DCFC members Valerie Asher and Jim Adams win bronze for Team USA at Veteran World Fencing Championships
DC Fencers Club members Valerie Asher and Jim Adams were among 63 veteran fencers representing Team USA at Vet Worlds last week. Photo by David Ruskin.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 22, 2012
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DC FENCERS CLUB MEMBERS REPRESENTING TEAM USA WIN BRONZE AT THE VETERAN WORLD FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS IN KREMS, AUSTRIA
Fencing is a lifelong sport, and veteran fencers from DC Fencers Club proved the point with two bronze medals at the Veteran World Fencing Championships (aka "Vet Worlds") in Krems, Austria, the premiere international fencing tournament for fencers 50 and over. Valerie Asher, Jim Adams, and Kazimieras Campe were among 63 athletes representing Team USA at the 16th Veteran World Championships, which took place October 16-21 in Krems, Austria. Overall, Team USA earned 12 medals in both men and women’s events in all three weapons (epee, sabre, and foil).
In her second trip to Vet Worlds, Valerie Asher (Bethesda, MD) won the bronze medal in the Veteran Women’s Epee, 50-59 category.Asher previously made the top eight in her debut competition at the 2011 Worlds in Porec, Croatia. Among her top 2012 results, Asher won gold in Veteran Women’s Epee, and silver in Veteran Women’s Epee, 50-59 category at the March 2012 North American Cup (NAC) in Cincinnati, OH. She was a member of the bronze-medal team in Senior Women’s Epee at the 2012 Division 1 National Championships in Virginia Beach, VA last April.
Six-time Veteran World medalist Jim Adams (Rockville, MD) won bronze in the Veteran Men’s Foil 70+ category at the 2012 Vet Worlds.This win follows a silver medal in Men’s Epee, and bronze in Veteran Men’s 70+ Foil at the 2011 Worlds in Croatia. Adams capped off the 2011-2012 fencing season with a gold in Men's Veteran 70 Foil and bronze in Veteran Men's 70+ Epee at the 2012 USA Fencing Summer Nationals in Anaheim, California.
Kazimieras "Kaz" Campe (Edgewater, MD) made history when he won the Veteran World Champion title at the first Veteran Men's 60+ epee event at the 1998 Veteran Worlds in La Chaux-de-Fonds, Switzerland. Most recently, Campe won the gold in Veteran 70 Men's Epee at the 2012 USA Fencing Summer Nationals. At the Vet Men’s Epee 70+ event, both Jim Adams and Kaz Campe advanced to #24 and #28 respectively.This is Campe's 11th time at Veteran Worlds.
The Veteran's World Championship is conducted by the International Fencing Federation. Competitors have included Olympic and World Champion gold medalists. Asher, Campe, and Adams were selected to represent Team USA based on their best two out of three results from the 2011-2012 season. All three are repeats to the Veteran World Championships, having represented USA in the 2011 at Porec, Croatia last October, where Team USA took home 16 medals.
About fencing tournaments
Fencing competitions in all three weapons usually consist of two rounds of bouting. In the first round of “pools,” six to eight fencers compete in a round-robin of 5-touch/3 minute bouts.Pool results inform the seeding of the next round, Direct elimination or “DE”.Direct Elimination bouts are 15 touch/9 minute bouts. Sabre direct elimination bouts also go to 15 touches, with a one-minute break when either fencer reaches eight touches. DE brackets (like NCAA basketball) allow for a maximum 128 fencers. Winners of each DE round advance to the tables of 64, 32, 16, 8, semifinals, and finals.
Beginner fencing classes
Each generation of fencing champions gets its start in a beginner fencing class. DC Fencers club hosts several beginner fencing classes on weekdays, weeknights, and Saturdays, including beginner classes for youth, daytime classes for homeschoolers, and an all-ages/levels fencing class. Equipment is provided for beginners. For more information on getting involved in this Olympic sport, call 301-562-1990 or email .
About DC Fencers Club
DC Fencers Club (DCFC) has a national and international reputation as one of the best fencing clubs in the United States. The club offers instruction through classes, camps, workshops, and individual lessons. Fencers of all ages are welcome, and members range from recreational fencers to fencers who compete in local, regional, national, and international tournaments. DCFC coaches have a combined 100 years of training, competition, and teaching experience, and they include credentialed fencing masters and National and World Champions. DC Fencers Club promotes excellence, sportsmanship, and safety in a friendly, easygoing environment.
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