2008 ALLIANCE SUMMER CAMPS

HOUSTON:

Juniors/Adults

Youth

WOODLANDS:

Youth

HISTORICAL FENCING

THE HOUSTON CUP

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2007 Summer National Championships

Miami, FL

June 29 - July 8, 2007

Twenty two fencers represented Alliance Fencing Academy at the Summer Nationals Championships in Miami, FL, competing in 28 events in total (24 individual and 4 team events) in epee and foil. This was by far the largest tournament in the fencing calendar and represents the culmination of a season’s hard work for everyone.

We brought home 11 medals: 6 individual, 2 teams and 3 coach's medals. Out of 22 ALL fencers, 13 came home with medals.

Congratulations to all and many thanks to all the coaches who worked hard for the past year, Alliance Coaches Andrey and Sabina and their assistants Dina Bazarbayeva, T.C. Sims, Stephanie and Suzette Wheeler; our visiting coaches Sergey Andrievskiy, Janna Bazarbayeva, Georgiy Tolkachev, and Georgiy Zazitski!
 

Congratulations to our medallists!!!

Junior Men's Epee Team

• Gold Medal (Bone John, Freiman Ben, Smith Dillon, Sorensen Nathan)

Division I Women's Epee Team

• Bronze Medal (Bassa Francesca, Bazarbayeva Dina, Brandfield-Harvey Neely, Wheeler Stephanie)

Suzanne Simpson

• Gold Medal, Veterans 40 Women's Epee

Bassa, Francesca

• Gold Medal, Cadet Women's Epee

Brandfield-Harvey, Neely

• 5 place, Junior Women's Epee

Bazarbayeva, Dina

• 8 place, Division I Women's Epee

• 6 place, Junior Women's Epee

Wheeler, Suzette

• 8 place, Veterans 40 Women's Epee

Andrey Geva

• 3 Gold Coach's Medals

Junior Men's Epee Team (31 teams)

Division I Men's Epee Team (51 Teams)

The Alliance Junior Team came in to this event seeded fifth, and while we had a strong team, there were several other strong teams there. Things started well with a 45-33 win over a Seattle team. Next came a somewhat better Florida team, but they too fell before the Alliance epees 45-38. The next bout for Alliance was another Texas team, Gold Blades. Here, Ben Freiman took over for John Bone, and after a few weapon issues was fencing very well (Ben brought +6 touches in his three bouths). While the score was not always in favor of Alliance, we still won 45-40. After that was the bout for top two against Baltimore. This team had knocked out the number one seed team, but they seemed inexperienced and were beaten fairly handily 45-33. After that, everyone packed up their stuff and headed to the finals room feeling a little shocked and excited; for most of them, this would be the first time ever to fence on the finals strip. After about a half an hour wait, the bout against Fencer’s Club began. After a very serious strategy briefing from Andrey, the first fencers hooked up. The Alliance opener was Nathan Sorensen, and he was fencing the opposing team’s anchor, Nathaniel Sulat, a strong and high-ranked fencer with credentials that Nathan couldn’t approach. However, Nathan amazing won that bout 5-2. After that, the other team never got ahead, even when Sulat had to fence Ben Freiman, who is much younger and less experienced. Ben held his ground and fought, and got some beautiful touches. The other team lessened the Alliance lead, but the rest of the team was there to cover for him. Finally, it came down to the final bout: Dillon against Nathaniel Sulat. We came in with a four point lead and had been leading the whole bout, but nobody expected Dillon to have an easy win. However, Dillon scored two singles right at first. Sulat caught up about four points, bringing the score to 42-40. Then Dillon scored two more singles, bringing the score to just 44-40. We were almost certain of victory, but the Sulat began to bring it back. By 44-43, the audience was about to scream, and Andrey was pulling out his hair. Then Dillon attacked, and it was a double-touch! All of the hard work paid off at the medal ceremony, although there was only one medal. As of now, the rest of the team has yet to receive their medals. While the fencers fenced well, many thanks also go to coaches Andrey and Giorgiy, team armorer Tom Bone, and all the parents who gave various other types of support. What a team effort, and it was indeed rewarded.

Division I Women's Epee Team (21 Teams)

Junior Women's Epee Team (21 teams)

Coming soon

 Women's Epee

Veterans 40 (24 fencers, C1 event)

Division I (49 fencers, A4 event)

Division IA (68 fencers, A3 event)

Division II (87 fencers, B2 event)

Junior (68 fencers, A3 event)

Cadet (94 fencers, A2/B3 event)

Youth 10 (23 fencers, D1 event)

Coming soon

Men's Epee

Veterans 40

Division I (65 fencers, A4 event)

Juniors

Cadet

Youth 14

Youth 12

Youth 10

Only Jonathan Bibb now in college at CSU but who trains with us when in Houston was qualified to compete in Division I selected group of the top epee men’s fencers. Jonathan had a tough time in DEs and could not make the first cut finishing 61st.

Women's Foil

Division IA (63 fencers, A3 event)

Cadet (103 fencers, A4 event)

Coming soon

Men's Foil

Veterans 40

Division II

Cadet

Youth 14

Youth 12

Youth 10

Coming soon

Coaches Notes

This was a very successful summer national championship for our club. We came home with two individual national champions, Francesca and Suzann, and our junior team of John Bone, Ben Freiman, Dillon Smith, and Nathan Sorensen is the national champion also. Everyone fenced well. We had a many fencers falling on the last point with the score tied 14-14. Our program is going strong with our “old” athletes and it is nice to see new and younger fencing faces on the strip, representing Alliance. The future is in their hands, as well as in our more seasoned fencers.

This championship was also the last as Houston residents for some of our fencers who will now go to college and continue fencing there in the NCAA circuit: Stephanie Wheeler on her Way to University of Pennsylvania and Erin Pytel to Duke University. They were preceded by Daniel Trapani who is already at the US Airforce Academy going through basic training and could not compete at these championships. Also, this was the last championship under Alliance for Suzanne Simpson who is moving to Dallas and she finished both as a veteran 40-49 champion and at the top of the US ranking. We will miss them and look forward to having them with us when they will come home for a visit in the next four years.

We also feel that these great results are the product of the hard work of all our coaches and friends who put together the most fabulous camps in preparation of the Summer Nationals. Our program is second to none in the country. We need to continue and strive for even higher goals for next year.

Last, but not least, let’s all thank our fencer/photographer John Bone who was essential in helping Serge Timacheff, the FIE photographer, when he had to step in and took over the photo work of medallist and action photos literally at the last minute. John’s work can be seen on www.Fencingphotos.com and the great shots throughout this report. Thank you John, each of your picture is worth more than a thousand words!

A nice summer rest to all!
 

Pictures credit - John Bone

http://t-bone-photos.smugmug.com/

and Andrey Geva

Coaches' meeting. Andrey, Sergey, and Giorgi putting together a winning strategy for Alliance fencers.

ALL Senior Epee Team

Our friends from Florida and Illinois cheering for Alliance team during the team competition.

Junior Teams gold medal match. Ben Freiman (left) in action

Junior Teams gold medal match. The winning touch by Dillon Smith

2007 National Champions

From the left: Dillon Smith, Nathan Sorensen, Andrey Geva (coach), Ben Freiman, and John Bone

Erin and Stephanie before the Junior Teams competition

Bethlehem preparing for her first bout at Junior Teams competition

Neely preparing to her bout at Senior Teams competition

2007 National Bronze Medallists

From the left: Neely Brandfield-Harvey, Francesca Bassa, Dina Bazarbayeva, and Stephanie Wheeler.

Susanne Simpson (left) is only one touch away from the her Gold Medal at Veterans 40 competition

8 place finisher Suzette Wheeler (1st to the left on the 1st row) and 2007 National Champion Suzanne Simpson (2d to the left on the 1st row) in the top 8 at Veterans 40 competition

Dina is focusing before her final bout at Division I competition

The winning touch by Francesca Bassa in her gold medal bout at Cadet competition.

Happy gold medallists Andrey and Francesca

Ben is ready

Alex Goetting (Youth 10) getting on-strip lesson from Andrey

I'm tired of you guys.

Nathan Sorensen

What do we do with you Sam?

Sam and "Goliaph"

Kara Collins (left) in action

"Relax, Robert..."

Logan Shoemaker at Youth 10 event

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