USA Fencing

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The U.S. Wheelchair Fencing Team won five epee medals at the Pan American Championships in Montreal on Tuesday.

In the women’s Category A epee event, 15-year-old Lauryn DeLuca (Parma, Ohio) and Vikki Espinosa (Portland, Ore.) followed their foil bronze medals on Monday with a second pair of medals with DeLuca winning silver and Espinosa taking bronze.

DeLuca finished the pool rounds as the No. 2 seed in the direct elimination table. After a bye into the semifinals, DeLuca defeated Monica Santos (BRA), 15-5. In the gold medal final, DeLuca lost to two-time Paralympian Sylvie Morel (CAN), 15-6.

Seeded fifth in the quarter-finals, Espinosa’s first DE opponent was Romina Clemente – the Argentinian who Espinosa defeated in the foil event on Monday. Espinosa won this bout as well by a 15-14 score.

In the semifinals, Espinosa lost to Morel, 15-1.

Team USA’s men won a pair of bronze medals in the Category A and B epee events.

Leo Curtis (Rainier, Ore.) advanced to the quarters as the fourth seed and defeated teammate Curt Oswalt (Von Ormy, Texas), 15-13. Curtis fenced Fabio Damasceno (BRA) in the semifinals, but lost the bout, 15-3.

London Paralympian Joey Brinson (Florence, Miss.) finished fourth in the pools and defeated Jose Palaviceno (ARG), 15-11. In the semifinals, Brinson faced 2012 Paralympian Jovane Silva Guissone (BRA) who took the bout, 15-3.

Following the individual competition, Curtis, Brinson and Oswalt fenced in the team event.

The U.S. team earned a bye into the gold medal final as the top seed in the field. Team USA finished the day with a silver after a 45-25 loss to Brazil.

After a two-day break, Team USA will return to competition this weekend at the Montreal Wheelchair World Cup – a qualifying event for the 2016 Paralympic Games.

The World Cup competition schedule is as follows:

Friday, May 1
Men’s Category A, B and C Foil
Women’s Category A, B and C Epee

Saturday, May 2
Men’s Category A, B and C Epee
Women’s Category A, B and C Foil

Sunday, May 3
Men’s Category A and B Saber
Women’s Category A and B Saber
Team Competition

Team USA’s roster for the World Cup is as follows:

Men’s Category A Epee
Dennis Aspy (Woodstock, Ga.)
Leo Curtis (Rainier, Ore.)
Curt Oswalt (Von Ormy, Texas)
Andrew Quattrociocchi (Kennesaw, Ga.)

Men’s Category B Epee
Joey Brinson (Florence, Miss.)

Women’s Category A Epee
Lauryn DeLuca (Parma, Ohio)
Vikki Espinosa (Portland, Ore.)

Women’s Category B Epee
Andrew DeMello (New York City)
Ellen Geddes (Johnston, S.C.)

Men’s Category A Foil
Curt Oswalt (Von Ormy, Texas)
Andrew Quattrociocchi (Kennesaw, Ga.)

Men’s Category B Foil
Gerard Moreno (Los Angeles, Calif.)

Women’s Category A Foil
Lauryn DeLuca (Parma, Ohio)
Vikki Espinosa (Portland, Ore.)

Women’s Category B Foil
Andrea DeMello (New York City)
Ellen Geddes (Johnston, S.C.)

Men’s Category A Saber
Dennis Aspy (Woodstock, Ga.)
Leo Curtis (Rainier, Ore.)

Men’s Category B Saber
Joey Brinson (Florence, Miss.)
Gerard Moreno (Los Angeles, Calif.)