USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The first women’s World Cup of the new season began on Saturday in Doha, Qatar when 121 fencers competed in a three-day epee competition.

London Olympic bronze medalists Maya Lawrence, N.J.) and Courtney Hurley (San Antonio, Texas) were joined in the top 32 by their U.S. teammate Francesca Bassa (Houston, Texas)

As the ninth and 12^th seeds, respectively, Lawrence and Hurley were each exempt from the first day of competition on Saturday while Bassa advanced through the preliminary rounds and entered the table of 64 as the 33^rd seed.

Lawrence won her opening bout against Amanda Simeao (BRA), 15-10, but placed 18^th after a 15-10 loss to 2010 Junior World Team Champion Julia Bejajeva (EST).

Hurley finished just behind Lawrence in 19^th place. Hurley defeated Laurence Epee (FRA), 15-12, in the table of 64, but lost to Beate Christmann (GER), 15-12, in the next round.

For Bassa, who won a bronze medal with Hurley in the team competition at the 2009 Junior Worlds, her 27^th place result marked the first time she has placed in the top 32 at a European World Cup. Bassa won her table of 64 bout against Marie Florence Candassamy (FRA), 15-14. In the next round, Bassa fenced a close bout against 2012 Olympic Champion Yana Shemyakina (UKR), but lost the bout, 15-10.

Four other U.S. fencers advanced through the preliminary rounds, but lost their bouts in the table of 64.

Fencing at her first Senior World Cup, Lydia Kopecky (New York City, N.Y.) placed 49^th after a 15-12 loss to 2006 Cadet World medalist Josephine Jacques Andre Coquin (FRA).

Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas), who won bronze in London alongside Lawrence and Kelley’s younger sister Courtney, dropped her opening bout to 2007 Junior World Champion Emma Samuelsson (SWE), 15-12, and placed 51^st overall.

Four-time Senior World Team member Lindsay Campbell (Brooklyn, N.Y.) finished in 62^nd place after a 15-11 loss to Rossella Fiamingo (ITA) – a seventh-place finisher at the London Games.

Natalie Vie (Phoenix, Ariz.) lost her table of 64 bout by a score of 15-3 to Yujie Sun (CHN) – the top-ranked fencer in the world.

Click here to view complete results.

Top eight and U.S. results are as follows, including athletes who did not advance out of the table of 64 on Saturday:

Doha Individual Epee World Cup
1. Angi Xu (CHN)
2. Ana Maria Branza (ROU)
3. Lauren Rembi (FRA)
3. Tiffany Geroudet (SUI)
5. Yujie Sun (CHN)
6. Rossella Fiamingo (ITA)
7. Emese Szasz (HUN)
8. Alexandra Ndolo (GER)

18. Maya Lawrence (Teaneck, N.J.)
19. Courtney Hurley (San Antonio, Texas)
27. Francesca Bassa (Houston, Texas)
49. Lydia Kopecky (New York City, N.Y.)
51. Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas)
62. Lindsay Campbell (Brooklyn, N.Y.)
63. Natalie Vie (Phoenix, Ariz.)
93. Lauren Willock (Astoria, N.Y.)
100. Eleanor Leighton (Mishawaka, Ind.)