Canadian Fencing Federation – Canada’s Men’s Sabre, Women’s Foil and Women’s Sabre Teams finished in top 16 at the 2016 Fencing Junior World Championships in Bourges, France.

Canada’s Women’s Sabre Team finished the highest with a 10th place finish on Saturday.  The team of Rachel Lamarre, Veronique Lamarre, Frederique Bourget (all from Blainville, QC) and Madison Thurgood from Edmonton, advanced directly to the 16’s based on their ranking.  The team faced Mexico which was made up of three athletes who have qualified for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and lost 45-31.  The team then fenced Algeria in the 9-16 seeding round and won by a score of 45-36.  This put them in the seeding bout for 9-12 where they fenced Korea and won a solid 45-37.  Their final bout of the day was against Hungary for 9th place.  The Hungarians proved too strong and defeated the Canadians 45-34 to put Canada in 10th place overall.

Canada’s Men’s Sabre Team, composed of Cameron MacKay (Winnipeg, MB), Falan Kennedy (Ardrossan, AB), Hunter Moricz (North Vancouver, BC) and David Brown (Canadian living in US) defeated Saudi Arabia in the round of 32 by a score of 45-38. 

In the round of 16, Canada unfortunately faced the number one seed, Russia and lost 45-27, which put them in the 9-16 classification rounds.

Canada then faced Chinese Taipei, and after battling back and forth, defeated them 45-44 to advance to the 9-12 ranking round.  The Canadians fought valiantly against Great Britain, but could not sustain the momentum and lost 45-39.  Canada then fenced Poland, and lost another very close bout 45-42 to finish in 12th place overall, ahead of the USA who were 13th.

Canada’s Women’s Foil Team also had a good day. The team of Ariane Bilodeau (Outremont, QC), Sarah Filby (Edina, MB), Ying Cai (Toronto, ON) and Angela Li (Toronto, ON) faced Australia in the round of 32 and soundly defeated them 45-9.

Canada then faced Hungary who had a bye to the round of 16, and lost 45-28 which relegated them to the 9-16 classification rounds.  Canada then fenced a strong team from China, and despite leading by 6 points in the mid-point of the bout, lost 45-43.

In Canada’s 13-16 Classification bout, they defeated Chinese Taipei 43-33 to advance to the 13/14 placing bout.  Canada then came up against Spain and lost a very close 45-42 to finish in 14th place overall.

Canada’s Men’s Epee, Women’s Epee and Men’s Foil Teams all lost their first bouts and finished outside of top 16. 

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Canadian Fencing Federation