While the shortest month of the year, February was jam-packed with exciting fencing action. Here is a round-up of this months’ top 16 finishes from Canadian fencers:

Individual

The World Cup in Moedling (JWF) saw Canada’s Tinney Mak (EFC, AB) take 6^th place. In her best finish this season, Mak had an overwhelming victory of 15-11 in the table of 32 over Russia’s Alexandra Sunduchkova (ranked 5^th in world). Mak, who is ranked 44^th in the world, made it to the table of 8 where she fenced Eva Lacheray of France (ranked 3^rd in world). Lacheray won 15-10.

Zi Shan Guo (VGO, ON) had an excellent month, both individually and in team events. Guo finished 7^th at the Grand Prix Bratislava, an event for junior women’s epee athletes. Guo, who is ranked 17^th in the world, was victorious over Aizanat Murtazaeva of Russia (ranked 12^th in the world) to move into the table of 8. Unfortunately, Guo was defeated by Russia’s Evgeniya Zharkova (ranked 2^nd in the world).

Guo, who also competed in Dijon this month, placed 6^th. Earning a bye in the table of 128, Guo climbed through to the table of 8 where she met, and ultimately fell to, Gaia Traditi of Italy, the #1 ranked junior female epee athlete in the world.

In Barcelona, senior women’s epee fencer Leonora Mackinnon (Newbury, ENG) placed 8^th. Mackinnon fenced close bouts in the knockout stages, including a 14-14 victory for herself in the table of 16 against Tatyana Andryushina of Russia. In the table of 8, however, Mackinnon was defeated by Young Mi Kang of Korea 15-14.

Junior men’s foil athlete Patrick Liu (UNT, ON), who fenced in Sabadell, Spain, placed 11^th at the World Cup. Liu fenced up to the table of 16 where he met #1 ranked junior men’s foil athlete Rafael Savin of France. Liu didn’t bend easily to Savin; the bout ended in a 15-13 victory to Savin.

Seraphim Hsieh Jarov (DYN, BC), ranked 11^th in the world, finished 15^th at the Belgrade World Cup in junior men’s epee. He fell to Vladimir Tolasov or Russia in the table of 16, 15-9.

Lastly, Jessica Zi Jia Guo (Toronto, ON) landed in 15^th at the World Cup in Kazan, Russia. Guo was defeated by Hungary’s Aida Mohamed, 15-9. Mohamed was then defeated in the quarter finals by Italy’s Elisa Di Francisca, who went on to place first overall.

Team

The women’s epee teams had three top 16 finishes this month; two for juniors, one for seniors. The junior women’s epee team, consisting of Vanessa Dib (TFC, ON), Zi Shan Guo, Ariane Leonard (OM, QC), and Christina Zozulya (DYN, BC), placed 7^th in Bratislava. In a close bout of 44-43, the team beat zonal rivals the USA (ranked 5^th in the world) in the table of 16. As well, the junior women’s epee team consisting of Vanessa Dib, Zi Shan Guo, Grace Hu (VGO, ON), and Heidi Zhu (VGO, ON) competed in Dijon and placed 13^th.

As for the senior women’s epee team, who competed at the Barcelona World Cup this month, they placed 16^th. The team consisted of Zi Shan Guo, Ariane Leonard, Leonora Mackinnon and Alexanne Verret (EST, QC).

The senior men’s sabre team took themselves to the World Cup in Varsovie, Poland, landing a 16^th place finish. The team consistent of Fares Arfa (QC), Shaul Gordon (BRE, QC), and Joseph Polossifakis (BRE, QC).

Athletes Darren Dong (NYF, ON), Niklas Holland (OFA, ON), Patrick Liu and Simon Poon (TFC, ON) made the junior men’s foil team at the Leszno World Cup in Poland. The team finished 7^th, earning a bye in the table of 32 and beating out the Polish hosts 45-39 in the table of 16.

To end the month, both the senior men’s and women’s foil teams qualified for the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo. The women’s foil team, who placed 16^th at the World Cup in Kazan, Russia, consisted of Alanna Goldie (Edmonton, AB), Jessica Zi Jia Guo, Eleanor Harvey (Hamilton, ON), and Kelleigh Ryan (Ottawa, ON). Blake Broszus (San Jose, USA) Alex Cai (Montreal, QC), Eli Schnkel (Richmond, BC), and Maximilien van Haaster (Montreal, QC) made up the men’s team who competed in Cairo, Egypt, placing 15^th.

-30-