USA Fencing

(San Francisco, Calif.) – USA Fencing is pleased to announce that Absolute Fencing Gear® will be providing prizes for the individual medalists at the San Francisco Foil World Cup on Saturday, Oct. 18 at Kezar Pavilion, 755 Stanyan St.

Absolute will award $1,200 (USD) to the gold medalist, $800 to the silver medalist and $500 to each of the bronze medalists at the first men’s foil Senior World Cup of the 2014-2015 season.

"We are excited to see the first Senior Men’s Foil World Cup hosted in the United States and to be able to provide prizes to the medalists in the first kickoff tournament to the senior international season,” said Absolute Fencing Owner Gary Lu (Bridgewater, N.J.)

Absolute Fencing Gear® is one of the premier fencing equipment companies in the world  and is both the Official Tournament Equipment Supplier of USA Fencing and the Official Equipment Supplier of the FIE International Development Program. Absolute has been a proud sponsor of USA Fencing since 2012.

“Thank you to Gary Lu and his team at Absolute for all of their continued support. We know the athletes are excited to come to the incredible city of San Francisco and to get the season started. Being able to offer $3,000 to the medalists is something new for this event and will reward the finalists for what we’re sure will be a day of hard-fought competition,” said USA Fencing Executive Director Kris Ekeren (Littleton, Colo.)

Nearly 200 foil fencers, including Olympic and World Champions, will compete at the San Francisco Foil World Cup with competition running Friday through Sunday at Kezar Pavilion.

Team USA will be headlined by 2012 Olympians and 2013 Senior World team silver medalists Gerek Meinhardt (San Francisco, Calif.), Alexander Massialas (San Francisco, Calif.), Race Imboden (Brooklyn, N.Y.) and Miles Chamley-Watson (New York City, N.Y.)

The international field features the top foil fencers in the world, including:

• 2014 Senior World Individual Champion Alexey Cheremisinov (RUS)
• 2013 Senior World Individual Champion Miles Chamley-Watson (New York City, N.Y.)
• 2012 Olympic Individual Champion Sheng Lei (CHN)
• 2014 Senior World Team Champions Enzo Lefort (FRA), Erwann Le Pechoux (FRA), Julien Mertine (FRA) and Vincent Simon (FRA)
• 2013 Senior World and 2012 Olympic Champions Giorgio Avola (ITA), Andrea Baldini (ITA) and Andrea Cassara (ITA)