Fencers are Chichester ambassadors in English finals

Chichester fielded nine youngsters at the recent England Youth Fencing championships, which attracts hundreds of top fencers from around the world.
By The Newsroom
Published 20th Jul 2015, 14:00 BST

This article contains affiliate links. We may earn a small commission on items purchased through this article, but that does not affect our editorial judgement.

Harry Gray, Rosie Whitaker, Oscar Pickering, Ethan Mansfield and Max HooperHarry Gray, Rosie Whitaker, Oscar Pickering, Ethan Mansfield and Max Hooper
Harry Gray, Rosie Whitaker, Oscar Pickering, Ethan Mansfield and Max Hooper

The boys’ under-15 class had a huge field of 76 fencers. Oscar Pickering and Max Hooper fenced superbly to finish in the top half of the table but Isaac Jolley was outstanding in this age group and his speed, power and grace took him to the quarter-finals.

After a slow start in his final fight, Jolley recovered his usual determined concentration to pull it back, but in a nail-biting finish he lost to eventual bronze medallist Oscar LHoste, finishing in fantastic fifth place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

In only her third major competition, Freya Jenkins finished tenth in the girls’ under-13 sabre, while Harry Gray fenced brilliantly to come seventh in the under-13 boys’ foil from a massive field of 85.

In the girls’ under-13 foil Rosie Whitaker fenced calmly and with great determination in her first national competition while Tara Sallaba fenced brilliantly to finish 13th.

The boys’ under-11 foil had a whopping 80 competitors. Ben Gray, back from injury, did brilliantly to finish in the top third of the table but nine-year-old Ethan Mansfield, one of the youngest competitors in the age group, was amazing.

Mansfield fenced fantastically from start to finish. With not a single lapse of concentration, his blade-work and foot-work were excellent and saw him through to the quarter-finals. Weapon trouble caused him problems in his last fight but he finished in an incredible ninth place.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Fencing is a disciplined and well-mannered sport but fencers can also be incredibly supportive of each other. To the immense pride of coach Sharon Blackman, Chichester fencers demonstrated all these attributes to perfection throughout this tough competition.

The warmth and support for other club members was remarked on by a number of people – and Chichester Fencing Club are earning a well-deserved reputation as a friendly and successful group.

If you’d like to try fencing, call coach Sharon Blackman on 01243 822753 or email [email protected]

Don’t miss out on all the latest breaking sports news where you live.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Here are four ways you can be sure you’ll be among the first to know what’s going on.

1 Make this website your homepage

2 Like our Facebook page at facebook.com/pages/Sport-Sussex

3 Follow us on Twitter @SportSussex

4 Register with us by clicking on ‘sign in’ (top right corner). You can then receive our daily newsletter AND add your point of view to stories that you read here.

And do share with your family and friends - so they don’t miss out!