USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – More than 1,500 athletes will travel to Richmond, Va. to compete in the USA Fencing Division I and Wheelchair National Championships and April North American Cup from April 12-15.

Competition will be held at the Richmond Convention Center, 403 North Third St. with the action beginning on Friday, April 12 and concluding on Monday, April 15. All events are free and open to the public. The tournament will include events in each of the three fencing weapons – epee, foil and saber.

The Division I Nationals will feature eight members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team:

• Courtney Hurley (San Antonio, Texas), 2012 Olympic team bronze medalist in women’s epee
• Kelley Hurley (San Antonio, Texas), two-time Olympian and 2012 Olympic team bronze medalist in women’s epee
• Maya Lawrence (Teaneck, N.J.), 2012 Olympic team bronze medalist in women’s epee
• Tim Morehouse (New York City, N.Y.), 2008 Olympic team silver medalist in men’s saber
• Soren Thompson (New York City, N.Y.), two-time Olympian and 2012 World Team Champion in men’s epee
• Gerek Meinhardt (San Francisco, Calif.), two-time Olympian and 2010 Senior World medalist
• Miles Chamley-Watson (Philadelphia, Pa.), 2010 Senior Worlds fifth-place finisher
• Nicole Ross (New York City, N.Y.), four-time Pan American medalist in women’s foil

Athletes fencing in the Division I Nationals will be vying for berths on the 2013 Senior World and Pan American Championship Teams. The men’s and women’s foil teams will be announced at the conclusion of the Nationals with the top four athletes in the Senior Team Point Standings qualifying for Team USA. The epee and saber teams will be announced at the conclusion of the World Cup circuit in May.

Division I athletes also will have a second chance at gold in the team events when clubs from around the nation will face off for national titles.

Four wheelchair fencers from the 2012 Paralympic Team will be fencing in Richmond as well with qualifying points for the 2013 Wheelchair Worlds on the line:

• Gerard Moreno (Los Angeles, Calif.), five-time Paralympian
•  Ryan Estep (Florence, Miss.), 2011 Pan American Champion
• Catherine Bouwkamp (Fishers, Ind.), 2011 Pan American Champion
• Joey Brinson (Florence, Miss.), two-time Pan American medalist

In addition to the Nationals, competition will also be held for youth fencers in the April North American Cup tournament where athletes will compete in Y10, Y12 and Y14 age group events in all three weapons.

Competition schedule is as follows (All start times are approximate and events will run until completion):

Friday, April 12
8:30 a.m.
Division I Men’s Individual Epee
Division I Women’s Individual Saber
Y14 Men’s Foil

9:30 a.m.
Wheelchair Men’s Individual Epee

10 a.m.
Y10 Men’s Individual Saber

11 a.m.
Y14 Women’s Team Foil

11:30 a.m.
Y12 Women’s Individual Epee

1:30 p.m.
Wheelchair Women’s Individual Epee
Y14 Men’s Team Saber

2 p.m.
Y10 Women’s Individual Foil

Saturday, April 16
8:30 a.m.
Division I Men’s Individual Foil
Division I Women’s Individual Epee
Division I Men’s Team Epee
Division I Women’s Team Saber
Y14 Women’s Individual Foil
Y10 Women’s Individual Saber

9:30 a.m.
Wheelchair Men’s Individual Foil

10:30 a.m.
Y14 Women’s Team Saber

1 p.m.
Y12 Men’s Individual Saber

1:30 p.m.
Wheelchair Women’s Individual Foil

2 p.m.
Y14 Men’s Individual Epee

Sunday, April 14
8:30 a.m.
Division I Men’s Individual Saber
Division I Women’s Individual Foil
Division I Men’s Team Foil
Division I Women’s Team Epee
Y14 Women’s Individual Epee
Y14 Men’s Team Epee

9:30 a.m.
Wheelchair Men’s Individual Saber

10:30 a.m.
Y12 Women’s Individual Saber

1:30 p.m.
Wheelchair Women’s Individual Saber
Y10 Men’s Individual Epee
Y12 Men’s Individual Foil

Monday, April 15
8:30 a.m.
Division I Men’s Team Saber
Division I Women’s Team Foil
Y12 Men’s Individual Epee
Y14 Men’s Individual Saber
Y12 Women’s Individual Foil

1:30 p.m.
Y10 Men’s Individual Foil
Y14 Men’s Team Foil
Y14 Women’s Team Epee
Y14 Women’s Team Saber

2 p.m.
Y10 Women’s Individual Epee