 losses while Rodney saw valuable time in more than 10 matches. The sophomore class welcomes back Bruce Vail, Guillermo Espinoza and Ian MacEachern. Vail and MacEachern combined for 20 wins in the epee while Espinoza worked for nine of his own wins in the sabre.

Joining the men's team this season are Ramesh Meanger, Derrick Wang, Daniel Keegan, Gerardo Gomez, Luther Clement and Stan Vaksman. Meanger and Wang are new to the world of fencing, while the others hold several years of experience. Keegan has competed nationally and Gomez was awarded MVP of his high school team.

Vaksman is one of the top international junior fencers, taking second in both the Junior National Championships and Junior Olympic Championships.

"In epee, we have Stanley Vaksman who is one of the best juniors in the country so we expect a lot out of him," said Gelman. "It will be very difficult to find someone in the foil but we are hopeful to have a few recruits join us in January."

Clement, a transfer from Columbia boasts years of solid fencing experience. He was a National Team member in both Junior and Cadet, earned a bronze medal at the World Championships and was also named the World Cup Champion.

"Luther Clement will be strong in the sabre, possibly one of the top six in the nation," said Gelman. "We are pleased to have him join our team."

Six women from last season's squad return this year, including captain Garay. Sophomore Reka Szele mounted a solid season last year, going 24-7 in epee. She took 13th at NCAA Championships, just one shy of earning All-American honors. Fellow sophomore Katia Larchanka had the second most wins on the team with 26 and posted only seven losses in the foil. Sophomore Joanna Guy earned All-American honors finishing tenth at NCAA's while second-year foil Chenzi Zhang worked in more than 20 matches. Juniors Maria Fendorak and Tanya Lam also return after seeing limited action last season.

With the loss of four-time All-American Christina Crane, three freshmen will be looked at to fill the void. Kristy Lee and Elizabeth Gray both competed nationally throughout high school with Lee taking second at the Fencing Championships. Fellow newcomer Olga Ovtchinnkova was ranked third in the nation in sabre last year as a high school senior. Ovtchinnkova has also seen action in the World Cadet Championships and World Junior Championships.

"On the women's side, I see Olga Ovtchinnikova as one of our top sabres," said Gelman. "She is very talented and also has the possibility to be one of the top in the nation. Although they are all freshman, Olga, Luther and Stan will help our team tremendously and are very accomplished fencers."

The 2005-06 schedule is highlighted by the team's first ever home match on the Queens Campus at St. John's on Feb. 19 when the Red Storm welcomes the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers. St. John's will compete against some of the top talent in the country when they take on Columbia and Notre Dame at the NYU Invitational on Jan. 22 and Penn State University at the Penn State Invitational on Jan. 28. This seasons NCAA Championships will take place March 16-19 in Houston, Texas.

[LongBlade]

Women's Fencing Enjoys Success in Junior Olympic Cadet Qualifiers
CollegeSportsTV.com
11/30/05

www.cstv.com/sports/c-fenc/stories/113005aac.html

HACKENSACK, NJ - Four members of the Fairleigh Dickinson University's women's fencing team recently competed in the Junior Olympic Cadet Qualifiers in multiple locations.

Freshmen Amanda Hauck and Rebecca Kellogg, in addition to sophomore Erica Kuehn, competed in the New Jersey Division Junior Olympic Cadet Qualifier on Saturday, Nov. 26 and Sunday, Nov. 27. Hauck placed third in the sabre, while Kellogg captured bronze in the foil. Kuehn recorded a fifth-place showing in the epee.

Sophomore Erica Galarza recorded the Knights' top finish, placing first in the epee division of the Long Island Division Junior Olympic Cadet Qualifier on Nov. 19.

"This is one of the best showings of the FDU teams in years," Coach Roger Cummings said. "It demonstrates that they are competing on the national level."

The four standouts will compete at the cadet level Junior Olympics in their respective weapons on Feb. 18, hosted by Yale University in Hartford, CT.

[LongBlade]

M. fencing wins, W. doesn't
by Brad Clough
NYU Washington Square News
New York, NY, USA
December 1, 2005

www.nyunews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/12/01/438e8e0eeaf4c

The men’s and women’s fencing teams continued to build confidence on the strip this past Tuesday night when they faced Yale University in a noisy gym in New Haven, Conn.

“It gets extremely loud in their gym, but we didn’t let them get inside our head,” senior co-captain Gabe Sinkin said. “Everyone kept cool.”

When the screaming and shouting finally subsided and the weapons were put away, the men’s team walked away with a 17-10 victory, while the women dropped an 18-9 decision.

The men’s team was led by the foil squad, which earned an 8-1 win. Sophomore Alex Kao won all three of his matches, while Sinkin and junior Dimitri Apostol earned two wins each.

“I felt really good on the strip,” Apostol said. “It was cool because the coaches told me how to beat my opponents, and they told me to ‘seal the deal.’ ”

Kao is continuing to build upon an impressive freshman season in which he totaled 57 wins. His aggressive style of fencing coupled with his quick thinking on the strip has led him to become one of the Violets’ top foil fencers.

“Alex is really fast on his feet, and he has impeccable timing,” Apostol said. “He’ll switch it up and his opponent won’t know what hit him.”

The men’s saber team also pulled out a win, as they fenced their way to a 6-3 decision. Senior co-captain Andrew Magee won all three of his bouts, while Senior Iakovos Hadjigeorgis tallied two wins. The men’s epee team was not as successful, losing 3-6. Sophomore Chris Elbaor registered two wins for the squad.

“The guys had a good, strong showing,” said junior epee fencer Matt Lutz, who is also a WSN columnist. “We still have some things to work on, but overall it was a good meet and we gained some good experience.”

Lutz said he was unable to turn in his best performance because he had to borrow another sword to complete his matches.

“All of my own weapons failed, so I had to borrow someone else’s equipment,” Lutz said. “I was making some solid counterattacks, and I would’ve done better if my weapons had worked.”

The epee squad was led by junior co-captain Lauren Willock, who earned two wins in the team’s 5-4 loss.

The women’s foil squad also dropped a 5-4 decision despite two victories from sophomore Eugenia Lee.

“Lee was just on,” Apostol said. “She looked great and put up a really good fight.”

The women’s saber squad tallied only one win in their 8-1 loss, as sophomore Brett Downey earned the lone victory.

The Violets said the key to the their success on the strip this season may be just as mental as it is physical.

“You have to step back and say, ‘How am I going to set up this attack and beat my opponent?’ ” Apostol said.

The support both teams had for each other was clearly visible to any spectator attending this meet.

“Win or lose, we always give each other high-fives,” Lutz said. “We’re real supporting of each other.”

As the Violets continue to prepare for the rest of their season, they say they are not taking any team lightly.

“Ohio State, Penn State and Columbia look incredible,” Apostol said. “We don’t have any breaks this year; everyone is good.”

Although the Violets have only fenced in two meets this season, each match has been conducive to the team’s mental stability.

“We’ve been playing really tough so far,” Sinkin said. “We’re focusing on getting more competitive, and we need as much practice as possible. The more you train individually, the more you’ll be prepared.”

The Violets’ next meet will be held on Saturday, at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, Pa.

[LongBlade]

Fencing club has a new look this season
BY TORI MARTELLO
The Phoenix Online
Swarthmore, PA, USA
December 1, 2005

phoenix.swarthmore.edu/2005-12-01/sports/15668

When we were young, we all had a streak of violence within us, when we loved to test our skills in classic sword fights with generally harmless cardboard weapons. Now as we strive to achieve academic success in the rigorous Swarthmore environment, our competitive urges to sometimes spear someone in the chest get lost and our souls feel a little less powerful. Well fear not, for now you can satisfy those old fantasies of sword duels with the modern exercise of fencing. Swarthmore’s own fencing club has gotten off to a fast start this year under new leadership and with many new faces.



While the club was started a few years ago, it has recently experienced a revival as some students took it upon themselves to get the activity organized and publicized. The fencing club, separate from the physical education class offered at Swarthmore, was going through some tough times as it failed to gain members or momentum. That was until Ben Blonder ’08, Randall McAuley ’08, Joseph Baldwin ’08 and Manoli Strecker ’07 grouped together and took advantage of the opportunity to take over as the new leaders of the club this year and give it a fresh beginning.

“The biggest difference is it’s a lot more structured this year,” McAuley said. Changes that this new management brought about include regular practices every Wednesday and Saturday and a whole load of brand new equipment for its members.

The results of these decisions have already appeared in the form of a new group of beginners, eager to learn the sport from their peers. The club now boasts a regular membership of 20 students and looks forward to welcoming many more. “Fencing is not a hard sport to learn, but takes dedication,” McAuley said. The immediate effects of regular sessions for the members to practice and improve showed dividends as the club has already participated in a large fencing tournament at Temple and has plans to attend more. Over half of the club’s members started the year with no fencing experience, but all of them were able to compete in this first tournament, again revealing the amazing strides forward the club has taken.

“At the tournaments, we’re able to learn better techniques and get our members out there watching skilled veterans,” Blonder said. While they club’s leaders look to develop a competitive core group, they have been thrilled with the results from new fencers and the excitement buzzing within the club. “I’ve already reached all of my goals,” Blonder said, “And I’ve really enjoyed it thus far even with all of the commitments.”

So whether you’ve slept with your foil in the past or never tapped into your deep reservoir of fencing skills, this club has an open door policy welcoming you. As first-time fencer Annie Searcy ’08 described her first competition at the tournament, “It is terrifying going in the first time, but now I’m confident to fence with people.” As the fencing club continues to expand, the members look forward to traveling to more tournaments, improving its equipment supply and teaching more Swarthmore students how to embrace their inner sword master.

[LongBlade]

Fencing fends off DI teams
Jays head to Midwest, beating Michigan and Northwestern
By Alena Geffner-Mihlsten
Johns Hopkins News-Letter
Baltimore, MD, USA
December 02, 2005

www.jhunewsletter.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/12/02/438f8166992ba

Some teams can look at records of 7-6 and 12-6 and call it a season. Fencing calls it a weekend.

Facing numerous opponents over just two days, both the men's and women's fencing teams managed to play magnificently against both Division I and Division III schools.

For the women, the team left the Northwestern Invitational with seven wins and six losses. The men left with eight wins and five losses. That same weekend, the split-squad men's team also played in the Stevens Tech duals and went 4-1.

Although the men's team played with less than the usual amount of players due to the interfering conferences, they still managed to fulfill their expectations.

"It was pretty much how I expected," said men's head coach Austin Young. "We came out very strong in all of our matches."

In the Northwestern Invitational, the men's team had many hard matches but managed to beat University of Michigan and Cal State-Fullerton in two of their closest competitions. Hopkins also beat strong squads from Michigan State, Lawrence, and Northwestern.

In several close games, however, the Blue Jays lost to UC San Diego and University of North Carolina. Although the team was unable to beat Notre Dame, last year's NCAA champions, overall, the Jays shocked themselves by winning the foil category.

"It was a very pleasant surprise," said Young.

For the Stevens Tech duals, the Blue Jays were able to secure several very important wins. For the first time, Hopkins beat Army in a close 14-13 match. Against New Jersey Institute of Technology, the Blue Jays' 5fp5fe team completely shut out the opposition.

Both junior Tom Fellows and freshman Dane Schiro were undefeated for several of the epee matches. Hopkins also did well in saber and foil, especially in the meet against Army, which tipped the balance in the Blue Jays' favor.

The women also did well at Northwestern, beating several high-ranking teams. For the first time in women's fencing history, Hopkins beat Air Force. In addition, despite losing to University of Michigan last year, Hopkins came back to beat them this year after a tight 14-13 contest.

"We beat the schools that we should have," said women's head coach Jim Murray. "We were very mentally focused for two days." The women also lost a close game to Wayne State.

The team members also felt that they met their expectations.

"We held our own," said team captain Katherine Dunne. "We fenced against teams that recruit and we managed to come out ahead."

Many of the teams that Hopkins plays against offer athletic scholarships and recruit internationally.

The Blue Jay women also suffer from a lack of players, especially when compared with other schools. While most teams have player depth in their bench with 15-18 fencers, the Lady Jays currently have only ten fencers.

This leads to mental and physical exhaustion at the longer tournaments such as at Northwestern, where essentially all ten fencers have to compete for two straight days. The fencers have a harder time keeping their focus and trying to avoid a mental overload.

"It's tough when you don't have people to replace you," said Dunne. "That's why we really emphasize fitness so that we have the stamina for these tournaments."

The main thing that Hopkins took away from the tournament was learning experience.

"It's a great experience to go to this, especially for the freshmen," said Dunne.

Murray agreed.

"We now have a good idea of what the top college fencers do, now having seen them all play," said Murray. "We come back so much smarter. We're tremendously enriched by just being at that tournament."

The women's team will have a chance to put their new knowledge to work this weekend.

At the National Intercollegiate Women's Fencing Association's (NIWFA) Christmas Invitational at Farleigh Dickenson, the Blue Jays will compete individually, instead of for team placement

"In an individual tournament, we preview schools that we'll see later on in the year," said Murray. "It gives us a chance to see what's out there."

These long tournaments are inevitable for the Jays, but for both the men and women, the motivation and challenges are one and the same.

"We've got a strong season in front of us, as well as many strong teams to face," said Murray.

[LongBlade]

Princeton Fencing Travels to Penn State for Multi-Team Meet on Saturday
NYU, Rutgers, North Carolina and Penn State will be in attendance.[/b][/color]
GoPrincetonTigers.com
Princeton, NJ, USA
December 2, 2005

goprincetontigers.collegesports.com/sports/m-fenc/spec-rel/120205aaa.html

PRINCETON, N.J. - After more than a month away from competition, the Princeton men's and women's fencing teams resume their 2005-06 schedules right where they left off, at Penn State. In State College, the Tigers are slated to face off against the host Nittany Lions, NYU, Rutgers and North Carolina with competition beginning at 9 a.m.

Penn State also hosted the Garret Open, the only competition thus far for either the Tiger men or women, on Oct. 22-23. At that meet, 13 women competed, with senior returning All-American Jacqueline Leahy taking top billing among Tigers across all three disciplines, finishing third in the foil at the individually scored meet. On the men's side, Princeton had 16 competitors with sophomore Tommi Hurme and senior Ben Solomon, another All-American, finishing second and third, respectively, in the épée.

Following the five-team meet, the Princeton men are away from competition until Jan. 29 when Vassar visits the Jadwin Fencing Room in the only home meet of the year. The Princeton women are away from competition until Feb. 5, when both Tiger squads compete in an Ivy League event held at Cornell.

[LongBlade]

Confidence comes from new vocations
By Zhang Yu
China Daily
2005-12-03

www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-12/03/content_500106.htm

Wearing a black mask and a silvery white protective suit, Qin Zheng thrusts her sword at her partner who also makes a lunge.

Sitting in wheelchairs, Qin, 18, and her partner were practicing fencing in a training hall in Beijing.

Crippled for life since birth, fencing has given Qin a life she had never imagined possible because of her disability.

Born with spina bifida, one of the most devastating of all birth defects, Qin had to start using her wheelchair at a young age. She is just one of some 60 million disabled people in the Chinese mainland.

She became a disabled orphan after her parents abandoned her right after her birth. She was not only confined by the wheelchair, but also by the walls of the orphanage where she lived for almost 14 years. Four years ago, she was transferred to a social welfare institute.

"I wanted to get out of the social welfare institute, but at that moment I didn't know how," Qin told China Daily.

She didn't receive any regular school education, although she was able to learn a bit with a part-time teacher in the orphanage. Since no family members could help her out, she said she had to "think through everything" by herself.

"Before becoming a professional disabled athlete, I really did not know what to do," she said. "Every day I was living in agony."

Luck struck her three years ago when her present coach went to hand-pick candidates for disabled fencing athletes. After her muscle and limbs were checked, she was considered suitable for fencing.

Now she spends six hours in training during the day and tries her best to make up for her academic studies at night.

"Academic studies help me with the art of fencing," Qin said. Her most ambitious goal now is to perform her best at the 9th Far East and South Pacific Games for the Disabled in 2006.

With this new life, she is building up her confidence and feeling that she is making a meaningful contribution to society.

She said she feels liberated when she realizes how her new-found confidence has given her hope. She has more freedom than before.

Now she has even begun to dream big dreams with her eye on the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games.

Zheng Li, 35, a man with a visual impairment, has the same kind of experience and is now forming similar goals. Several months before he graduated from a massage programme in a vocational school for people who are visually impaired, he was worried about his future job.

At that moment came an internship at Beijing Massage Hospital (BMH), a hospital attached to China Disabled Person's Federation and the birthplace of the country's medical massage by people with visual impairments.

Impressed with his skills, the hospital eventually hired him as a massage therapist.

It is here that Zheng has settled down and found his niche.

He turned out to be one of over 40 massage therapists, out of some 150 in the hospital, who are visually disabled.

"In the past 11 years, many colleagues reached out to help us visually disabled therapists," Zheng said.

With their help, he even realized his dream of entering college, which is still rare among disabled people in China.

The hospital, located in an old hutong in Beijing's Xicheng District, "has tried its best to help these disabled therapists conquer the difficulties in both work and life," said Lai Wei, director of the hospital.

According to Lai, every courtyard has sidewalks for the visually impaired, and there are rarely any steps before each clinic's room in case they may stumble over them. Many of them can operate the computer and log onto the Internet with the help of a special voice software, which can read out the text on the screen.

"Patients are more willing to turn to us for medical massage than my colleagues who don't have this disability," Zheng said, adding that it is probably because they have a very good sense of touch and concentration.

The ability to feel with fingers and focus the mind is very important in medical massage, Zheng said, and that's why doctors with visual impairments are more popular in BMH.

As for his new-found dreams, he said he has his sights set on the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games.

"It would be great if I could provide some service for athletes," Zheng said.

[LongBlade]

Men's Fencing Team Individuals Win Two Open Titles
Wayne State Warriors
CollegeSports.com
Detroit, MI, USA
December 3, 2005

wsuathletics.collegesports.com/sports/m-fenc/recaps/120305aaa.html

DETROIT - Members of the Wayne State University fencing teams won five of the six weapons at the 2005 Istvan Danosi/Michigan Open hosted by WSU Saturday at the Matthaei.

Winning gold medals were sophomore Kasia Kuzniak (Konin, Poland) in the women's sabre, junior Lindsey Howard (Goshen, Ind./Mishawaka) in the women's foil, two-time defending national champion Anna Garina (Kiev, Ukraine) in the women's epee, junior Marek Petraszek (Gliwice, Poland) in the men's epee and junior Bobby Smith (Hillsborough, N.J.) in the men's sabre.


Bobby Smith won the men's sabre at the 2005 Istvan Danosi/Michigan Open.

Petraszek defeated Adam Maczik 15-8 in the championship bout of the men's epee.

Smith defeated Leif Knag 15-6 in the championship bout of the men's sabre.

Senior Joe Langdorf (Royal Oak, Mich./Dondero) placed second in the men's foil falling to Detroit's Craig Budzynski, 15-9, in the final. Langdorf was seeded fourth after the first round but recorded victories over James Gawecki (Detroit) and Brendan Mullane (Detroit).

[LongBlade]

Fencing Team Dominant in Home Dual Meet
Men’s and Women’s team finish with a combined 9-1 record
GoPSUsports.com
University Park, PA, USA.
December 3, 2005

www.gopsusports.com/pressreleases/pressrelease.cfm?anncid=9120&spID=6

The Penn State men’s and women’s fencing teams opened their dual meet season with success on Saturday. Penn State welcomed the University of North Carolina, New York University, Princeton University, Harvard University and Rutgers University for the first dual meets of the season. The men’s team finished the day 4-1 with their only loss coming to Harvard (14-13). The women’s team went undefeated with a perfect 5-0 record.

Senior captain Marten Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) led the Penn State men’s saber group with a record of 13-2. Junior Axel Reblewski (Le Moliere, France) finished 8-4 and fellow junior Ian Farr (Portland, Ore.) went 6-5. Sophomore Alexander Vongries (Bloomington, Minn.) was a perfect 4-0 while freshman Joseph Milliron (Lake Oswego, Ore.) finished 2-1.

Senior Christopher Miller (Salina, Kan.) led the men’s foil group, finishing 10-2. Freshman Janos Gasparin (Grapevine, Tex.) ended the meet with a 6-4 record and sophomore Jeffrey Chang (Hong Kong, China) went 5-6. Freshman Alexander Louton (Hollidaysburg, Pa.) battled his way to a 5-0 mark and sophomore Alexander Goldenberg (Guilford, Conn.) was also perfect, going 2-0. Freshman Emerson DiNapoli (Los Gatos, Calif.) went 2-2 and sophomore Sergio Hey-Colon (Caguas Puerto Rico) finished 0-1.

Sophomore Arthur Urman (Maalot, Israel) led a young group of epee fencers, finishing 8-5. Freshman James Moody (Denver, Colo.) and sophomore Dennis Kraft (Rector, Pa.) both finished 7-8. Junior Nevin King (State College, Pa.) was unbeaten, finishing 2-0.

The Penn State women’s fencing team dominated in all three weapons. Junior captain Sophia Hiss (Oklahoma City, Okla.) and freshman Caitlin Thompson (Portland, Ore.) both finished 10-1. Sophomore Ashley Gin Fong Linker (Vernon Hills, Ill.) went 8-3 and fellow sophomore Rachel Arndt (Stafford, Va.) finished 1-3. Junior Laura Hillstrom (Gaithersburg, Md.) went 3-1 while senior Juliet Howard (Santa Monica, Calif.) finished 2-2.

In women’s foil, Penn State was led by senior Annekathrin Donath (Tauber, Germany) with a record of 12-2. Junior Tamara Najm (Morristown, N.J.) and freshman Allison Glasser (Piedmont, Calif.) both went 10-3. Freshman Julia Mouk (New York, N.Y.) and sophomore Sara Gonzalez (Princeton, N.J.) combined to finish a perfect 5-0.

Junior Case Szarwark (Nashville, Tenn.) trounced the women’s epee field with a 14-1 record. Sophomore Megan Lutheran (Glen Gardner, N.J.) went 8-7 and junior Katherine Cook (Setauket, N.Y.) finished 7-8.

Penn State's fencing teams return to action at the White Building on Saturday, January 28 at 9 a.m. Visiting teams include Duke University, Drew University, Haverford College, Hunter College, Columbia University, St. John’s University, Temple University (women), the University of Pennsylvania and the University of North Carolina.

[LongBlade]

Princeton Fencing Each Wins Versus NYU, Rutgers and North Carolina, Drops Both to Penn State
GoPrincetonTigers.com
Princeton, NJ, USA
Dec. 5, 2005.

goprincetontigers.collegesports.com/sports/m-fenc/recaps/120505aaa.html

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. - Senior All-American Ben Solomon's undefeated day was the highlight of the Princeton's men's fencing team's 3-1 start to its dual meet season, while fellow All-American Jacqueline Leahy won all 12 of her bouts for the women's team as each Tiger squad went 3-1 on Saturday against host Penn State, North Carolina, Rutgers and NYU.

In the men's team's 16-11 victory over Rutgers, the Tigers had their best outcome in the epee, winning seven of the nine bouts led by Solomon's three wins. Princeton was 5-4 in the foil and 4-5 in the saber.

Princeton recorded 18-9 victories over both NYU and North Carolina. Against NYU, Princeton won the saber 6-3 as three Tiger bouters - senior Owen Cornwall, sophomore John Winnerman and sophomore David Leffler - each won two. Junior John-Paul Mitchell and sophomore Douglas Hohensee also won two bouts apiece in a 5-4 Tiger advantage in the foil, and Solomon and Tommi Hurme each went 3-0 as Princeton won the epee competition 8-1 over NYU. Against UNC, Winnerman's 3-0 record helped Princeton win the saber 5-4. Hohensee and Mitchell were also perfect against the Tar Heels in the foil as Princeton won the weapon 8-1, and Solomon and senior Fenil Ghodadra each went 2-0 to help the Tigers to edge UNC 5-4 in the epee.

In Princeton's lone loss on the men's side, a 15-12 defeat to Penn State, Solomon and Hurme each went 3-0 in the epee to help win the weapon 8-1, but no other Tiger mustered a winning record in the match. Princeton lost the foil 8-1 and the saber 6-3.

On the women's side, a strong performance in the foil and epee led Princeton to a 17-10 victory over North Carolina. Leahy and junior Sara Jew-Lim each went 3-0 in the foil as the Tigers won that weapon 8-1. Princeton's 7-2 victory in the epee was led by junior All-American Erin McGarry's 3-0 effort.

But Leahy was the only Tiger to reach three wins in an 18-9 loss to Penn State, and Leahy's three wins were Princeton's only victories in the foil in a 6-3 loss. Princeton also dropped the saber 7-2 and the epee 5-4.

In a 16-11 win over Rutgers, Princeton recovered from being swept in the saber to win the match with 8-1 victories each in the foil and epee. Leahy, Jew-Lim, McGarry and senior Kira Hohensee had 3-0 records against the Scarlet Knights.

Princeton's biggest margin of victory came against NYU, 20-7. The Orange and Black won the saber, 6-3, the foil - led by 3-0 records from Leahy and Jew-Lim - 7-2, and the epee 7-2 with a 3-0 effort coming from McGarry.

The men's team returns to action on Jan. 29 in its only home meet of the year against Vassar, while the women next compete in the first of two Ivy League events on Feb. 5, hosted by Cornell.

[LongBlade]

Blatant Advertising Thinly Disguised As News...

United States Fencing Association Gives Enthusiasts New Reason to Raise Their Sabers with New Credit Card from U.S. Bank
Business Wire
San Francisco, CA, USA
December 5, 2005

home.businesswire.com/portal/site/google/index.jsp?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20051205005017&newsLang=en

MINNEAPOLIS & COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.-
The United States Fencing Association (USFA) and U.S. Bank have partnered to create a saber-raising opportunity for fencing enthusiasts with the United States Fencing Association Visa(R) card from U.S. Bank. The card generates support for fencing each time a new card is activated and repeatedly thereafter each time the card is used.

"The beauty of this program is that just by using the card, fans and athletes will help support and develop the sport of fencing. We've also created a great-looking card that fencers will be proud to carry," said Michael Massik, executive director of the USFA. "Simply put, your support helps make fencing dreams come true."

The USFA card depicts two fencers in action, and features no annual fee, a low introductory rate (APR) and a choice of exciting rewards including cash back or points redeemable for merchandise, travel, gift certificates or virtually any reward with the Choose Your Own Reward option.

"We're proud to support the passion and dreams of fencers everywhere and the mission of the USFA through this new affinity relationship," said Tanya Turner, senior vice president of affinity products at U.S. Bank. "We look forward to building and continuing a great relationship with USFA and its fans nationwide."

To learn more visit www.usfencing.org or call 800-853-5576, ext. 8630.

Based in Colorado Springs, Colo., the USFA develops fencers to achieve international success and to administer and promote the sport in the United States. The USFA is the recognized national governing body for the sport of fencing in the United States. The USFA was founded in 1891 as the Amateur Fencers League of America (AFLA) by a group of New York fencers seeking independence from the Amateur Athletic Union. The AFLA changed its name to the USFA in 1981.

U.S. Bancorp (NYSE:USB), with $207 billion in assets, is the 6th largest financial holding company in the United States. The company operates 2,411 banking offices and 4,999 ATMs in 24 states, and provides a comprehensive line of banking, brokerage, insurance, investment, mortgage, trust and payment services products to consumers, businesses and institutions. U.S. Bancorp is home of the Five Star Service Guarantee in which the company pays customers if certain key banking benefits and services are not met. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank. Visit U.S. Bancorp on the web at www.usbank.com.

[LongBlade]

Fencing takes Wilkes-Barre native to Olympic heights
Sport transformed David Micahnik from non-athletic kid to Olympian and coach.[/b][/color]
By JOE PETRUCCI
Wilkes Barre Times-Leader
Wilkes Barre, PA, USA
Dec. 05, 2005

www.timesleader.com/mld/timesleader/13330195.htm

Growing up in the Heights in the 1940s and ’50s, David Micahnik was hardly athletic.

“I was the kid people beat up.”

His only sporting endeavors were ascending up Northampton Street or the South Street Bridge on his bicycle.

“If I was in really good shape, I could make it halfway up without losing my breath,” Micahnik remembers.

After attending GAR High School and graduating from Wyoming Seminary in 1955, Micahnik went to the University of Pennsylvania. A classmate in the cafeteria suggested Micahnik try fencing with Penn’s club team.

Micahnik found a master teacher, one-on-one combat in a safe environment and a fantasy that quickly became a lifelong reality.

“You can turn your fantasy loose … the fantasy of being able to win fights,” Micahnik said.

Micahnik went on to compete in three Olympics and has recorded winning seasons in all 31 of his years as the fencing coach at his alma mater.

Now an ambassador of the sport, Micahnik was the featured speaker at a Penn Alumni holiday party at Best Western East Mountain Inn on Sunday. Micahnik talked about finding himself in fencing, which was almost unknown in Wilkes-Barre 50 years ago.

“I refer to it as a confluence of fates, like everybody’s life, really.”

That union couldn’t have happened without Lajos Csiszar, the Transylvanian-born fencing maestro who was Micahnik’s first teacher in 1955.

The novice quickly learned the mental and technical aspects of fencing. He realized the sport didn’t have much to do with pure strength.

Micahnik was quickly drawn to the sport, which gave him a feeling unlike any he had experienced. He worked tirelessly in practice and estimates he has taken thousands of lessons over the years.

“It was so different from everything else. It suited my personality.”

In 1958, the World Championships were held at Penn between Micahnik’s junior and senior years. He volunteered to work at the meet and it was then that he realized he could make his life in fencing.

“It occurred to me that (the competitors) were people, not deities,” he said. “If I do what they do, I can accomplish what they accomplish.”

By the time Micahnik finished his undergraduate degree at Penn in 1959, he was an all-Ivy League selection in epee. The following year, Micahnik competed in the U.S. Championships in what he thought would be a dress rehearsal to qualify for the 1964 Summer Olympics.

He wound up winning the national title and advancing to the 1960 Olympics in Rome.

He was one of the top two American fencers in epee throughout the 1960s, also competing in the ’64 Olympics in Tokyo and ’68 in Mexico City.

Representing his country and sport at the highest level is Micahnik’s career highlight.

“During telecasts of the Olympics they talk about the great thrill of marching into the stadium, but there’s no way you can give it words,” he said.

He also won gold medals at the Maccabiah Games in 1965 and ’69.

Micahnik began his coaching career at his alma mater in 1974. In his 32nd year as Penn’s fencing coach, Micahnik’s men’s and women’s teams have a combined record of 618-182 (.773), have never had a losing season and have won a total of 25 Ivy League championships. The Quakers women last won a league title in 2004 and the Penn men won the Ivy in 2003.

Micahnik’s women’s team won a national title in 1986 and have finished with a top-five ranking 14 times since 1977. His men’s team won the national title in 1981.

Micahnik serves on the board of directors for U.S. Fencing and in the Congress of U.S. Fencing. He is also a vice president of the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association.

He usually makes one major trip every month to tournaments, conferences or clinics.

Micahnik is quick to note that age divisions in fencing range from under-10 to 60-and-over for a variety of skill levels. He also said it was important for novices to seek proper training from an accredited instructor.

“I want people to understand it’s fun,” said Micahnik, who resides in Cherry Hill, N.J., with Phyllis, his wife of 34 years. The couple have four sons.

“It’s safe, but it’s combat. It’s enjoyable. You don’t need to get into shape and it can be done at many levels.”

[LongBlade]

M. and W. fencing win three games total on Saturday
Washington Square News
New York, NY, USA
by Brad Clough
December 05, 2005

www.nyunews.com/vnews/display.v/ART/2005/12/05/4393e0bd16b68

The men’s and women’s fencing teams faced a long day of fencing at the Penn State Invitational on Saturday. After more than eight hours of competition, the men’s team was able to earn only one win against some of the top fencing schools in the country, while the women notched two wins on the day.

The men’s lone victory came against the University of North Carolina, as the Violets beat the Tar Heels 15-12. The foil team recorded a 6-3 win, as did the sabre team behind sophomore Tony Rubin’s three wins. The epee team was not as successful, dropping a 3-6 decision despite senior co-captain Andrew Magee’s two wins.

As the Violets’ day dragged on, they made sure to stick together.

“The main theme of the meet was camaraderie,” junior Dimitri Apostol said. “The key was to help other people warm up. Our matches are a team effort; that’s the one thing we got over everyone.”

Although the men’s team lost their other matches, there were flashes of brilliance on the strip against elite fencers from other schools.

The Violets lost to Rutgers University 16-11. The sabre team was defeated 7-2, but the foil team collected a 5-4 win behind senior co-captain Gabe Sinkin and sophomore Alex Kao’s two wins. The epee team lost a close 5-4 match; senior Jon Gorman collected two wins in the loss.

“I was really inconsistent,” Kao said. “I was bouncing back and forth. It was weird because I was on for certain matches and Gabe was on for other ones.”

The Violets lost to Penn State University 24-3. Sinkin earned the only win at foil, while junior Matt Lutz, who is also a WSN columnist, and freshman Seth Webster garnered one win each in epee. Apostol noted that the Penn State match was heated from the start due to reasons off the strip.

“Anyone who knows NYU’s and Penn State’s coaches know that they hate each other,” Apostol said.

In their final match, the Violets lost to Princeton 18-9. Senior Iakovos Hadjigeorgis collected two wins at sabre, while Sinkin won two matches at foil.

Apostol praised Sinkin for his performance and leadership during the meet.

“Sinkin carried the foil team,” Apostol said. “There was a lot of pressure for the foil team to do well, and we capitalized on other teams’ weaknesses. Sinkin dominated; he really brought a lot for us.”

The women’s team had a bit more success on the day, as they collected two team wins.

The Violets defeated the Tar Heels 17-10 in their first match of the day. Senior co-captain Kristin Wentrcek and sophomores Eugenia Lee and Marianna Barry earned two wins as the foil team won 6-3. The epee squad also looked strong, posting a 7-2 victory behind junior co-captain Lauren Willock’s three wins and senior Jeanie Goto’s two wins.

“I wasn’t quite prepared when we started,” Willock said. “It was an issue of me trying to wake up in the morning. I started out slow and got better as the day wore on.”

The Violets’ second win came against Rutgers University, as the team defeated the Scarlet Knights 18-9. The foil squad won 6-3, as Wentrcek won all three of her bouts and Lee added two more wins. Willock and Goto won their three bouts in the epee team’s 8-1 victory.

The five matches both teams faced tested their endurance and ability to find the energy they needed to win bouts.

“We started fencing around 9 a.m. and ended around 5:30 p.m,” Apostol said. “Individual matches only last three minutes, so you fence your heart out for those three minutes, then fence again. You have to be in tip-top shape for small amounts of time; it takes a lot of energy out of people.”

Although the Violets did not pick up more wins during the day, the team showed poise and confidence on the strip while battling some of the top fencers in the country.

“We had a lot of tough opponents out there,” Kao said. “We picked up what bouts we could.”

The Violets next compete at the National Circuit Tournament, which will be held from Thursday to Sunday in Sacramento, Calif.

[LongBlade]

Fencers dominate first team event
By Brian Hacker
Collegian Staff Writer
Penn State Collegian
December 5, 2005

www.collegian.psu.edu/archive/2005/12/12-05-05tdc/12-05-05dsports-05.asp

The Penn State men's and women's fencing teams have been known to be a dominant force in the college fencing world, and their performance this weekend was no short of that. The Nittany Lions won nine out of 10 matches at this weekend's Traditional tournament, hosted by Penn State at the White Building.

The field at this week's Traditional would be described as elite. The five schools who competed included New York University, Rutgers, North Carolina, Princeton and Harvard. The two Ivy League schools are recent additions to this tournament.

This was the Lions' first team event. Their first two events, the Penn State Garret Open and Temple Open, were individual tournaments and had no implications on their region or placement in the NCAA tournament.

On the men's side, the team defeated NYU, Rutgers, Princeton, and North Carolina. The men defeated all four of those teams soundly. Their only loss came at the hands of Harvard, who beat them by one point, 14-13.

Penn State fencing coach Emmanuil Kaidanov was not that surprised over the loss to Harvard, though, saying the team is strong and fenced well.

Some of the more impressive finishes for the men included senior captain Marten Zagunis, who finished the day 13-2, and sophomore Alexander Vongries who had a record of 4-0 in the men's saber.

Sophomore Arthur Urman led the men's epee with a record of 8-5, while junior Nevin King finished 2-0.

For the men's foil, senior Christopher Miller finished an impressive 10-2 that led the group.

The women's team beat all five of its opponents, but the Harvard women's team gave it fits as well, with Penn State pulling out a 15-12 win. Kaidanov said that the Harvard women's team was just as strong as the men's team.

In the women's saber, junior captain Sophia Hiss and freshman Caitlin Thompson both finished 10-1, with the rest of that group having a good day as well.

Junior Case Szarwark, who finished the day with a record of 14-2, dominated the women's epee at the Traditional.

Senior Annekathrin Donath led the women's foil group, and finished with a record of 12-2. Also, freshman Allison Glasser and junior Tamara Najm had a good day with a 10-2 record.

Even though it seems like the Lions dominated the Traditional, Kaidanov was not entirely pleased.

"Some of the performances were good, but we need a lot of work," Kaidanov said. "Whenever you lose a match, you don't like it.

"There were some strong performances from the women's saber team, but I have to analyze all the results before he could say whom he though fought well individually."

This is the last team match for the Lions before the winter break. Next week, the majority of the team will be going the Olympic Trials and North American Cup, to qualify for their country's national team for both world events. Kaidanov said that the Olympic Trials are a great experience and a chance to fight against tough competition.

The team does not hold practices over the winter break, but Kaidanov expects that his team practices on its own. The Lions next compete Jan. 28.