
It's Not All Bad News From Varsity 2013…
Varsity Cup 2013: Men and Women’s Fencing After the initial morning excitement incited from the broken down bus at 8.30am, triggering extensive rants about the several attempts of sabotage by […]
Varsity Cup 2013: Men and Women’s Fencing
After the initial morning excitement incited from the broken down bus at 8.30am, triggering extensive rants about the several attempts of sabotage by Team Pompey (who the hell gave them that name? A history student with a nerdy sense of humour, no doubt), including the fact many of the usual fencers had already gone home, a trend common across most of the university’s sports teams.
The two matches were played in a meeting room upstairs of the student union. We thought it was pure luxury they had taken the chairs out for us but not that they had polished the floors. We noticed that Pompey’s electric kit was half 21st Century, half barely 19th. The light boxes was excellent, the spools fiddly. But there you have it.
The different blades are split up épée, foil and Sabre, so scroll to what you want to read.
Men’s Epée
The Men’s epée went first, and a good start it was, the first bout won by Duncan Robinson 5-3. Team Pompey proved hesitant at the beginning, continuing throughout the morning, contrasting to Team Soton who quickly gained confidence and dominated the piste. Peter Cronbach (the Men’s Captain) in particular was particularly active in controlling the pace, dictating his opponent’s movements and capturing the blade, and Ben Oxley, despite facing a sneaky Pompey Opponent (sneaky as in he took a lot of feints) worked out the weak spot and used it to his advantage.
Word to Niall Ahearne, usually a sabreur at the club, continued to fence like a sabreur that paid off well in his bouts, increasing the lead from 20-17 to 25-17.
However, the win of 45-37 did not prove easy for one of the Pompey Team members, who I’d like to name the Pompey Magician, made sure he was difficult to beat.
Women’s Epée
The Women’s epée was more relaxed than the men’s, due to perhaps the Soton Team having slightly more experience in the blade than their opponents. Isabella Hunter-Fajardo set the pace with a 5-0 first bout, continued by Women’s captain Ksenia Dvurecenska (fencing for her last match as captain), who kept her opponent on her toes with patience, keeping her guessing where she would land her hit. Kathryn Jones was faced by a Pompey determined to close the gap, but she held her off to maintain the lead. They won 45-18.
Men’s Foil
The men’s foil was fiercely fought, especially when it became apparent that foil is Pompey’s strongest blade. Elie Antoun found he had a tricky start against the formerly mentioned Pompey Magician, who also proved he could do foil as well as epée, but Antoun made sure he didn’t leave the piste without administering a few bruises…! Jack Keum, on his first away match with the club, despite his inexperience put up an excellent fight, with one memorable hit being a feint to the left and then moving in for a straight attack under the arm, trapping his opponent’s blade. It, however, fell to Kelly Jackson to try and win all three blades for Team Soton, with the final twenty seconds of his bout against the Pompey magician at 43-43. Pompey managed to pull away, and unfortunately, Kelly hit the Pompey player just as the timer ran out.
However, it was well fought at 44-43, and provided a theatrical conclusion for the day.
Women’s Foil
The women were more confident than the men, establishing an early lead at 10-1, with reference to Kathyrn Jones, who dominated the first Pompey fencer by wearing her down, pushing her up and down the piste, and Isabella Hunter Fajardo who made good use of her quick disengage-parry-riposte against her opponent, showing her epée credentials with her excellent parries. Fliss Cusack, throughout her first bout, developed more confidence and making full use of her flexibility with very far reaching lunges, catching retreating opponents and being more confident in initiating an assertive attack.
A well deserved 45-16 win for Team Soton.
Men’s Sabre
An unlucky start for Team Soton; the first fencer for Team Pompey was quick and determined, winning the bout 5-2, leaving Peter Cronbach reeling, appearing to still be in epée mode! Niall Ahearne managed to retake the lead and drag it back to 10-8. Antoine Du Baret, being on his first away match, struggled against his more experienced opponent. Although later on in the sabre match, he is seen doing flick hits on a confused opponent, gaining enough confidence to simply push him back and use speed to dodge misjudged hits. Kelly Jackson managed to close the gap and once more put Team Soton ahead at 20-17, demonstrating that although his opponent was much faster, he could turn this advantage into a disadvantage as Jackson’s opponent did not allow him sufficient time to defend against a well timed parry-riposte.
A highlight came from Niall Ahearne, whose blade travelled so quickly it gave off a spark and cracked as it hit his opponent.
Just thought you might like that.
Team Soton won Men’s Sabre 45-40 and the men won overall at 133-121.
Women’s Sabre
Wisely, the anchor for the women’s sabre was chosen to be Nikki Vrtiskova, a very experienced sabreuse, and didn’t disappoint. Although she claimed to “not be fencing very well”, she seemed to be on top form, breaking through her stubborn opponents with stop hits via her speed. Kathryn Jones, still doing awesomely despite tired from doing two other blades, became more confident and aggressive as she progressed through her bouts, especially with some very artful parry rispostes, difficult when ones opponent is thundering down the piste. Elizabeth Coates (yes, me) was mainly notable in causing an injury on one of the other team’s members by slamming her guard into the Pompey’s. It wasn’t sabotage; it was poor fencing. Injury time was given, and yes, I still got the priority.
Team Soton won Women’s Sabre 45-35, and won overall 135-69.
- Isabella Hunter-Fajardo (Left)
- Ksenia Dvurecenska (left)
- Duncan Robinson (Right)
- Niall Ahearne (left)
- Niall Ahearne (right)
- Kelly Jackson (right)
- Jack Keum (left)
- Niki Vrtiskova
- Women’s Team
- Men and Women’s team
(Photos from Nick Jones, SU Fencing Club photographer)