Sport: Fencing - Camden International Cadet Sabre Championships at Acland Burghley
Published: 11 February 2010
by STEVE BARNETT
TUFNELL Park became a fencing focal point at the weekend as more than 200 spectators flocked to Acland Burghley school for the Camden International Cadet Sabre Championships.
The under-17s competition, organised by Camden Fencing Club in association with the British Fencing Association, is Britain’s only accredited tournament on the European Circuit.
Some of the world’s greatest young fencers took part in the fourth annual tournament, which was jointly held at Burghley and William Ellis School in Highgate.
The boys’ individual final was an all-German contest as current European Junior Under-20 silver medalist Richard Hubers defeated Maximillian Kindler 15-13. Semi-finalists Kaito Streets from the USA and Christophe Buisson from France collected bronze medals.
The Camden contingent, representing Britain, included Soji Aiyenuro who finished 14th out of 125 competitors. The William Ellis schoolboy, ranked fifth in Europe, was unlucky to lose 15-14 to Kindler having led the German 13-9 when his sabre broke and disrupted his rhythm.
Other Camden results saw Fabio Artesi finish 34th, while his twin brother Gianfranco took 37th place. Camden team-mates Rubin Amsalem and Jonathon Webb finished 61st and 94th respectively.
In the girls’ individual competition ex-world champion Kata Varheyli beat Hungarian team-mate Klaudia Hammer 15-10 to take gold. Bernadetta Baldini of Italy and Anna Marton of Hungary both collected bronze medals.
Camden’s Aliya Itzkowitz finished 22nd out of 86 competitors, while Eucalupta Bradley took 37th place, Izabella Sosnowska finished 43rd and Emma Horrix ended the competition in 73rd spot.
In the team events, the USA beat hot favourites Germany 45-43 to take gold for the boys. France took bronze, while Britain finished fourth. In the girls’ team events Hungary beat Germany to take gold, with France again third.
A huge success, the championships were sponsored by Greenwich Leisure Ltd and supported by the Camden Council Sports Development Team.