Lee Kiefer (USA, left) up against Marta Martyanova (RUS) in the finals of the FIE Grand Prix last year, moments before becoming the first US female foilist to achieve World #1 status.

On March 16-18, Southern California residents will have a rare opportunity to see the world’s best foil fencers in action when they gather in Anaheim for the Absolute Fencing Gear FIE Grand Prix.

This is the second year in a row that the FIE Grand Prix has come to Southern California. Last year it was held in Long Beach, where Lee Kiefer made history when her first-place finish put her on the top of the International Points list, making her the first US women’s foil fencer to be ranked No. 1 in the world. US fencer Alex Massialas earned the silver medal in the men’s event.

Venue

Anaheim Convention Center
800 W Katella Ave, Anaheim, CA 92802
(Just south of Disneyland)

Competition Schedule

Friday, March 16
Noon: Men’s Pools and Preliminary Rounds

Saturday, March 17
Noon: Women’s Pools and Preliminary Rounds

Sunday, March 18
8:00 AM: Table of 64 – 8
6:00 PM: Semi and Final Rounds

Tickets cost $10 for each of the preliminary days, and $40 for the third day (table of 64 to the Finals). There is also an option to buy a 3-day pass for $50, or a VIP pass for $100. For more information or to purchase tickets, click here: www.2018AnaheimGrandPrix.Eventbrite.com

Or, sign up as a volunteer and get in for free! Volunteers are needed to help with registration, act as ushers, help with setting up the strips, operate replay cameras, help with the wireless scoring, carry athlete’s bags to the strips, and help with armory.

Photos from last year’s FIE Grand Prix in Long Beach

Olympic gold medalist Inna Deriglazova (RUS, right) escapes an attack from Nicole Ross (USA).

Nicole Ross (USA, right) lands a touch on Inna Deriglazova (RUS).

Alaaeldin Abouelkassem (EGY, right) attacks former World Champion Miles Chamley-Watson (USA).

Miles Chamley-Watson (USA, left) celebrates his victory against Alaaeldin Abouelkassem (EGY).

Lee Kiefer (USA, left) finds her target on Pauline Ranvier (FRA).

Alexander Massialas (USA, left) in the men’s finals against Timur Safin (RUS).

Team USA, about to take on the Romanian Epee Team in the match for 5th place at the Junior World Cup in Heraklion, Greece.

The United States’ Junior Men’s Epee team finished in an impressive 5th place out of 19 teams on Sunday (Dec. 17) at the FIE Junior World Cup in Heraklion on the Island of Crete. Congratulations to our team!

Complete tournament results can be found here.

Theodore Lombardo, Stephen Ewart, Jonathan Piskovatskov, and Sean Wilson await their next match at the Heraklion Indoor Sports Arena “Two Aorakia” in Heraklion, Crete.

SoCal’s Stephen Ewart takes the piste.

Team USA: Coach Tigran Shaginian, Jonathan Piskovatskov, Coach Sergey Danilov, Sean Wilson, Stephen Ewart, and Theodore Lombardo.

In Men’s Epee, we have 2 from Southern California on the Junior World Team!

1st – Justin Yoo (UPenn/LAIFC)
2nd – Stephen Ewart Jr (Swords)

In Women’s Epee, we have 1 in Cadet and 1 in Junior!

Cadet Women’s Epee
3rd – Chloe Daniel (Fortune)

Junior Women’s Epee
1st – Kasia Nixon (Princeton/LAIFC)

In Men’s Foil, we have 1 on the Junior World Team!
1st – Nick Itkin (LAIFC)

That is a total of 5 fencers on the World Team from Southern California! Congratulations to the fencers, their families, their clubs, and their coaches! Great job!

We had several strong top 32 finishes.

Cadet Men’s Epee
3rd – Charlie Horowitz LAIFC
5th – Stephen Ewart Jr Swords
16th – Adrien Thein-Sandler LAIFC

Cadet Women’s Epee
15th – Belinda Mo Swords
32nd – Esther Ruiz Swords

Congratulations to all of the above fencers! Keep up the good work!!

Full results here for the guys.
Full results here for the girls.

In cadet women’s epee, Kasia Nixon put up a strong finish and took home a bronze medal.

In cadet men’s epee, Justin Yoo fought hard but lost 15-14 to take home the silver while Charlie Horowitz finished 29th with one more year in cadet to fence.

Justin Yoo in the Junior Men’s epee event performed excellently and took the bronze medal home. Two medals in a week at the world championship level is amazing! Keep up the great work.

Let’s root for the US Men’s epee team where Justin will be fencing for the US as well.

Video can be found on the FIE YouTube channel and results can be found at www.fencingworldwide.com.

In Cadet Women’s Epee, Madeline Kehl from Swords Fencing Studio put up a good pool round to end up in 13th place and earned a bye into the round of 64. Top 32 was within reach, but after being down and coming up to tie the score 14-14, top 32 slipped from her reach in priority. She finishes in 36th place after losing to Maria Kakirchenko from Georgia who finished in 8th place. Good job!

Also in Cadet Women’s Epee, Kasia Nixon from Los Angeles International Fencing Center had an excellent pool round that had her as the number 2 seed and earning her a bye into the round of 64. In the round of 64, Kasia takes down Hyeonji Park from Korea 15-12. Her bout to get into the round of 16 against Hsin I Wu of Taipei was even easier as she rolled into the 16’s 15-5. Her toughest bout would be against Dominique Tannous from Libya where she would lose 14-15 and finish in 9th overall, where Tannous finished 6th. With her 9th place finish, Kasia gets a head start on the team points list for next year’s Cadet Epee team. Congratulations on an excellent tournament!

In Cadet Men’s Epee, Jake Raynis also from Los Angeles International Fencing Center had a strong pool round to come out as the 13th seed and also earn a bye in the 64’s. His first opponent Gweonwoo Lee from Korea would be a small challenge as Jake wins 15-13. In the round of 32, Jake had an easier time with Noe Walter from Germany winning 15-8. Then Jake would run into Dylan French from Canada the number 4 seed, but he would also be unable to stop Jake from advancing into the top 8 with a 15-12 victory. Jake’s next bout to get to the semifinals would prove to be very tough and very close against Dzianis Paulouski from Belarus with Jake pulling out the victory 10-9. Jake Raynis would then fence the number 8 seed, Andris Jahimovics from Latvia, to get to the final and be the first of two USA Cadet Men’s Epee fencers in the finals this year. Jake and Andris parried well and touches went back and forth. Jake had the lead twice only to have Andris come back twice to tie up the bout 14-14. The fencers went into priority where unfortunately Jake loses 14-15 to the Latvian and ends up taking home Bronze. Ari Simmons from the US and Alliance Fencing Club would win the Gold leading to a Gold and Bronze finish for the US Cadet Men’s Epeeists.

A really fantastic job well done by Jake Raynis with his excellent bronze finish!

Congratulations to all of our SoCal fencers and keep up the good work!

SoCal was well represented at the team events in Klagenfurt, Austria.

First, congratulations to Porter Hesslegrave and Justin Yoo who were on the winning team, USA #1!

Next, congratulations to Kasia Nixon and Madeline Kehl who were on the girls team USA #1 and took second place!

In Individual Cadet Women’s Epee, Madeline Kehl took 5th place, Kasia Nixon took 26th place and Jennifer Horowitz took 31st place.

Congratulations to all our SoCal fencers in Klagenfurt, Austria!

Joey Rafidi

Congratulations to Joey Rafidi, who took 16th place in Junior Men’s Epee at the Junior and Cadet World Championships in Moscow!

And congratulations to Michael Costin as well, who took 24th place in Cadet Men’s Saber.

Congratulations to Madeline Kehl for taking 7th place and to Katie Angen for taking 29th place!

Congratulations also to our very own SoCal Division Secretary, Sarkis Assadourian, who will be representing Iran in epee.

This event will take place in Porec, Croatia starting September 27 through October 2, 2011. Wish them luck as they represent the SoCal Division. Congratulations and good luck!