I went by the Fencing.Net Store over by Peachtree-DeKalb airport smack in the peak of the holiday season to get a new Vniti Maraging (FIE) Foil Blade (Wired) and an enormous roll of tip tape, ably prepared (tang cut and bent, Leon Paul GT Point, stainless Barrel, and wire) by Beth the skydiving fencer who was handling everything herself because Craig Harkins was with his wife Joanna at the hospital waiting on Asher Samuel Harkins; everyone is fine.

The Junior Olympics Qualifier was the Georgia Division’s First experiment with requiring pre-registration and pre-payment via askfred.com. As a result, only two fencers who planned to come failed to make it, and another couple paid triple fees to compete. Thus was avoided the experiences of fencers in the past who’d driven, sometimes for hours, only to find that an event would not be held due to a lack of participation. Those who signed up for events that did not “make” knew that they qualified without travel, and those whose events “made” had a greater degree of confidence that people who’d pre-paid were more likely to show up.

I dropped in briefly at the Junior Olympics Qualifiers. Sometimes these can be small events, since youth who’ve already qualified may skip them, but others treat it as another tournament opportunity. Cadet Men’s Epee event was a B1 event, NGFC’s Craig Shaffren, the current Georgia Division Epee points leader, won the event in a close win over DFC’s Roth Barrett, while AFC’s Michael Geraghty and NGFC’s Andre Long both earned Cs with their bronzes. The Junior Men’s Epee event was an A2 event. Craig won that one too (re-earning his A) and DFC’s Tom Blackwood re-earned his B with Silver, as did Barrett Roth, splitting bronze with AFC’s Houston Fullerton. ACN’s Bennett Giradot’s 5th place was good for a C, and DFC’s Patrick Hansen’s 6th re-earned his. The image I retain is Maggie’s foot work; she neither splays nor pigeon-toes her lead foot, even in lunges.

Naomi Bryant, whom we haven’t seen on the strip for two years, was on vacation from her sophomore year in Boston. I’ve always had trouble getting points with her and the D & Under was no exception; she beat me in pools, but I finally figured it out. Naomi has the smallest hand I’ve ever seen. She comes down the strip sur la marche with her blade extended almost point in line, and disengages so efficiently that you can’t see her doing it. I had her in pools again in the open and dealt with her finesse by employing brute force. The highlight of the day, of course, was my crushing defeat of Georgia Southern’s Blake Watson 5 – 1 in the pools (after which I should have pulled up lame).

Georgia Southern’s Tripp Hayden probably had the best time; he won D and Under Epee (re-earning his D), bronzed in Open Epee, and silvered in D and Under Foil before crashing in Open Foil. Or maybe it was Georgia Southern’s Kurt Klein, who silvered in D & Under Epee, but won the open earning his C, before collapsing in Saber, finishing under his girlfriend. Augusta’s Robert Clark made it to top 8 in Open Epee and earned his E.

Georgia Southern’s Ben Humphrey sailed to the win in D & Under Foil, while Nellya’s Carlos Balhana and I settled for bronzes.

The closest bout in Open Foil was between AFC’s Andy Quattrociocchi and Blake, Blake took it, but had nothing left for Nellya’s Julio Diaz in the final. Julio had to take his wife, Tanya, out; but she re-earned her C. Augusta’s Ramon Figueroa and Ben Humphrey re-earned their Ds with top 8 finishes.

Our South and North Carolina guests dominated Saber, but FSA’s Carlos Chabert, and Warner Robbins’ Steve Taylor re-earned their Es with top 8 finishes.

“Confusion to your enemies”, as Earl Shapiro puts it, to those of you who will be fencing the NAC this week-end while Joy and I enjoy St. Simon’s island. I’ll see y’all next week-end at Atlanta Club Northeast on Saturday the 21st, and I’ll try to drop by Nellya on Sunday the 22nd (Olympian Sada Jacobson will be taking on three As).

JUNIOR OLYMIPICS QUALIFIERS

Cadet Men's Epee
Place Name Club Birth Year Classification New Classification
1 Shaffren, Craig North GA FC 1992 A2007
2 Roth, Barrett Dunwoody FC 1991 B2006
3 Geraghty, Michael Atlanta Fencers 1992 D2007 C2008
4 Long, Andrew North GA FC 1991 D2007 C2008
5 Gilchrist, Evan Atlanta Fencers 1991 B2007
6 Ortega, Salvador Dunwoody FC 1994 C2008
7 Funk, Eric Dunwoody FC 1994 C2008

Cadet men's Foil
1 Vivian, John North GA FC 1993 E2007
2 Spoerke, Kyle North GA FC 1991 E2007
3 Cuchet, Max Athletic Club NE 1993 D2007
4 Dobmeyer, Sam Atlanta Fencers 1991 C2007

Cadet Men's Saber
1 Wolfson, Daniel Nellya Fencers 1994 U
2 Allen, Ari Nellya Fencers 1994 E2007
3 DeFreese, William (Alex) Nellya Fencers 1991 U

Cadet Women's Epee
1 Hessler, Kirsten Dunwoody FC 1991 U
2 Holt, Ivy Rome FC 1991 E2007
3 Girardot, Madeleine Athletic Club NE 1994 U
4 Tung, Mary Atlanta Fencers 1992 C2007
5 Jay, Ella Dunwoody FC 1991 U

Cadet Women's Foil
1 Fang, Deborah Athletic Club NE 1994 E2007
2 Girardot, Madeleine Athletic Club NE 1994 E2007

Cadet Women's Saber
1 Bentz, Laura Fencing Star Acad. 1992 U
2 McDonald, Margaret Nellya Fencers 1994 D2007
3 Powers, Skyla Nellya Fencers 1995 C2007

Junior Men's Epee
1 Shaffren, Craig North GA FC 1992 A2007 A2008
2 Blackwood, Tom Dunwoody FC 1989 B2007 B2008
3 Fullerton, Houston Atlanta Fencers 1989 A2007
4 Roth, Barrett Dunwoody FC 1991 B2006 B2008
5 Girardot, Bennett Athletic Club NE 1990 E2007 C2008
6 Hansen, Patrick Dunwoody FC 1990 C2006 C2008
7 Sullivan, Harry Dunwoody FC 1990 B2007

Junior Men's Foil
1 Watson, Blake GA Southern FC 1989 A2007
2 Girardot, Bennett Athletic Club NE 1990 E2007
3 Cuchet, Max Athletic Club NE 1993 D2007

Junior Men's Saber
1 Grainger, Jesse Nellya Fencers 1988 B2007
2 Rice, Nicolas Nellya Fencers 1993 C2007
3 Podgorsky, Yegor Nellya Fencers 1991 U

Junior Women's Epee
1 Cook, Saeedah Atlanta Fencers 1990 A2007
2 Girardot, Madeleine Athletic Club NE 1994 U
3 Tung, Mary Atlanta Fencers 1992 C2007

Junior Women's Foil
1 Makeeva, Valeria Athletic Club NE 1990 B2007
2 Madeleine Girardot Athletic Club NE 1994 E2007
3 Beifus, Maggie North GA FC 1990 C2004

Junior Women's Saber
1 Bentz, Laura Fencing Star Acad. 1992 U
2 McDonald, Margaret Nellya Fencers 1994 D2007
3 Robey-Phillips, Emily Fencing Star Acad. 1990 U