Canada’s Women’s Foil Team Finishes 6th at the 2019 Senior World Fencing Championships

Canada’s women’s foil team took the stage at the 2019 Senior World Fencing Championships in Budapest. The team of Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, ON), Alanna Goldie (Calgary, AB), Jessica Guo (Toronto, ON) and Kelleigh Ryan (Ottawa, ON) faced Hungary in their first match in the top 16’s on Sunday and won 45-25 to advance to the quarter-finals.  There they faced Team USA, currently ranked second in the world.  Canada had the lead initially, but the Americans fought back and eventually took the match by a score of 45-41.  Canada then took part in the 5-8 ranking bouts, defeating Korea 45-29 and then losing to Japan a heartbreaking 33-32. Canada finished 6^th overall, improving its world ranking from 7^th to 6^th and in solid contention for Tokyo.

Canada’s Men’s Foil team of Maximilien Van Haaster (Montreal, QC), Eli Schenkel (CDN living in the US), Blake Broszus (CDN living in the US), and Alex Cai (Toronto, ON) defeated Chinese Taipei 45-32 to advance to the top 16’s.  There they faced third seed France and lost 45-32 and finished 16^th following the placing bouts.

Canada’s women’s sabre team defeated Tunisia 45-28 to advance to the top 16’s where they faced USA.  Canada’s team of Gabriella Page (Blainville, QC), Marissa Ponich (Edmonton, AB), Pamela Brind’Amour (St. Martine, QC), and Madison Thurgood (Edmonton, AB) lost 45-32 and finished 15^th overall after the placing bouts.

On Sunday, Canada’s men’s epee team of Marc-Antoine Blais-Belanger (Montreal, QC), John Wright (Ottawa, ON), Dylan French (Richmond, BC) and Seraphim Hsieh Jarov (Surrey, BC) started in the tableau of 64 where they faced Team Mexico and won 45-34. They then faced France in the 32’s and lost 45-35 to finish in 27^th place overall.

Canada finishes the 2019 Senior World Fencing Championships with two top 8 results and an additional 5 top 16 finishes. Canada’s top fencers will soon head to Lima for the 2019 Pan Am Games.

-30-