Three International Fencing Federation World Cups took place this weekend in Fujairah (United Arab Emirates), Hong Kong (China) and Paris (France) in women’s and men’s epee and foil.
Fujairah Women’s & Men's Epee World Cup, Jan. 8-11.
Marie-Florence Candassamy of France defeated Italy’s Alberta Santuccio 15–10to win gold at the Fujairah, UAE, Epee World Cup at the Zayed Sports Complex, which featured a field of 217 fencers.
It was Candassamy’s first gold medal at a World Cup or Grand Prix, having previously won seven silver and six bronze medals. She achieved the title in impressive fashion, defeating top-ranked Sera Song of Republic of Korea, the 2025 World Championship bronze medallist, in the quarter-finals.
Santuccio claimed her ninth World Cup or Grand Prix medal, matching the silver medal she won at the 2023 World Championships in Milan, Italy.
The bronze medallists were Hadley Husisian of the United States, who lost 12–11 to Candassamy, and Hyein Lee of Korea, who was beaten 15–8 by Santuccio.
Final rankings – Women’s Individual Epee:
Marie-Florence Candassamy (FRA, gold), Alberta Santuccio (ITA, silver), Hadley Husisian (USA, bronze), Hyein Lee (KOR, bronze), Sera Song (KOR), Katrina Lehis (EST), Chang Liu (CHN), and Alexandra Louis Marie (FRA).
The men’s epee event with 275 fencers in Fujairah was won by 59th-ranked Conrad Seibaek Kongstad of Denmark, who defeated Matteo Galassi of Italy 15–13. It marked the first podium finish of his career for the 28-year-old.
Kongstad’s inspiring run to the top of the podium began in the round of 32, where he defeated world number two Masaru Yamada of Japan, the 2025 World Championship bronze medallist, in overtime, 8–7.
By taking the silver medal, the 20-year-old Galassi, who won silver at the 2025 Junior World Championships in Wuxi, China, and bronze at the World Cup in Vancouver, Canada, in December, has made a seamless transition into the senior ranks.
Bronze medals went to Máté Tamás Koch of Hungary, the 2023 World Champion, who was beaten 15–10 by Galassi, and Alexis Bayard of Switzerland, who lost 15–9 to Kongstad.
Final rankings – Men’s Individual Epee:
Conrad Seibaek Kongstad (DEN, gold), Matteo Galassi (ITA, silver), Alexis Bayard (SUI, bronze), Máté Tamás Koch (HUN, bronze), Roman Svichkar (UKR), Eugeni Gavalda (ESP), Elijah Imrek (USA), and Youssef Shamel (EGY).
The United States topped a field of 29 countries in Fujairah, UAE, defeating 2025 World Championship bronze medallists Korea 45–40 to claim the women’s epee team gold medal.
In the semi-finals, the United States defeated Hungary 45–37, while Korea edged Estonia 31–30. Estonia went on to beat Hungary 34–27 to secure the bronze medal.
Final rankings – Women’s Team Epee:
United States (gold; Kyle Fallon, Hadley Husisian, Catherine Nixon, Leehi Machulsky), Korea (silver), Estonia (bronze), Hungary, Poland, Sweden, China, Germany.
In the men’s team epee competition in Fujairah, Switzerland topped a field of 32 teams, defeating Italy 45–24 to win the gold medal.
In the semi-finals, Switzerland beat Ukraine 40–32, while Italy defeated the Netherlands 34–32. The Netherlands then overcame Ukraine 42–40 to take the bronze medal.
Final rankings – Men’s Team Epee:
Switzerland (gold; Alexis Bayard, Ian Hauri, Jonathan Fuhrimann, Lucas Malcotti), Italy (silver), Netherlands (bronze), Ukraine, Hungary, Egypt, Denmark, France.
Hong Kong Women’s Foil World Cup, Jan. 9-11.
Two-time defending Olympic Champion and reigning World Champion Lee Kiefer of the United States won the Foil World Cup in Hong Kong, China, topping a field of 198 fencers by defeating Italy’s Francesca Palumbo 15–12to claim the gold medal at the AsiaWorld-Expo.
Kiefer overcame her long-time rival and two-time World Champion Alice Volpi of Italy 15–11 in the round of 16.
It marked Kiefer’s sixth World Cup gold medal, bringing her total to 25 World Cup medals. In addition, she has claimed six Grand Prix titles and 15 Grand Prix medals overall. She will look to add to that tally next month at the Grand Prix in Turin, Italy.
Palumbo’s silver medal equalled her previous best result, achieved at St Maur, France, in 2019.
The bronze medals went to Marta Martyanova (_AIN), who lost 15–9 to Kiefer in the semi-finals, and Morgane Patru of France, who was defeated 15–5 by Palumbo.
Final rankings – Women’s Individual Foil:
Lee Kiefer (USA, gold), Francesca Palumbo (ITA, silver), Marta Martyanova (_AIN, bronze), Morgane Patru (FRA, bronze), Komaki Kikuchi (JPN), Martina Sinigalia (ITA), Karin Miyawaki (JPN), and Ysaora Thibus (FRA).
Italy defeated traditional rivals France 45–22 to win the women’s team foil gold medal in Hong Kong, China, topping a field of 20 teams.
In the semi-finals, Italy defeated Canada 45–32, while France overcame the reigning Olympic and World Champion United States 42–35. The United States went on to defeat Canada 44–40 to claim the bronze medal.
Final rankings – Women’s Team Foil:
Italy (gold; Martina Batini, Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto, Alice Volpi), France (silver), United States (bronze), Canada, Spain, Japan, Ukraine, and Hungary.
Paris Men’s Foil World Cup, Jan. 9-11.
Alexander Massialas of the United States defeated the 2025 World Champion Chun Yin Ryan Choi of Hong Kong, China, 15–10 to win the men’s foil competition in Paris at the renowned Stade Pierre de Coubertin, which featured a field of 330 fencers.
It marked Massialas’s tenth World Cup gold medal, bringing his total to 30 World Cup and Grand Prix medals, alongside an Olympic silver medal at Rio 2016 and a World Championship silver medal in Moscow in 2015.
Massialas narrowly progressed from the round of 32, where he overturned a 12–8 deficit against his compatriot Chase Emmer to prevail 15–14.
The bronze medals went to Giulio Lombardi of Italy, who was defeated 15–10by Choi, and Guillaume Bianchi of Italy, who withdrew due to injury during his semi-final against Massialas.
Final rankings – Men’s Individual Foil:
Alexander Massialas (USA, gold), Chun Yin Ryan Choi (HKG, silver), Giulio Lombardi (ITA, bronze), Guillaume Bianchi (ITA, bronze), Tommaso Marini (ITA), Alexander Choupenitch (CZE), Filippo Macchi (ITA), and Pavel Puzankov (_AIN).
In Paris, team Hong Kong, China topped a field of 35 teams, defeating the United States 45–38 to win the men’s team foil gold medal.
In the semi-finals, Hong Kong, China defeated Japan 45–32, while the United States overcame France 45–38. Japan went on to claim the bronze medal with a 45–29 victory over France.
Final rankings – Men’s Team Foil:
Hong Kong, China (gold; Ho Long Lam, Chun Yin Ryan Choi, Ka Long Cheung, Tit Nam Cheng), United States (silver), Japan (bronze), France, _AIN, Egypt, Hungary, and China.
The series continues with these exciting FIE Senior Grand Prix and World Cup events in 2026!
· Doha, Qatar Epee Grand Prix – January 23-25
· Salt Lake City, USA Women’s & Men’s Sabre World Cup – January 22-25
· Turin, Italy Foil Grand Prix – February 5-7