Canadian fencers competed in Senior World Cups around the world this past weekend.

Many of Canada’s top wheelchair fencers took part in the IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup in Pisa, Italy.  Canada had several top 16 results.  Ryan Rousell(Asquith, Saskatchewan) had Canada’s top result, finishing 10^thin Men’s Sabre A.  Mathieu Hebert(Beauharnois, Quebec) was close behind, finishing 12^thin Men’s Sabre A and 12^thin Men’s Epee A.  Sylvie Morell(Pincourt, QC) also had a strong result in Sabre A, finishing 11^thin the women’s competition.

Sabre fencerJoseph Polossifakis(Montreal, Québec) had Canada’s top Senior World Cup fencing result. Competing in Budapest, Hungary in the Men’s Sabre World Cup, Polossifakis had a strong start with five wins and one loss in poules. He then won both of his elimination bouts to advance to the top 64. His competition unfortunately came to an end in the 64’s when he lost a very close bout by the score of 15-14 to Fabio Ballorca, from France, giving him an overall finish of 47^thplace overall.

Competing in the Senior Men’s Sabre Team event were Marc Gelinas(Blainville, Québec), Shaul Gordon(Montreal, Québec), Joseph Polossifakis, and Fares Arfa(Laval, Québec). Canada won their first bout in the 32’s by a score of 45-35 against Chile but lost in the 16’s against the eventual silver medalists Hungary by a score of 45-30.  The team finished in 13^thplace overall.

In women’s World Cup action in Belgium, Canada’s Senior Women’s Sabre team of Pamela Brind’Amour(Montreal, Québec) Marissa Ponich(Edmonton, Alberta), Gabriella Page(Blainville, Québec), and Madison Thurgood (Edmonton, Alberta) lost their first bout against Columbia 45-38 to place 17^thoverall.

The Senior Women’s Epee Team of Malinka Hoppe Montanaro(Montreal, Québec), Leonora Mackinnon(Canadian living in the US), Ka Yan Sze(Vancouver, British Columbia), and Marie-Rose Huellas-Bruskiewicz(Vancouver, British Columbia) competed in the World Cup in Chengdu, China, and lost a very close match by the score of 41-40 against Brazil to place 17^thoverall.

The Men’s Epee Team of Loic Beaulieu(Sherbrooke, Québec),Marc-Antoine Blais-Belanger (Montreal, Québec), Dylan French (Richmond, BC), and John Wright(Ottawa, Ontario) competed in the Men’s Epee World Cup in Buenos Aires, Argentina and were defeated by the Ukrainians 45-28 to place 23^rdoverall.

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