Double gold for DCFC at the Charm City Classic
DCFC Coach Peter Souders takes gold at the 2013 Charm City Classic. Photo by David Ruskin.
December 12, 2013
Silver Spring, MD — Two DCFC members took gold at the Regional Open Circuit – Richard F. Oles Memorial Charm City Classic, December 7-8, 2013 at University of Maryland Baltimore Campus. The Charm City Classic is a USA Fencing Regional Open Circuit sponsored by the USFA Maryland Division. The top 8 in each event qualify for Division 1A events at the 2014 Summer Nationals, to be held in Columbus, Ohio.
DCFC Coach Peter Souders (Silver Spring, MD) and DCFC member Dennis Kraft (Gaithersburg, MD) took the top spots in Division 1-A Men’s Sabre and Division 1-A Men’s Epee, respectively.
When not winnng medals, Peter Souders coaches sabre at DC Fencers Club. Souders, a Junior Olympic and Division One finalist, and was a member of the 2013 US Senior World Cup Travel Squad. During his NCAA career at Boston College, he was a four-time MVP and NCAA National Championship qualifier. He finished his collegiate career by being named Boston College’s 2012 Outstanding Scholar-Athlete for the senior class; an honor that he received ahead of athletes from the much larger sports of football and basketball.
Dennis Kraft takes gold in Division 1A Men’s Epee at the 2013 Charm City Classic
Dennis Kraft brings a wealth of experience to DC Fencers Club. Kraft was the Pennsylvania state champion in Men’s epee, a member of Penn State’s 2009 national championship team, and captained a team silver in Men’s epee for Ligonier Fencing club at the 2012 Summer Nationals in Anaheim, CA. This is Kraft’s second “ROC” gold of the season, having won gold at the Virginia Kickoff in Fredericksburg, VA, in September.
The Charm City Classic was recently renamed in honor of Richard Oles, a keystone member of the Baltimore fencing community. In 1961, Dick Oles established the Tri-Weapon Boys’ Club at the old Central YMCA to train teens in the sport. He then founded the Salle Palasz for adults who were interested in learning how to fence. His Tri-Weapon Boys’ Club developed eight national youth champions.
RESULTS – Richard F. Oles Memorial Charm City Classic
Dennis Kraft – gold, Div1A Men’s Epee
Peter Souders – gold, Div1A Men’s Sabre
Isaac Shelanski – eighth place, Div1A Men’s Epee
Full results here:
http://charmcityclassic.org/FTEvent2.htm
Photos of the Richard F Oles Memorial Charm City Classic 2013 are available here:
A photo essay of the Charm City ROC by DCFC member David Ruskin is also available on the DCFC Facebook page.
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