The Plashing Vole: european championship

Friday, 15 July 2011

Finally, the last few fencing photographs

The last few of my favourites from the 2011 European Fencing Championships. But don't worry, there are plenty more here. Click these to enlarge.

I had a great time: it was exhausting, but I learned a lot (new moves, warm-ups, techniques, how to set-up a wheelchair frame), but it wasn't perfect. I know this sounds really petty, but I don't think volunteers should be asked to pay for their food and accommodation, especially those there for over a week). I volunteer a lot and love doing it - I vocally opposed the demands of a small group of referees for pay - but it's not really on to pay quite a lot of money to work 12 hour days at a very prestigious event. Ho hum: the fencing and the cameraderie of the team (and the delightful people of Sheffield) made up for it.

Fantastic flick to shoulder from Avola on Cheremisinov

Ouch. Poor Cheremisinov. Valid hit too.

Into the other men's foil semi-final: Baldini (Italy, left) versus Cassara (Italy, right, parrying)

Baldini claims the hit on Cassara

Baldini misses: Cassara flicks to the shoulder but hits off-target

Baldini's attack off-target: Cassara's flick looks good but may be out of time

Aerial flick to Cassara's shoulder, avoiding the parry

Men's foil final: Cassara (Italy, left). Avola (Italy, right) takes to the skies

Cassara and Avola try to reach round each other.

Avola's attack to wrist would be perfect… if it was an epée match

Cassara can't quite believe what the referee's just said.

The textbooks mystifyingly omit this move from Avola.

Running attack from Cassara

Very athletic lunge from Avola (though Cassara's straight are means he has the line of attack)

It may not be elegant, but Avola's attack lands beautifully.

And the follow-up is rather dramatic.

Giorgio Avola: European Men's Foil Champion 2011

Avola seems pleased.

I'm not there any more, but more photos of the competition are here.

Oh yes, there are more fencing photographs to come

And there are even more from the 2011 European fencing championships here! Click on these ones for massive versions.

Joy for some, bitter defeat for others (not sure whether Delbergue or the Romanian won this one)

No opening ceremony is complete without contemporary dance, though it did feel slightly tasteless to have acrobatic writhing for the wheelchair championship opening ceremony: especially this move. The choir was excellent.

Pranz (Austria) lands a lovely flick to Cassara's chest. Cassara came 2nd overall.

And another flick from Pranz

Ola (Aleksandra) Socha of Poland and Galyna Pundyk of Ukraine in the women's sabre semi-final

Victory for Socha

Gavrilova (Russia) hits Kharlan (Ukraine) on the mask

Avola (Italy) parries Cheremisinov (Russia) in the men's foil semi-final

Then lands this beauty to the chest.

Cheremisinov tries a marching attack on Avola

Avola avoids Cheremisinov's lunge

Cheremisinov winds himself up for another attack on Avola (Avola won).

Some more photographic fencing highlights

Full set here: click these samples for larger versions.

Full-speed attack on Halsted by Rigine

Victory for Halsted: defeat for Rigine

Halsted's delight. He finished 30th.

Pranz (Austria) scores against Szabados (Hungary)

Not quite orthodox but very dramatic: Pranz gets through Szabados's defence

And again

Szabados's attack fails

Fleche attack from Delbergue (Spain) on a Romanian fencer

Simultaneous hits, simultaneous appeals to the referee

Delbergue manages to land a hit without looking!

Beautiful Delbergue flying fleche with flick to the shoulder beats his opponent's parry

Yet more fencing photographs

Sorry if these really aren't your thing - there are plenty more to come from the 2011 European Fencing Championships. Full set here, click these ones to go large.