Des Moines Fencing Club: 2010

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Crossroads Youth Classic, October 9-10

This year, the Crossroads Youth Classic is scheduled for October 9 and 10, a few weeks earlier than past years. We're hosting it simultaneously with our Fall Fencing Fest, so there's fun for everyone!

Crossroads on AskFRED: http://askfred.net/Events/moreInfo.php?tournament_id=12312

Fall Fencing Fest on AskFRED: http://askfred.net/Events/moreInfo.php?tournament_id=12327

We're looking for rated referees for this weekend, so please pass the word along to your teammates. We can either pay regular honoraria plus reasonable hotel and mileage expenses. We can also waive Fall Fencing Fest registration fees for referees who wish to fence in that event and are willing to referee Crossroads events. If you're interested, or know someone who is, please let us know!

In past years, the Crossroads has been a Regional Youth Circuit tournament. We don't have the official word yet this year, but hope to have news on that front soon.

We look forward to seeing you!

- RJL

Sunday, July 25, 2010

Summer Tactics Class, 2nd Session: Videos

(Updated August 5, 2010)

For those of you in my second-session summer Tactics class, here are links to the videos you'll be asked to watch. For Week 1 (due Monday, August 9), watch any three bouts. (Note that some bouts may have more than one part -- if you pick the Varga vs. Vezzalli bout, be sure to watch all three parts!) For each bout, write down three things that strike you as interesting about the fencing.

You don't have to pick three bouts from one category, but if you've decided to specialize in a particular weapon, you might want to focus on your specialty.

Happy viewing! - RJL

Women's foil:

2009/07/14 World Cup, Plovdiv

Semifinal: Gabriella VARGA HUN vs Valentina VEZZALI ITA

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfVtwjqbIEE&feature=channel

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uxAaB5RIVnA

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku Azerbaijan

Semifinal: Alice VOLPI (ITA) vs Anita BLAZE (FRA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WpBdnb-r3uI&feature=channel

Cadets Fencing World Championships 2010

Semifinal: Lee KIEFER (USA) vs Dora LUPKOVICS (HUN)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WYzwFPw6Mb4

Men's Foil

Zhu vs Baldini- Foil - Antalya 09 – Finals

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FbZ3yN8-pQ8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7dSsh89UcLU

Part 3: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FB3wYVZUa4Y

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaijan

Semi-Final: David WILLETTE (USA) vs Alaa El Din EL SAYED (EGY)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t9YF3JJaqF8&feature=channel

Cadet Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan
Mens Foil - Semi-Final 1
Alexander MASSIALAS (USA) vs Kirill LICHAGIN (RUS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RMdRMwIO6_M

Women's Epee

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan

Gold Medal Match: Johanna BERGDAHL (SWE) vs Lauren REMBI (FRA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yFBM__4uc58

April 02, 2010 — Cadets Womens Epee Semi-Final 2: TATARAN Amalia (ROU) vs SANTUCCIO Alberta (ITA)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FK37GEoVnSQ&sns=em

2010 European Championships: Women's Epee Final PIEKARSKA (POL) vs. DUPLITZER (GER)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88corN79lCg

Men's Epee

2009 World Cup, Antalya

Finals: Avdeev VS Tagliariol

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RfqLtc5_C6g

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fTU1pk4-9tE&feature=related

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaijan

Semi-Final: SUN Qi (CHN) vs Nikita GLAZKOV (RUS)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ZDeyh7oIv8

2010 US Fencing National Championships Div I Men's Epee Finals Mattern vs. Kelsey

Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ov7jKzLuFr8

Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emvlKOHFnuo&feature=related

Women's Sabre:

Beijing 2008 - WSI - L4 - Jacobson USA v Velikaya RUS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oSl7VREGBzc&feature=related

20090716 ws Plovdiv final KHARLAN Olga UKR vs DIATCHENKO Ekateri RUS

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PzTIgZRYXXk

June 2010: New York World Cup, GOLD Medal Bout - Benko HUN v Zagunis USA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9kxjxGY7eE

Men's Sabre

Beijing 2008 - MSI - GOLD - Zhong CHN v Lopez FRA

1 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIgQhBdc0eA&feature=related

2 of 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UsOXjGWV_-Y&feature=related

Istanbul 2010 - L8 - Morehouse USA v Zalomir ROU

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oYuVhoTkpHw&feature=related

Junior Fencing World Championships 2010 Baku, Azerbaidjan
Semi-Final: Aron Szilagyi (HUN) vs Sebastian SCHRÖDTER (GER)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eU5tYRjayBk&feature=channel

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Rocking Atlanta

I would have posted more updates from Nationals, but the Omni Hotel charges $9.95 per day for internet access. I'm elsewhere using someone else's free access to make this post.

DMFC's experience at Nationals includes a third day of improvement. Today, Nile finished in the middle of the pack in Division 2 Men's Sabre, a good showing for his second tournament at this level. Kaley fenced in Division 2 Women's Epee, just twenty four hours after her triumph in the Division 3 event. She picked up where she left off, but ran out of gas and finished somewhere around 35th of 117.

Our two best-conditioned fencers, Kaley and Allison, were the two who had to fence on back-to-back days. Both had great first days, though. Everyone who has fenced has improved on their results from previous Nationals or NACs, and everyone has something to build on for the future.

Our two foilists, Abbey and Samantha, fence on Monday the 12th in the Division 3 Women's event. Both are first-time competitors at Nationals, though Samantha has a NAC under her belt. We're looking forward to seeing their debuts!

There is more to National Championships than just the fencing, of course. Several of us attended the USFA's Hall of Fame Reception, at which seven notables were inducted. We met Tim Morehouse, who spoke with our younger fencers for a while afterward. We scoped out the vendors, found some good bargains on some of the tables, and renewed acquaintances with fencing friends from across the country. When I get back, we'll have more to share with our teammates and friends about the wonderful experience. Suffice to say that this has been a great Nationals. Sure the results have been great, but the experience gained and the lessons learned have been even greater. We'll have a lot to digest when we get back, and a lot to apply when we return to practice.

- R. J. Lesch, proud to be a member of DMFC!

Saturday, July 10, 2010

Chicoine Takes 6th at Nationals!

Kaley Chicoine became the first Des Moines Fencing Club member to capture a medal at a U.S. National Fencing Championships! Kaley took 6th place (out of 130) in Division III Women's Epee on July 10 at Nationals in Atlanta. She won five of her six bouts in the pool round to earn the 24th seed in direct elimination, and then upset the ninth seed in the round of 32 en route to earning a place on the podium with the rest of the Final 8.

Chicoine, of St. Charles, IA, has been fencing for a little under two years, but took to epee rapidly and has moved up dramatically over the past six months, finishing the Heartland Circuit with a gold medal at the Kansas City Open in June. She is pictured here with Dulap, the DMFC Penguin. (Photo by Abbey Janecek.)

Other DMFC fencers have done well at these Nationals. Allison Crawford of Granger finished 23rd of 85 in Division III Women's Sabre on July 9, her highest national finish to date. Nile Engelhardt finished in the upper third in Division III Men's Sabre, and takes the strip for the Division II event tomorrow.

Thursday, June 17, 2010

Allison Crawford, Heartland Circuit Women's Sabre Champ!

Allison Crawford, DMFC member, captured the 2009-2010 Heartland Circuit women's sabre crown this season in impressive fashion. Allison took first in three of the six circuit tournaments, including the Kansas City Open on June 12.

Crawford, of Granger, Iowa , is the fourth DMFC member to win a Heartland Circuit championship, and the first circuit winner in women’s sabre.

In women’s epee, Sarah Timmons of the Iowa State University Fencing Club (formerly of Johnston High School ) captured first place in the season standings, with Des Moines Fencing Club members Kaley Chicoine and Sydney Royal finishing third and fourth, respectively.

Preston Kirkpatrick of Des Moines, the 2008-09 circuit champion in mixed saber, took third place this season.

Allison (at right in the photo) has been competing for four years, making sabre her primary weapon three years ago. She is gearing up for her second U.S. Summer Nationals next month. She will be traveling to Atlanta along with Kaley Chicoine (left) and Abbey Janecek (center).

Friday, May 28, 2010

Summer Nationals in Atlanta, July 4-13

It's official! Six members of the Des Moines Fencing Club will be fencing in the U.S. Summer National Fencing Championships in Atlanta, Georgia, this summer:

Kaley Chicoine, Division II women's epee (July 11), Division III women's epee (July 12)

Allison Crawford, Division II women's sabre (July 10), Division III women's sabre (July 9)

Samantha Crawford, Division III women's foil (July 12)

Nile Engelhart, Division II men's sabre (July 11), Division III men's sabre (July 9)

Abbey Janecek, Division II women's foil (July 9), Division III women's foil (July 12)

Sydney Royal, Division III women's epee (July 10)

All qualified at divisional championships in April. Our two sabreurs are fencing in their second Nationals; the rest are going for the first time, though three have fenced in NACs before.

Congratulations to DMFC's Super Six! Watch this space for updates.

Sunday, May 2, 2010

Summer Tactics Class: Videos

(UPDATED May 7) For those of you in my summer Tactics classes, here are links to the videos you'll be asked to watch. For Week 1 (due Monday, May 10), watch your three videos (female epeeists watch the women's epee bouts, etc.) and for each bout, write down three things that strike you as interesting about the fencing.