Girls fence at national competition
This year Headington took a team of 13 girls to the three-day Public Schools’ Fencing Championships at Crystal Palace. All the girls took part in two weapon categories and 10 team members chose to compete in all three weapons – Foil, Epee and Sabre. All 13 fenced in the Girls’ Foil events on the first day.
Points are scored individually and as a team based on entry numbers in each event, plus victories per round and points increase considerably from last 32 places, last 16 to top 8. Because of the number of competitors in fencing events, all the top eight places are medal positions. In the Girls’ Mount Haes Foil (years 8 and 9 age group) Headington had three fencers in the last 32 and two in the last 16. Jacky was unlucky not to get through to the 16, having met a top seed one round early in the competition. Darcy was Headington’s highest-placed Mount Haes Foilist in 11th place and Louise was not far behind in 14th.
Tegen finished in the top 16 in the Girls’ Junior Foil (years 10 and 11) and Chloe put in a stunning performance to finish tenth in the Senior Girls’ Foil with Headington Fencing Captain Lucy, just outside the top 16 in 17th place.
Day two was Epee Day for all the Headington Fencers. Amy put in a very strong performance in the opening rounds of the Junior Epee and several girls managed last 32 places and some impressive wins – with Lucy enjoying a sensational second round victory against a GB Squad fencer from Millfield. But three of the Mount Haes girls were the strongest finishers. Alexandra and Louise did very well in their first Public Schools Fencing Ccompetition and Darcy picked up a medal for her seventh place.
The final day at was Sabre Day. Few schools teach or fence Sabre so while the numbers of entrants decrease the standard tends to rise as those left tend to be from “Sports Academy” schools and specialist centres of excellence.
Headington girls finished strongly in all three age groups. Lucy and Chloe finished last 32 for the Seniors. Three of the Juniors got into the last 32 and Tegen repeated her success of last year, despite moving up an age group, to finish seventh in the Junior rankings. All the Mount Haes girls did exceptionally well in the opening rounds of the Sabre, particularly Mika in her first sabre event – and all of them achieved last 32 places. Jacky had the toughest draw and Alexandra had to fight her way through a play-off into the top 16 only to meet the top seed immediately, finishing 16th. Darcy equalled her last year’s result with another top eight place in Mount Haes Sabre, finishing seventh overall.
Darcy’s two top eight and one top 16 scores put her once again in the running for the Mount Haes Girls’ Champion-at-Arms, awarded to the highest scoring fencer across the three weapons. After being named runner up last year, she was delighted to be announced the 2019 winner.
There was a further pleasant surprise for the Headington team when the Team Trophy results were announced. Headington finished as runner up for the Sydenham Trophy (all Foil Events) and runner up for the Bishop Challoner Trophy (all Mount Haes events).
Headington won the Crystal Palace Plate in the Girls’ Team awards.
Congratulations to all our fencers!
