Discover Fencing In Rio 16 -17 May 2015 - Esgrima na Lagoa
Rio de Janeiro, 18 May 2015 –
The Rio Fencing Grand Prix Week saw coverage of the FIE and Brasil Esgrima promotional fencing event at La Lagoa, Esgrima na Lagoa. The event featured Brazilian fencers in all categories providing demonstration bouts for the audience, as well as instructional and participation displays allowing visitors to learn more about fencing and give it a try. There were several features for children including 'balloon swords' handed out by volunteers.
In addition to the several hundred visitors during the first day, the Brazilian media was strongly in evidence with full sports news crews including reporters from Fox TV Sports and Globo Sports. Reporters and photographers from the print media were also in evidence with La Dia national daily being the most prominent.
The second day of Rio Grand Prix Week the event featured Brazilian fencers in all categories - including under-13s - providing demonstration bouts for the audience. Sunday saw increased crowds as more people came to the Lagoa park for Sunday festivities.
Visitor numbers were up the second day at the Rio Olympic demo, the Brazilian media presence was mainly newspaper and radio after full sports news crews including reporters from Fox TV Sports and Globo Sports came on the first day.
The following weekend, the eighth stage of the Fencing Grand Prix series will also be free for spectators. With a total of nine stages spread across every continent, including competitions with all three types of weapon, the GP series is the second-biggest fencing event in the world, second only to the World Championship. Rio de Janeiro will host both the men’s and women’s individual épée competitions: with the men’s final taking place on Saturday (23) and the women’s final on Sunday (24). Around 400 athletes, from over 50 countries, are expected to attend, among them the current Olympic fencing champion, the Venezuelan Ruben Limardo.
Volunteer observers and officials from the Rio 2016 Committee will also attend the Grand Prix.
In Brazil, fencing is a sport little practiced or understood by the public. However, on his last visit to Rio de Janeiro, in March this year, the president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Thomas Bach, gold medallist in the foil in Montreal 1976 – recalled his efforts to train children in the sport at a social project in Tijuca in the city’s Northern Zone.
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See the official website of the event here
Fans and media can follow the live stream of the event on the FIE YouTube Channel and receive the latest information on the FIE twitter as well as on www.fie.org and the FIE Facebook page.
FIE Official Partners: TISSOT, MEGAFON, INTERNATIONAL CHARITY FUND FOR THE FUTURE OF FENCING
About the FIE:
The International Fencing Federation (FIE - Fédération internationale d'escrime) is the international governing body for the Olympic sport of fencing. The FIE is based in Lausanne, Switzerland. Currently, the FIE has 150 affiliated member federations.
For further information on the FIE please visit www.fie.org