With no Essex competitions this year, we decided to try this one as our first major competition. As it turned out we weren’t completely out of our depth!

Womens’ Foil 2nd – Jazz

Jazz had an excellent first foil competition. In the semi-finals she came up against Chelmsfords’ Fiona Lawson and soon found herself 5-1 down at the break. In the second period period Jazz came to terms with her, but it still seemed all over at 13-7. Then Jazz had a quite incredible 3 minutes fencing to equalise at 14 each – and then won the final point!

After both this event and the Resticted Epee, Jazz is picked for the Eastern Region ‘Winton Cup’ team!

Jazz receives her Silver Medal
from international referee
David Sach.

Mens’ Foil 6th – Ben
7th – Derek
8th – Ray
9th – Jonathan
12th- Merlin

This event was dominated by young Karlo Danchev of Newham, followed by his athletic club colleague Nhan Vu.

Derek, Merlin and Jonathan were all in the same qualifying poule, ensuring that they couldn’t all get a good seeding. Unfortunately it was Merlin who lost to the other two. Everyone managed to beat David Savin of Newham, as well as the Chelmsford fencers. But as a result Merlin came up against the eventual silver-medallist Nhan Vu in the knockouts and lost 12-15.

In another, strongest, qualifying group, Ray and Ben were up against Newham fencers Karlo Danchev, Nhan Vu and Don Isko. Ray started off by beating our own Ben, but Ben recovered and went on beat Karlo Danchev 5-2. Ray eventually went out to Newhams’ bronze medal winner Amol Ratten. Meanwhile, Ben was unlucky to come up against Karlo Danchev again in the knock-outs, and this time was put out by the eventual winner.

As Ray had previously met and beaten our own Jonathan in the knock-outs, we could only get one more fencer through to the quarter-finals, which predictably was Derek.

Various Chelmsford fencers brought up the rear.

Estuary foilists (left to right)
Ben, Merlin, Jonathan,
Ray, Jazz,
(Simon gatecrashing)
and Mr Motivator Derek (front)