USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – More than 2,000 athletes will compete in the first North American Cup of the season this weekend in Richmond, Va.

Competition will be held from Friday through Monday at the Greater Richmond Convention Center, 403 North Third St., in Halls A-D. Athletes will compete in all three weapons (foil, saber and epee) in Cadet (Under 17), Division II and Division III events.

The October North American Cup will serve as one of the qualifying events for the 2012 Cadet World Championships in Moscow, Russia and most of the top candidates for the team will be vying for points on the national rankings, including the following past Cadet World Team members:

• Francesca Russo (Wayne, N.J. / Saber), 2011 Junior and Cadet World Team member and 2011 Phoenix Junior World Cup bronze medalist
• Eli Dershwitz (Sherborn, Mass. / Saber), 2011 Cadet World Team member and three-time European Cadet Cup Champion
• Peter Pak (Roslyn, N.Y. / Saber), 2011 Cadet World Team member and 2010 Goeppingen European Cadet Cup bronze medalist
• Alexander Eldeib (Burke, Va. / Epee), 2011 Cadet World Team member and 2011 Junior Olympics U20 bronze medalist
• Jessie Radanovich (Tollhouse, Calif. / Epee), 2011 Junior and Cadet World Team member and 2011 Junior Olympics U17 bronze medalist

The event is free and open to the public.

Competition schedule is as follows:

Friday, Oct. 21
8:30 a.m.
Cadet Men’s Epee
Division II Men's Saber

1:30 p.m.
Division II Women’s Epee
Division III Men’s Foil

Saturday, Oct. 22
8:30 a.m.
Cadet Women’s Epee
Division II Women’s Foil
Division III Women’s Saber

1:30 p.m.
Cadet Men’s Saber

2:30 p.m.
Division III Men’s Epee

Sunday, Oct. 23
8:30 a.m.
Cadet Men’s Foil
Division II Men’s Epee

11 a.m.
Cadet Women’s Saber

2:30 p.m.
Division III Women’s Foil

3:30 p.m.
Division III Men’s Saber

Monday, Oct. 24
8:30 a.m.
Cadet Women’s Foil
Division II Women’s Saber
Division III Women’s Epee

1 p.m.
Division II Men’s Foil