Victoria Tops In Tournament Fencing

The Victoria Swords Club again demonstrated its overall supremacy in university fencing when it won at Winter Tournament, the thirteenth time since 1954.

This tournament victory was not - unexpected for the club this year has a high standard and a number of experienced fencers.

Though junior membership is disappointingly small the club can field a substantial number of seniors. This depth is well illustrated by the fact that the Winter Tournament team was not the strongest team the club could field, the strongest in Wellington province and the provincial teams tournament at Hastings earlier this year was easily won by the Vic teams.

Individual performances at last year's national championships and this year's North Island championships show that club members are well up in the national ratings.

At the national championships in Lower Hutt last year, five club members reached the final pools in various weapons. Five Club members are at present touring Australia and have taken part in the Australian national championships.

The Winter Tournament team, selected by the club's selector coach Mr. R. D. Peterson (a New Zealand Empire Games representative) consisted of four women (A. Apathy, V. McLean, captain. S. Norris and J. Stacey) and five men (R. Clarke, captain M. Cooper, R. Hayman, J. Loh and G. Strati).

To the Vic team's delight last year's draw was reproduced with the result that in each weapon Vic fought Canterbury, Otago and Auckland in that order.

As Canterbury was the weakest opposition in every weapon this draw gave the team a number of easy bouts to warm up.

The men's foil team (Strati. Hayman. Loh. Clarke) easily beat Canterbury, as expected, dropping only two bouts out of 16.

In the other foil match Auckland demolished Otago 12-4. The women's foil followed on and Vic again beat Canterbury, this time dropping three bouts.

Viv McLean and Sue Norris both fenced well conceding only 4 points each while inflicting 16 each on their opponents.

The second rounds of the men's and women's foil again

Club teams have already this year established themselves as saw both Vic teams win against Otago — both match scores being 11-5. Both Auckland teams also beat Canterbury.

In the final of both the men's and women's foil Vic was against Auckland.

The men's final resulted in a victory for Vic by 11-5.

Hayman was in top form winning all his bouts and one of these without any points against him.

The women's, team was beaten in the foil final by Auckland 6-10, but Annamaria Apathy did well, winning 3 out of her 4 bouts.

In the Epee the VUW team (Strati, Clarke, Hayman, Cooper) again achieved victory over Canterbury winning 10-6.

In the match against Oatgo Vic was immediately in trouble down 0-3 after 3 bouts, but Strati reversed the trend by winning easily and from this bout Vic rapidly gained control finally winning comfortably 10-6.

Strati, a former New Zealand epee champion, had at this stage won every epee bout. Cooper also did well in the match dropping only one bout.

The epee finished on an anticlimactic note with Vic defeating Auckland 12-4, each member of the Vic team dropping one bout.

The Sabre, more than the other weapons, showed Vic's superiority.

In the match against Canterbury the team (Strati. Loh. Hayman. Cooper) only dropped one bout.

Loh was in great form scoring 20 hits on his opponents while receiving only 3 in return.

The match against Otago saw Strati maintain his string of wins while Loh dropped a bout to A. Garmonsway.

The final match score was 12-4 to Vic.

The final was again against Auckland which had polished off Otago and Canterbury also.

Again the Vic team was apprehensive as the Auckland team had experienced sabreurs in Gaudin and Bensky, but in the event they proved no threat to Strati and Hayman who both won all their bouts.

Strati thus won every sabre bout he fought in the tournament. Loh and Cooper added the necessary wins to make the score 11-5 to Vic.

The NZU teams selected were:

Women's Foil: K. De Luen (OU), D. Gaudin (AU), V. McLean (VUW), P. Wallis (AU), S. Norris (VUW) Res.

Men's Foil: J. Gaudin (AU), R. Hayman (VUW), J. Loh (VUW), G. Strati (VUW).

Epee: R. Clarke (VUW), G. Harris (CU), J. Harrison (OU), G. Strati (VUW). (G. Williams (CU) Res.

Sabre: A. Garmonsway (OU), J. Gaudin (AU), J. Loh (VUW), G. Strati (VUW).

The Maitre d'Arms trophy was presented to George Strati.