Golden weekend for Volpi and Dershwitz at FIE World Cup events in Algiers and Padua

Volpi came away with gold after winning the women’s foil fencing event in Algiers, Algeria, whilst Dershwitz’s success came in the men’s sabre competition held in Padua, Italy.

Nearly 150 women fencers participated in the women’s foil fencing event in Algiers which took place at the Hacene Harcha Sports Arena.

Volpi, the silver medallist at last year’s World Championships, came up against Italian teammate, Erica Cipressa, in the Final, eventually winning comfortably by a score of 15-6.

Earlier, Volpi accounted for another of her Italian teammates, Chiara Cini, in the quarter-finals with an easy 15-3 victory. However she then had to call upon all her experience to edge out Polish fencer Hanna Lyczbinska in the semi-finals, eventually progressing thanks to a last touch success by 15-14.

Cipressa’s progress to the Final saw her beat another Italian, Elisabetta Bianchin, 15-11 in the quarter-finals, before going on to beat Russian Olympic gold medallist and two-time world champion Inna Deriglazova in the semi-final match, 15-10.

There was better fortunes for Deriglazova in the women’s team foil event as Russia’s women’s team earned the gold medal

Sixteen international teams competed in this event which came was reduced to a showdown between Russia and France in the final round, with the former comfortably claiming victory, 42-32.

France had beaten Italy in the semi-final, 45-38, while Russia won a tight match against USA, 45-44. The USA team did however come away with the bronze medal, beating Italy 45-34.

USA fencer Eli Dershwitz carved out a fine individual performance to win gold at the Trophee Luxardo Men’s Sabre World Cup in Padua, Italy, an event which also saw Korea take out the men’s sabre team event.

More than 200 fencers participated in the men’s individual competition which took place at the Kioene Arena which saw Dershwitz emerge as the clear star of the weekend.

The USA fencer defeated Hungarian two-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi in the final, 15-12, to win the Trophee Luxardo.

The American’s success was made all the more credible thanks to beating home favourite Luca Curatoli in the semi-final, 15-13, but also more impressively beating top-ranked Korean sabre fencer Bongil Gu in the quarter-finals, 15-4.

For his part, Szilagyi was equally as impressive on his path to reaching the Final.
He beat Korea’s Sanguk Oh, who is world number four in the world, 15-11 in the quarter-finals, before taking out fellow Italian and World Champion, Andras Szatmari, in the semi-finals, by the same scoreline.

The men’s team sabre event saw more than 20 international teams compete from which Korea prevailed against hosts Italy, 45-33.

In the semi-finals, Korea beat the USA by the same scoreline, while Italy overcame Hungary, 45-40. In the battle for the bronze medal, Hungary took the honours against USA, 45-34.