LAUSANNE, Switz., Jan. 10-12, 2025 – Two International Fencing Federation World Cups took place in Paris and Hong Kong, each including women’s and men’s individual and team foil events.
Hong Kong, China Women’s Foil World Cup, Jan. 10-12
USA’s Jaelyn Liu won the gold medal at the Hong Kong, China Women’s Foil World Cup and Italy won the team gold medal. The event took place in Hall 8 of AsiaWorld-Expo with 190 women’s individual fencers and 19 women’s teams participating in the competition. Liu faced Italy’s Martina Sinigalia in the final bout of women’s individual foil, winning with a 15-12 score. In the semifinal round, Sinigalia won against Japan’s Yuka Ueno, 15-11, while Liu defeated Italy’s Martina Batini, 15-13. Of note, in the quarterfinals Batini beat teammate and two-time world champion Arianna Errigo, 15-11, and in the round of 32, Liu won against teammate and two-time Olympic champion Lee Kiefer, 15-13.
Italy faced USA in the final match of women’s team foil, winning with a 45-27 score. In the semifinal round, USA won against Canada, 45-28, while Italy defeated France, 45-30. The bronze medal went to France over Canada, 42-39.
Final rankings in women’s individual foil included Jaelyn Liu (USA, gold), Martina Sinigalia (ITA, silver), Martina Batini (ITA, bronze), Yuka Ueno (JPN, bronze), Martina Favaretto (ITA), Arianna Errigo (ITA), Julia Walczyk-Klimaszyk (POL) and Pauline Ranvier (FRA).
Final rankings in women’s team foil included Italy (gold), USA (silver), France (bronze), Canada, Spain, Japan, Hungary and Korea.
Paris, France Men’s Foil “Forvis Mazars Challenge International De Paris (CIP)” World Cup, Jan. 10-12
Italy’s world champion Alessio Foconi won the gold medal at the “Forvis Mazars Challenge International De Paris (CIP)” World Cup and Italy won the team gold medal. The event took place at the Stade Pierre de Coubertin with 297 men’s individual fencers and 29 men’s teams participating in the competition.
Foconi faced USA’s Alexander Massialas in the final bout of men’s individual foil, winning with a 15-10 score. In the semifinal round, Massialas won against Czechia’s Alexander Choupenitch, 15-10, while Foconi defeated Spain’s Carlos Llavador, 15-10. Of note, in the quarterfinals Foconi beat Hong Kong, China’s two-time Olympic champion Ka Long Cheung, 15-10, and in the round of 32 Italy’s Edoardo Luperi won against teammate and world champion Tommaso Marini, 15-8 and Hungary’s Daniel Dosa defeated USA’s World Champion Miles Chamley-Watson, 15-10.
Italy faced Japan in the final match of men’s team foil, winning with a 45-44 score. In the semifinal round, Japan won against USA, 45-39, while Italy defeated France, 45-39. The bronze medal went to USA over France, 45-33.
Final rankings in men’s individual foil included Alessio Foconi (ITA, gold), Alexander Massialas (USA, silver), Alexander Choupenitch (CZE, bronze), Carlos Llavador (ESP, bronze), Ka Long Cheung (HKG), Kazuki Iimura (JPN), Pierre Loisel (FRA) and Kirill Borodachev (AIN).
Final rankings in men’s team foil included Italy (gold), Japan (silver), USA (bronze), France, Poland, China, Korea and Hungary.
Complete and official results for these events may be found here on the FIE web site. For more exciting world fencing news and features, check out the YouTube FIE Fencing Channel. Find official photos from this and other events on the FIE Facebook page.