Local fencers were out in force for the Welsh Open one of the most difficult fencing tournaments of the annual calendar, writes Arnold Peyton.

Some of Britain's top fencers and competitors from France, Germany, New Zealand, Poland and the United States competed in Cardiff.

Five of the eight quarter-finalists in the men's sabre were pupils of Barnes-based London Thames Fencing Club's Polish-born sabre coach Mike Matthews.

The final was a close contest between top seeded U20 fencer Will Garrity and senior number three seed Tom Benney. The pair fence at the club regularly but Garrity won this time. Mike Johnson took bronze.

National champion Georgina Usher was in storming form to crush the opposition in the women's epe.

In her semi-final she swiftly disposed of LTFC clubmate Jo Maynard, and found herself up against Olympic pentathlete Kate Allenby in the Final.

Stunning

Georgina swept her aside with a stunning 15-3 victory, a result that shows just how much of a towering figurehead she has become in the sport.

The men's epe ended in an exciting final between ex-national champion Quentin Berriman and LTFC's Dudley Tredger. Tredger had to make do with the silver medal while clubmate Tristan Lane brought in another bronze.

The women's sabre ended with Emma Hynes of LTFC losing her final to Charlotte Brown of Taunton, with top junior Jessica Lacheta winning a bronze medal.

LTFC's veterans and cadets were also well represented and Janet Cooksey won two veterans' medals, in both the women's foil and epe, while 15-year-old Mary Cohen won the cadet medal in the women's epe, her second such award in recent weeks.

November 16, 2001 12:01