The 2018 Senior World Fencing Championships in Wuxi, China wrapped up yesterday with Canada’s Women’s Foil Team of Shannon Comerford (Saskatoon, SK), Alanna Goldie (Calgary, AB), Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, ON) and Kelleigh Ryan (Ottawa, ON) finishing in 6^th place.

Canada lost their quarter-final bout to the eventual gold medalist Team USA 45-19 which put them in the 5-8 seeding bouts. Canada bounced back in their next bout where they faced Team Russia, ranked 2^nd in the world coming into the competition, having won four out of five team events at World Cups this past season.  Canada had another come from behind win, defeating Russia 34-31.  Canada’s last bout was against Team Japan in the 5-6 ranking bout and Canada lost their momentum, losing 31-24 to finish in 6^th place overall.

Several other Canadian teams were also in action yesterday. Canada’s Women’s Sabre team lost to 4^th seed Russia 45-27 in the top 16’s. The team of Pamela Brind’Amour (Blainville, QC), Gabriella Page (Blainville, QC), Marissa Ponich (Edmonton, AB) and Madison Thurgood (Edmonton, AB) then fenced Hong Kong in the 9-16 placing bouts and won 45-35 to advance to the 9-12 placing bouts.  Canada faced Team Japan and Team Germany in their final placing bouts, losing some close bouts to finish in 12^th place overall.

Canada’s young Men’s Foil team lost their round of 32 bout to up-and-coming Denmark a close 45-41 to finish in 19^th place overall.

Canada completes one of its strongest overall results at a Senior World Fencing Championships, with three athletes finishing top 16 (Eleanor Harvey 9^th in Women’s foil, Marc-Antoine Blais-Belanger 10^th in Men’s Epee and Maximilien Van Haaster 16^th in Men’s Foil), two additional athletes finishing top 32 and a total of ten athletes advancing to the top 64’s.  Canada also excelled in Team competition with two top 10 finishes (Women’s Foil 6^th and Men’s Sabre 10^th) and another two in the top 16’s (Women’s Sabre 12^th and Women’s Epee 15^th).

Men’s Foil fencer Maximilien Van Haaster (Montreal, QC) summarized the significance of his top 16 result at Senior Worlds by noting that, “It’s a result that shows that I can compete with the best in the world and it’s very positive for the Olympic qualification that starts at the end of next season! ”

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