USA Fencing

SAN JOSE, Calif. - The new year kicked off with 13 fencers striking gold at the January 2024 North American Cup. There were a lot of smiles throughout the competition as everyone was excited to get back on the strip to ring in the new year.

The first gold medalist of the day was Vet-80 Women’s Epee Bettie Graham (Chevy Chase Fencing Club). On kicking off the year winning gold, she said “It’s great, especially that I am able to do it health wise, to be able to move on the strip is very important to me.”

Graham’s secret to success is that she has “a very good coach, who is very supportive but doesn’t let you backslide. I think it is very important to keep fit physically so I go to the gym five days a week with a combination of resistance training and aerobics, and I go to fencing practice twice a week.” 

Gold medalist, Rebecca Chimahusky (DC Fencers Club), had a great day as she took home the win in the Vet-40 Women’s Epee event. This was her first NAC back since 2020 so she got a lot of  “welcome back to the strip” from the veteran community. She said “The vet community here is amazing, I am very proud and excited to be a part of it.” 

Chris O'Loughlin (New York Athletic Club) kicked off 2024 winning gold in the Vet-50 Men’s Epee event. On winning he said “Oh, it’s the best. This was such a fun day, I was very tired today, didn’t get a lot of sleep coming from the east coast but just all the friends I have here, I got to fence my old friend Dave Hitchcock in the final.”

O’Loughlin talked about why he continues to fence, thanking the incredible community that Veterans fencing brings. “I love to compete, I love to compete. Most of us don’t have too many opportunities to do it on a stage like this, literally on a stage, so I like that. It’s my creative outlet, my way to feel a part of a community.”

For those joining us for the 2024 Veteran Awards Dinner, we look forward to seeing you tomorrow evening at a completely sold out event!

As a reminder, the doors open at 7pm and the program will begin at 7:30pm. The event will be held at the Hilton San Jose (300 Almaden Blvd, San Jose, CA 95110; connected to the fencing completion venue), in the Almaden Ballroom. To get to the ballroom when entering from the main hotel door on the first floor, you will take an immediate left and the room will be on your right.

We know a few of you will be coming from the competition hall, so don't worry your fencing whites are always a part of the dress code! It's even better if you bring in a medal!

If you have any other questions please feel free to contact Amanda Lilly at a.lilly@usafencing.org.

We are looking forward to an evening of fun and laughter!

Day 1 Results

 

Division I Women’s Foil

Gold Medalist: Lee Kiefer (Bluegrass Fencers' Club)

Silver: Zander Rhodes (V Fencing Club)

Bronze: Lauren Scruggs (Peter Westbrook Foundation / Fencers Club Inc.)

Bronze: Maia Weintraub (Fencers Club Inc. / Fencing Academy Of Philadelphia)

5th: Katerina Lung (Moe Fencing Club LLC)

6th: Stefani Deschner (Bluegrass Fencers' Club)

7th: Rebecca Cho (Top Fencing Club)

8th: Emily Jing (Star Fencing Academy)

 

Division I Men’s Saber

Gold Medalist: Jordan Silberzweig (Manhattan Fencing Center / Yale University Fencing)

Silver: Lev Benavram (Nazlymov Fencing Foundation / National Capital Fencers Club)

Bronze: Cody Walter Ji (Nellya Fencers)

Bronze: Andrew Doddo (Fencers Club Inc. / New Jersey Fencing Alliance)

5th: Filip Dolegiewicz (Tim Morehouse Fencing Club / Midwest Fencing Club)

6th: William Morrill (Scarsdale Fencing Center / Fencers Club Inc.)

7th: Mitchell Saron (New York Athletic Club / Bergen Fencing Club)

8th: Khalil Thompson (Peter Westbrook Foundation / Fencers Club Inc.)
 

Junior Men’s Foil

Gold Medalist: Samarth Kumbla (Silicon Valley Fencing Center / Columbia University)

Silver: Daniel Zhang (Star Fencing Academy / Harvard University NCAA)

Bronze: Andrew Chen (Bluegrass Fencers' Club)

Bronze: Allen Chen (Bluegrass Fencers' Club)

5th: Jeidus Deseranno (Renaissance Fencing Club)

6th: Nicholas Kim (Top Fencing Club)

7th: Ethan Um (Princeton University NCAA)

8th: Elijah Onik (Gutkovskiy Fencing Academy)

 

Vet-40 Women’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Rebecca Chimahusky (DC Fencers Club)

Silver: Kristin Foellmer (DC Fencers Club)

Bronze: Marie Loiseau (Escrime Du Lac)

Bronze: Christina Kaneshige (Denver Fencing Center)

5th: Kira Hansen (Academy Of Fencing Masters (AFM))

6th: Lauren Dunseath (Forge Fencing Teams / Apex Fencing Academy)

7th: Haejung Hofman (Academy Of Fencing Masters (AFM))

8th: Janet Marsh (No Fear Fencing)

 

Vet-40 Men’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Cedric Loiseau (Escrime Du Lac)

Silver: Sandor Mandoki (Halberstadt Fencers' Club)

Bronze: Vadim Makmatov (Salle Auriol Seattle)

Bronze: Paul Chandler (East Bay Fencers Gym / Academy Of Fencing Masters (AFM))

5th: Eric Pho (Fencers Club Inc.)

6th: Zandro Mendoza (LA International Fencing)

7th: Scott Rostal (Twin Cities Fencing Club)

8th: Jonathan Bartlett (New York Athletic Club)

 

Vet-50 Women’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Sandra Marchant (Rogue Fencing Academy / The Phoenix Center)

Silver: Ann Totemeier (Northern Colorado Fencers / Denver Fencing Center)

Bronze: Jane Carter (Marx Fencing Academy / Tanner City Fencers Club)

Bronze: Monica Exum (Salle Auriol Seattle)

5th: Heidi Chang (Academy Of Fencing Masters (AFM))

6th: Jeannine Prokop (Nova Fencing Club)

7th: Claudine Barjak Cardenas (Olympian Fencing Club)

8th: Sabina Chernis (Alliance Fencing Academy)

 

Vet-50 Men’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Chris O'Loughlin (New York Athletic Club)

Silver: David Hitchcock (Cardinal Fencing Academy)

Bronze: Darcy Gates (CAN)

Bronze: Tobias (Toby) Lee (Metro Tacoma Fencing Club)

5th: Keith Lichten (East Bay Fencers Gym)

6th: Earl Hergert (Medeo Fencing Club)

7th: Aaron Gaines (No Fear Fencing / San Diego Fencing Center)

8th: Darren Barreiro (Atlantic Fencing Academy)

 

Vet-60 Women’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Cristina G. Gordet (South Florida Fencing Club)

Silver: Suzanne Bloomer (Academy Of Fencing Masters (AFM))

Bronze: Lydia Fabry (Avant Garde Fencers Club, Inc / South Bay Fencing Academy)

Bronze: Amy C. Montoya (Battle Born Fencing Club)

5th: Caroline B. Rich (High Desert Fencing Alliance)

6th: Georgina Love

7th: Cynthia E. Glover (Rain City Fencing Center)

8th: RoxieDog La Pay (Northwest Fencing Center)
 

Vet-60 Men’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Walter Dragonetti (Battle Born Fencing Club / Hooked On Fencing)

Silver: Michael Perka (The Fencing Center)

Bronze: Sean Ameli (Battle Born Fencing Club)

Bronze: Dick Richards (DC Fencers Club)

5th: Rick Watrall (New York Athletic Club)

6th: John Varney (Salle Auriol Seattle)

7th: Jeff Johnson (Rain City Fencing Center)

8th: Daniel Baxter (Northwest Fencing Center)

 

Vet-70 Women’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Charlotta Bowie (Modern Duelists Fencing Academy)

Silver: Liz Kocab (Plymouth/Ann Arbor Fencing Academy)

Bronze: Cathy Kelley (Olympian Fencing Club)

Bronze: Anna Telles (Salle Auriol Seattle)

5th: Cynthia Runyon (High Desert Fencing Alliance)

6th: Patricia Lutton (Denver Fencing Center)

7th: Anne-Marie Walters (Masters Fencing Club)

8th: Bonnie Aher (Salle Auriol Seattle)

 

Vet-70 Men’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Daryl J. Taylor (Fortune Fencing)

Silver: Andrew Schulz (CAN)

Bronze: Thomas (Tom) W. Lutton (Denver Fencing Center)

Bronze: Michael A. Ress (Hudson Centers For The Martial Arts)

5th: Joe T. Rouse (Rogue Fencing Academy / The Phoenix Center)

6th: Thomas A. Henzler (Alliance Fencing Academy / Escrime Du Lac)

7th: William (Gypsy) H. Gelnaw (No Fear Fencing / Fortune Fencing)

8th: Charles M. King (Southwest Fencing Club)

 

Vet-80 Women’s Epee

Gold: Graham Bettie (Chevy Chase Fencing Club)

Silver: Mary Turzillo

 

Vet-80 Men’s Epee

Gold Medalist: Jonathan Jefferies (Halberstadt Fencers' Club)

Silver: Robert Rosenthal (San Luis Highlanders Fencing Club)

Bronze: Donald Anderson (New Mexico Fencing Foundation)

Bronze: James Gallivan (Fortune Fencing)

5th: Barry Leonardini (East Bay Fencers Gym)

6th: Ernie Simard (Marin Fencing Academy LLC)

Find all of the day one results here.

Find hundreds of great photos on our Facebook page.