(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – Katharine Holmes (Washington, D.C.) earned her best international finish in a U20 event on Saturday with her fifth-place result at the Laupheim Junior Epee World Cup in Germany.
Holmes, the 2009 Cadet World silver medalist, went undefeated in the pools to earn a #4 seed and a bye through the table of 128.
In her first direct elimination bout, Holmes defeated Francoise Herren (SUI), 15-11, in a bout she led from the start and earned a second win against Ksenia Kapitanova (RUS), 15-12, in the table of 32.
Holmes’s streak continued into the table of 16 where she led 2011 Junior World medalist Camilla Batini (ITA), 14-9, after two periods. Following a slow start in the third period, Holmes closed out the bout with a double touch to earn the win, 15-10.
In the quarter-finals, Vivien Varnai (HUN) kept within a touch of Holmes for nearly the entire bout. With the score tied at 14 late in the third period, Varnai scored the final touch to win the bout, 15-14.
Three of Holmes’s teammates advanced to the table of 32, including her 2011 Junior World Teammates Audrey Abend (New York City, N.Y.) and Anna Van Brummen (Houston, Texas) as well as 16-year-old Mason Speta (Chicago, Ill.) who was competing in her first U20 international event.
Seeded 10th in direct elimination rounds, Abend won her table of 64 bout against Macarena Centenera (ESP), 15-8, after a bye through the table of 128. Abend lost her next bout to Amalia Tataran (ROU), 15-12, to finish 19th overall.
Van Brummen earned a bye into the table of 64 where she defeated Patricia Derr (GER), 15-13. In the next round, Van Brummen finished 21st after a 15-12 loss to Alexandra Magdich (RUS).
Speta split her bouts, 3-3, in the pools and entered the table of 128 as a 49th seed, but won her opening bout against Justine Geroudet (SUI), 15-10.
Speta defeated Rebecca Thomas (GBR), 15-12, in the next round before falling to Stephanie Suhrbier (GER) in the table of 32 and placing 31st.
Top eight and U.S. results are as follows:
Laupheim Junior Epee World Cup
1. Dorina Budai (HUN)
2. Anna Kolczonay (HUN)
3. Valentina Lushina (RUS)
3. Vivien Varnai (HUN)
5. Katharine Holmes (Washington, D.C.)
6. Stephanie Suhrbier (GER)
7. Laura Szabo (HUN)
8. Amalia Tataran (ROU)
19. Audrey Abend (New York City, N.Y.)
21. Anna Van Brummen (Houston, Texas)
31. Mason Speta (Chicago, Ill.)
37. Jessica O’Neill-Lyublinsky (North Salem, N.Y.)
42. Nina Van Loon (Boulder, Colo.)
59. Aleina Edwards (Los Angeles, Calif.)
61. Isabella Barna (Portland, Ore.)
75. Jennifer Horowitz (Los Angeles, Calif.)
88. Courtney Dumas (Shaker Heights, Ohio)
Tag(s): News Kat Holmes
