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USA Fencing Recognizes Athletes Who Earned Ratings in November

12/11/2018, 5:00pm CST
By Nicole Jomantas

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – More than 450 athletes earned new USA Fencing ratings during the month of November with athletes representing 206 clubs throughout the nation.

  • A: 55
  • B: 68
  • C: 87
  • D: 88
  • E: 181

Sixty-five fencers earned ratings at the November NAC in Kansas City, Mo. which featured Y14, cadet and junior events. Fourteen-year-old Faith Park (Lorton, Va.) earned her first A not once, but twice at the NAC, placing fifth in the junior women’s épée event on Friday and winning the Y14 competition the next day to upgrade her previous B18.

In just over a year, 13-year-old épée fencer Kent Iyoki (Lucas, Texas) went from earning his D17 to scoring an A18 at the NAC with his seventh-place finish in Kansas City. The multi-weapon fencer also earned a C18 at the Battle in Seattle RJCC after a bronze medal win in the cadet foil event.

Iyoki was one of four athletes to earn ratings in more than one weapon last month. Brazilian Pierre Souza racked up a trio of E18s in the épée, foil and saber events, winning all three weapons in mixed competition at the Master of Arms Challenge @ The Point. John Foxworth (Grand Blanc, Mich.) earned a D18 in foil and an E18 in saber at the Apple Cider D & Under. Matthew Gosmeyer (West Lafayette, Ind.) also earned ratings in two weapons, renewing his E in saber at the Purdue Fall Open and earning a first-time E rating in épée at the Indiana Division Qualifier.

The November ratings awards also included 2016 Olympian and 2017 Pan Am silver medalist Julieta Toledo (MEX) who earned her A18 in saber with a gold medal at the BladeRunner Div IA ROC. Samantha Achterberg (Colorado Springs, Colo.), a three-time reigning Modern Pentathlon National Champion, earned her C18 in épée with a bronze at the Falcon Open.

The Fencing Academy of Westchester had the most athletes earn ratings in November of any club in the nation with a total of seven – four foil and three epee.

With 30 rated fencers, Fencers Club leads the overall standings of clubs with the most fencers who have earned a rating since the start of the 2018-19 season. Alliance Fencing Academy follows with 21 with Denver Fencing Center in third with 20.

2018-19 Ratings

2018-19 Leading Clubs

Club Ratings
Fencers Club 30
Alliance Fencing Academy 21
Denver Fencing Center 20
Battle Born Fencing Club 19
Fencing Academy of Westchester 18
Massialas Foundation (M Team) 16
Medeo Fencing Club 16
LAIFC 15
Olympic Fencers Club 15
Salle Mauro 15

The new year meant new and renewed ratings in January for 613 fencers who earned their 2019 ratings.

Two hundred seventy-four epee fencers earned 2019 ratings, followed by 247 foil fencers and 95 saber fencers.

Ratings for 2019 were awarded as follows:

  • A19: 128
  • B19: 72
  • C19: 105
  • D19: 141
  • E19: 170

One hundred and 20 fencers 2019 ratings were issued at the January North American Cup in Charlotte, N.C. across the Division I and junior events with Olympians Sada Baby (Atlanta, Ga.), Miles Chamley-Watson (New York City, N.Y.) and Aleksandra Shelton (Portland, Ore.) each renewing As.

Two fencers earned 2019 ratings in multiple weapons.

Seventeen-year-old Lance Fortner (Westlake Village, Calif.) renewed his C in both foil and epee at SoCal Scholastic Fencing League tournaments in January.

Formerly a D18 in foil, 33-year-old Erica Wiley (Vallejo, Calif.) earned her first C in the weapon a the tfc WinterFest Div IA ROC and picked up her first foil rating with an E19 at a Bay Cup tournament.

Fencers Club continues to lead all USA Fencing clubs with 48 athletes earning or renewing ratings in 2018-19, followed by Alliance Fencing Academy at 43 and Denver Fencing Center at 38. 

*Athletes will only be listed as affiliated with current USA Fencing member Clubs as of  February 1, 2019.

Leading Clubs

Club Ratings
Fencers Club 48
Alliance Fencing Academy 43
Denver Fencing Center 38
LA International Fencing Center 31
Olympic Fencers Club 29
Fencing Academy of Westchester 28
Massialas Foundation 27
Salle Mauro Fencing Academy 26
Olympia Fencing Center 26
Medeo Fencing Club 25
Battle Born Fencing Club 25

Tag(s): Updates