ORLEANS, France, Dec. 4-6, 2025 – Italy’s Michela Battiston and Hungary’s Krisztian Rabb won gold medals at the Orleans Trophée Nuoma Women’s and Men’s Sabre Grand Prix. This is the first Grand Prix of the FIE 2025-2026 competition season, with a total of nine (three for each weapon) scheduled in as many countries and across four continents. This event took place at the Orleans Palais des Sports (preliminary rounds) and the Orleans Zénith (finals), with 189 women and 217 men participating in the competition from 56 nations.
Battiston faced Hungary’s Anna Spiesz in the final bout of women’s individual sabre, winning with a 15-14 score. In the semifinal round, Spiesz won against France’s Sara Balzer, 15-13, while Battiston defeated teammate Mariella Viale, 15-8. Of note, in the table of 16, Spiesz beat France’s Olympic champion Manon Apithy, 15-12. In the table of 32, Hungary’s Luca Szucs won against Japan’s two-time world champion Misaki Emura, 15-13; Alina Mikhailova (_AIN) defeated world and Olympic champion teammate Yana Egorian, 15-14; and Greece’s Despina Georgiadou beat world and Olympic champion Sofia Pozdniakova (_AIN), 15-4.
Rabb faced Germany’s Frederic Kindler in the final bout of men’s individual sabre, winning with a 15-14 score. In the semifinal round, Kindler won against France’s Sebastien Patrice, 15-13, while Rabb defeated Egypt’s Ahmed Hesham, 15-8. Of note, in the quarterfinals, Hesham beat Georgia’s world champion Sandro Bazadze, 15-9. In the round of 32, Romania’s Dragomir won against Korea’s world and Olympic champion Sanguk Oh, 15-14; Korea’s Gyeongdong Do defeated Hungary’s world champion Andras Szatmari, 15-14; and France’s Benjamin Ducerf beat Hungary’s world and three-time Olympic champion Aron Szilagyi, 15-12.
Final rankings in women’s individual sabre included Michela Battiston (ITA, gold), Anna Spiesz (HUN, silver), Sara Balzer (FRA, bronze), Mariella Viale (ITA, bronze), Yoana Ilieva (BUL), Renata Katona (HUN), Luca Szucs (HUN) and Olga Nikitina (_AIN).
Final rankings in men’s individual sabre included Krisztian Rabb (HUN, gold), Frederic Kindler (GER, silver), Ahmed Hesham (EGY, bronze), Sebastien Patrice (FRA, bronze), Sandro Bazadze (GEO), Fares Ferjani (TUN), Leonardo Dreossi (ITA) and George Dragomir (ROU).
Watch for upcoming FIE Grand Prix events, including Tunis, Tunisia (sabre, Jan. 9-11), Doha, Qatar (epee, Jan. 23-25) and Turin, Italy (foil, Feb. 5-7). Complete and official results for this event may be found here on the FIE web site. To watch the entire competition, along with any other FIE senior event, go to www.FencingTV.com. Find official photos from this and other events on the FIE Facebook page.