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FRIENDLY FENCING EVENT FOILS ANY EPEE EGOTISTS

By Clare Wall - Friday, May 16, 2008
FRIENDLY FENCING EVENT FOILS ANY EPEE EGOTISTS
Tim Keyte, chairman of Solent Swords, reaches for the sky to avoid the probing point of his opponent. Picture by LAURA HOLME.
Sport/Fencing
THERE was success for Island participants in the 21st IW Open Fencing Competition at Medina Leisure Centre last weekend.
The competition, run by Solent Swords, attracted dozens of fencers from across the country and the leisure centre’s main hall was filled with the sound of metal hitting metal and bleeps from the electronic equipment awarding points to competitors.
The foil championship, contested by almost 75 fencers, took place on the first day of the competition and from Solent Swords, there were three challengers.
In their first open competition were Maddy Wright and Simon Rackett, the latter winning the best Island under-18 trophy. Joe Jury also competed and won the best Island foil fencer prize.
West Wight’s Nick Stuart won the plate competition. The Freshwater fencer, who is establishing a new club in the area, said: “It is the first time I have won the plate. Normally I get a bit further in the competition but I am very pleased.”
The men’s foil was won by Thomas Hendrie, from London, and the women’s championship was won by Lucy Gibbs, of Sway, Hampshire.
On Sunday, the epee championship was contested by 38 women and 72 men.
Solent Swords was represented by Tim Keyte, Lawrence Harvey and Brian Marshall. Brian made it to the last 64 and Lawrence just missed getting into the last 16 after a closely contested fight, won by a single point.
Tim, the chairman of Solent Swords, was awarded the best Island epee fencer trophy by making it into the last 16.
The men’s epee champion was Dudley Tredger and the women’s champion was Jo Maynard.
In a break from competing, Tim said: “This is a good competition and in the end there are lots of happy people. Some competitions are quite serious but lots of people like to come here because it is very friendly, and the egos get left behind.”