The Highland Open Fencing Tournament 2019 and Scottish Team Selection for
Check Salle Ossian Fencing Club in Perth, Unit 4, Riverview Business Park, Friarton Road on Cylex and find ☎ 50, contact info, ⌚ opening hours. Orkney Fencing Club (Orkney) Salle Holyrood (Edinburgh) Salle Ossian (Perth) Salle Rollo (Glasgow) Sancroft Blades (Denny) Shetland Fencing Club (Shetland) Stirling Fencing Club (Stirling) University of St Andrews Fencing Club (St. Andrews) University of Stirling Fencing Club (Stirling) University of Strathclyde Fencing Club (Glasgow) ‹‹.
Elgin Duellist Callum Sutherland
Elgin High School was the venue for the UK's most northerly open fencing tournament last weekend (28 & 29 September) when over 100 competitors from fencing clubs as far afield as Shetland, Orkney and Hamburg competed for the Highland Open Men's & Women's Foil, Epee and Sabre titles.
Robin Paterson, Head Coach at Elgin Duellist Fencing Club and organiser of the annual fencing tournament, said 'this was the seventh year in a row that we have held the Highland Open in Elgin and, on so many different levels, it has been our best competition yet. The standard of fencing across the 3 weapons in both the Men's and Women's events was exceptionally high with many members of the Scottish Team competing. We also attracted the largest number of European fencers to date with 10 members of ETV Hamburg Fencing Club making the trip to Elgin especially to take part in this year's tournament. Overall, entries were 20% higher compared to last year.
My fellow club coaches were also extremely gratified that 13 members of Elgin Duellist Fencing Club grasped the opportunity to test themselves against the best fencers in the country by entering the competition. For our Club, this is the biggest entry in any competition we have ever achieved.
Ranging in age from 13 to 49, the following Elgin Duellist Club members competed over the 2 days in the following weapons:-
Callum Sutherland (21, Elgin Men's Foil & Epee), Alex Keddie (32,Elgin, Men's Sabre), Robin Paterson (49, Elgin Men's Foil), Casper Hawkins (17, Forres, Men's Foil), Jon Goulding (49, Forres, Men's Foil & Epee), Skyler Rainbird (17, Cullen, Men's Foil), Oran McKenna (17, Hopeman, Men's Epee), Fleur Hamelin-Stewart (37, Hopeman, Women's Foil), Hebe Mucke (13, Garmouth, Women's Foil), Rebecca Gilchrist (16, Grantown on Spey), Ellis Jiggins MacKenzie,(14, Rothes, Men's Sabre), Irena Waszyrowska (14, Roseisle, Women's Epee) and Nathan Goureau (14, Forres, Men's Sabre).
Robin added, 'another reason why this was the best ever Highland Open is that on the Saturday, fellow Club Coach, Callum Sutherland won the Men's Epee title. In a hard fought final against Todd Kozlowski from ETV Hamburg, Callum eventually edged ahead of the American born student to win 15-13. This was the icing on the cake of a brilliant month for Callum after he received confirmation 2 weeks earlier that he had been selected as a member of the Senior Scottish Men's Epee Team to represent Scotland in the Home International in Dublin later on this year.
Having joined Elgin Duellist Fencing Club at the age of 10, Callum is an inspiration for our young Duellists. Over the years, Callum has grown as a fencer, winning the Scottish School Under 16 Boys' Epee title in 2013/14 and then competing at the highest level in the UK to come 3rd in the Elite Epee in Newcastle this summer. Along with Alex Keddie and myself, Callum is also a Club Coach specialising in Epee. Winning the Men's Epee title is a poignant moment for me, in that I won the same title in 2004 when I was 34 and Callum was then only 6 years old! We are all very proud of what Callum has achieved.'
In the Men's Epee, Scottish Cadet Team member Oran McKenna had a tough draw and was knocked out at the direct elimination stage and came in 23rd and Jon Goulding was 27 overall.
In the third year in a row, the Women's Epee final was won by Mimi Figge (Wallace Fencing Club) who beat Nenah Verkaik (University of Stirling Fencing Club), 15-11. Irena Waszyrowski from Elgin Duellist Fencing Club also fenced very well in only her second senior competition to secure 13th place.
In the Men's Sabre, Scottish Internationalist Toby Carter beat fellow Scottish Team and Club member Ethan Llewellyn (Salle Ossian), 15-10. Elgin Duellist Sabre Club Coach, Alex Keddie secured a very respectable 8th place and Nathan Goureau and Ellis Jiggins-MacKenzie gained excellent experience of what fencing at this level is all about by securing 14th and 15th places respectively.
Salle Ossian Fencing Club Lexington Ky
In the Women's Sabre event, Elsie Llewellyn (Sancroft Blades) beat Charlotte Wilson-Smith (Salle Ossian, (15-8).
On the Sunday, last year's runner up Charlie Broughton (Salle Holyrood) could sympathise with Calum De-Sainte-Croix (Wallace Fencing Club) when Calum lost 15-13 after leading most of the way in Men's Foil final.
Elgin Duellist Club Champion, Casper Hawkins fenced brilliantly in a direct elimination fight against ETV Hamburg veteran, Karl Becher, losing 15-10. Skyler Rainbird also fenced very well in his first competition securing 18th place and Jon Goulding fought another hard DE fight to come in 17th overall.
In the Women's Foil competition, there were 3 Elgin Duellists competing.
Hopeman's Fleur Hamelin-Stewart competed in her third Highland Open, came in 12. Hebe Muckle from Garmouth demonstrated why she is the Club's Women's Elgin Duellist Club Champion by securing 10thplace and only losing her direct elimination fight by 1 hit to secure 10th place. This ranking is even more outstanding since this is Hebe's first ever Fencing Tournament.
Also competing for the first time, Rebecca Gilchrist from Grantown-on-Spey did very well to secure 14th place.
If you are interested in the Highland Open Fencing Tournament, long-term Elgin Duellist Fencing Club member, and University of the Highlands and Island's Media Studies & Film student, Sean Saul has produced a short film on north of Scotland fencing. Shot at last year's tournament and at Culloden and Elgin Duellist Fencing Clubs the film show cases the intense level of competition involved in this sport. Search for ‘Fight Perfection' on youtube.
Men's Epee
1. Callum Sutherland, Elgin Duellist FC
2. Todd Kozlowski, ETV Hamburg
3T. Tom Hoffmann, Dingwall FC
3T. Robert Blackburne, Dunblane FC
Women's Epee
1. Mimi Figge, Wallace FC
2. Nenah Verkaik, University of Stirling FC Datamine studio manual pdf.
3T. Elisa Sedat, Aberdeen City FC
3T. Olivia Connolly, Wallace FC
Men's Sabre
Toby Carter, Salle Ossian
Ethan Llewellyn, Salle Ossian
3T. Calum De-Sainte-Croix, Wallace FC
3T. Richard Wilbraham, Dundee City FC
Women's Sabre
1. Elsie Llewellyn, Sancroft Blades
2. Charlotte Wilson-Smith, Salle Ossian
3T. Taylor Manson, University of Aberdeen FC
3T. Joana Pielsticker, ETV Hamburg
Men's Foil
1. Charlie Broughton, Salle Holyrood
2. Calum De-Sainte-Croix, Wallace FC
3T. Rolf-Peter Kassner, ETV Hamburg
3T. Jonathan Woollard, Wallace FC
Women's Foil
Nenah Verkaik, University of Stirling FC
Kirsty Urquhart, Culloden FC
3T. Chloe Campbell, University of Stirling FC
3T. Fiona Coyle, Salle Holyrood
Elgin Duellist Fencing Club was established in 2007 and meets every Thursday during term time at Elgin High from 6.30 to 9.00pm.
In a week that has celebrated Scottish Women and Girls in Sport, thirteen year old twins, Honor and Lucia Paul, are impressive examples of how far young women can take their chosen discipline when the right mix of talent, commitment and inspiration is there.
The twin sisters, who train three times a week at Salle Ossian Fencing Club, have been competing in the Youth Development Series in Fencing Sabre since they were only 10 years old. From their first performance at this level, they were selected to represent Scotland at the international tournament in Poland and since then have gone on to compete in further at regional level and at national level in the Scottish schools completion.
We've represented Scotland for the last 3 years in the Youth World Fencing Tournament which has been a real honour.Honor commented, 'We have just returned from competing in the Flemish Open in Ghent, Belgium where I won first girl in a mixed competition and 8th overall.
We have competed in the several of the UK Leon Paul Series competitions and have represented Scotland for the last 3 years in the largest Youth World Fencing Tournament in Wroclow in Poland, which has been a real honour.'
GALLERY
Honor and Lucia started fencing when they were only 6 years old; by chance they had shown an interest in the sport around the time Phil Carson was starting up Salle Ossian and the pair took to it immediately during a ‘come and try' session at Perth High School.
The session had been led by Vicki Carson, an International fencer boasting several accolades and wins, and even today, Salle Ossian has a culture of women and girls competing at national and international level.
Because the pool of athletes at British Youth Development level is relatively small, there is less gender segregation than in other sports and the girls train with, and will often compete against, the boys.
Phil Carson, Salle Ossian's lead coach explained, 'At Salle Ossian most of our coaches are women international athletes who are also great mentors and an inspiration to young girls. #SheCanSheWill
We work hard to create a culture where boys and girls train together and this is proving its worth as our youngsters are showing impressive form internationally.'We work hard to create a culture where boys and girls train together and this is proving its worth as our youngsters are showing impressive form internationally.
'Honor and Lucia for instance, are working very hard and heading towards Scotland youth team places and we're confident they'll achieve their goal of making it to Barcelona next year.'
Lucia explained, 'We saw a video of a major competition online and thought that the sport looked interesting. We asked dad to see if there were any local clubs and we loved it right away! It's really different, exciting and our club has a real community spirit and fabulous women role models for us.
'When we started out Dan Scott came up to the club to watch us train and he devised a programme of strength and conditioning around the moves we make. Fencing is a high impact sport and you travel at speed so the force through your body means you have to be strong, and really fit.'
Today, the pair benefit locally from being part of the Live Active Leisure Talented Athlete Scheme and the Strength & Conditioning Performance Squad; as part of this they train twice a week at the Strength and Conditioning Gym at Bell's Sport Centre where they are coached by Gil Stevenson.
'We go to the strength gym at a Bells and use the pool too. The talented athlete scheme offers us the chance to work with a really well respected strength coach and that has helped our fencing progress very rapidly.'
The girls train with one another for warm ups and often end up facing one another in finals. My passport ultra backup instructions.
It quite often goes to 9-all, but we're play at such a similar level – and we're both really competitive – that the wins are almost even.Honor commented, 'It quite often goes to 9-all, but we're play at such a similar level – and we're both really competitive – that the wins are almost even! We're looking forward to competing at the U14 Barcelona European Circuit Comp in April 2020 and we are both hoping to qualify again for the British Youth Championships in Sheffield in May of next year.'
Lucia encourages everyone to give it a go, especially girls who are looking for something different. 'It might not be the first sport girls thing of when they're looking for something but fencing really is a sport for everyone and there are lots of opportunities to compete once you get the hang of it. Give it a go!'
Talented Athlete Scheme - Live Active Leisure
Together with Sportscotland and the Tayside & Fife Institute of Sport, Live Active Leisure works in developing the additional needs of high achieving athletes in the area.
Salle Ossian Fencing Club
These are the young athletes who demonstrate the skill and commitment required to represent Scotland and Great Britain on an international stage. Live Active Leisure's Talented Athletes' Scheme supports these young people by providing assistance and free access to their venues.
Salle Ossian Fencing Club Richmond
Because the pool of athletes at British Youth Development level is relatively small, there is less gender segregation than in other sports and the girls train with, and will often compete against, the boys.
Phil Carson, Salle Ossian's lead coach explained, 'At Salle Ossian most of our coaches are women international athletes who are also great mentors and an inspiration to young girls. #SheCanSheWill
We work hard to create a culture where boys and girls train together and this is proving its worth as our youngsters are showing impressive form internationally.'We work hard to create a culture where boys and girls train together and this is proving its worth as our youngsters are showing impressive form internationally.
'Honor and Lucia for instance, are working very hard and heading towards Scotland youth team places and we're confident they'll achieve their goal of making it to Barcelona next year.'
Lucia explained, 'We saw a video of a major competition online and thought that the sport looked interesting. We asked dad to see if there were any local clubs and we loved it right away! It's really different, exciting and our club has a real community spirit and fabulous women role models for us.
'When we started out Dan Scott came up to the club to watch us train and he devised a programme of strength and conditioning around the moves we make. Fencing is a high impact sport and you travel at speed so the force through your body means you have to be strong, and really fit.'
Today, the pair benefit locally from being part of the Live Active Leisure Talented Athlete Scheme and the Strength & Conditioning Performance Squad; as part of this they train twice a week at the Strength and Conditioning Gym at Bell's Sport Centre where they are coached by Gil Stevenson.
'We go to the strength gym at a Bells and use the pool too. The talented athlete scheme offers us the chance to work with a really well respected strength coach and that has helped our fencing progress very rapidly.'
The girls train with one another for warm ups and often end up facing one another in finals. My passport ultra backup instructions.
It quite often goes to 9-all, but we're play at such a similar level – and we're both really competitive – that the wins are almost even.Honor commented, 'It quite often goes to 9-all, but we're play at such a similar level – and we're both really competitive – that the wins are almost even! We're looking forward to competing at the U14 Barcelona European Circuit Comp in April 2020 and we are both hoping to qualify again for the British Youth Championships in Sheffield in May of next year.'
Lucia encourages everyone to give it a go, especially girls who are looking for something different. 'It might not be the first sport girls thing of when they're looking for something but fencing really is a sport for everyone and there are lots of opportunities to compete once you get the hang of it. Give it a go!'
Talented Athlete Scheme - Live Active Leisure
Together with Sportscotland and the Tayside & Fife Institute of Sport, Live Active Leisure works in developing the additional needs of high achieving athletes in the area.
Salle Ossian Fencing Club
These are the young athletes who demonstrate the skill and commitment required to represent Scotland and Great Britain on an international stage. Live Active Leisure's Talented Athletes' Scheme supports these young people by providing assistance and free access to their venues.
Salle Ossian Fencing Club Richmond
These are the young athletes who demonstrate the skill and commitment required to represent Scotland and Great Britain on an international stage.This enables them to reach their full potential and to achieve world class performance levels. This is about nurturing and developing our local talent by helping these young athletes train and grow in the support network of their home towns and city.
By doing this, they hope to inspire other youngsters in Perth and Kinross and to bring that real sense of achievement a city embraces when celebrating the success of one of their own.
Members of the Talented Athlete Scheme can also apply to be part of the Perfromance Squad. These opportunities have been made possible with financial support from both The Gannochy Trust and sportscotland.
