Fencing Canada – Canada’s top senior athletes in foil and sabre competed in World Cups this past weekend.

The Canadian Women’s Foil Team was at the St. Maur World Cup in France and had a record performance with three Canadians finishing in the top 16.

Jessica Guo (Toronto, ON) was Canada’s top fencer, placing 7^th overall.  Guo had five wins and one loss in poules and then won her 64 bout 15-5 to face the third seed and world number three ranked fencer, USA’s Lee Kiefer, in the 32’s. Guo defeated Kiefer 15-10 to advance to the top 16’s, where she then defeated China’s Qingyuan Chen 15-6.  Guo’s outstanding day came to an end in the quarter-finals, when she lost to France’s Ysaora Thibus, silver medalist at the 2018 World Championships, by a score of 15-10 to place 7^th overall at an event with 198 of the world’s top fencers. 

Outstanding performances were also had by Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, Ontario) who placed 10^th and Alanna Goldie (Calgary, AB) who placed 14^th overall.  Harvey had a direct bye to the top 64’s based on her world ranking while Goldie performed well in poules, winning all six of her bouts.  Harvey defeated two Russians in the 64’s and 32’s respectively to make it to the top 16’s where she lost to Anita Blaze from France 15-7 to finish in 10^th.  Goldie won her 64’s bout against Russian Victoria Yusova 14-6 and then defeated Japan’s Komaki Kikuchi 15-10 to make the 16’s.  Goldie’s first loss of the competition came against Italy’s Francesca Palumbo who won 15-7 and went on to take home bronze in the event while Goldie finished in 14^th place.

Canada’s Women’s Foil Team of Alanna Goldie, Eleanor Harvey, Kelleigh Ryan (Ottawa, ON) and Shannon Comerford (Saskatoon, SK), competed Sunday in the Senior Women’s Foil Team event and placed 11^th overall.   The team lost their top 16 match to Poland by a score of 45-28 which put them in the ranking bouts for 9-16.  The team finished 11^th after defeating Singapore 45-17 and losing a nail biter to China 42-41. Canada’s women’s foil team is ranked among the top 8 in the World.

Competing in Salt Lake City, Utah at the Absolute Fencing Women’s Sabre World Cup in the team event was Pamela Brind’Amour (Montreal, Québec), Gabriella Page (Blainville, QC), Marissa Ponich (Edmonton, Alberta), and Madison Thurgood (Edmonton, Alberta). Canada lost to China in the 16’s a close 45-41.  Canada defeated Hong Kong in the 9-16 elimination bouts 45-23, but then lost to Spain and Japan to finish in 12^th overall.

Finishing 17^th in Tokyo at the Men’s Senior Foil World Cup in the Team event was Blake Broszus (Canadian in the US), Kamil Karbonowski (Toronto, Ontario), Eli Schenkel (Canadian in the US), and Maximilien Van Haaster (Montreal, QC).  Junior Blake Broszus had Canada’s top placing in the Individual event.  Broszus finished 47^th after winning both of his direct elimination bouts to advance to the 64’s where he lost 15-7 to Egyptian Alaaeldin Abouelkassem.

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