The GB Cup
This Saturday saw the GB Cup at Nottingham University. It's a national competition run by British Fencing for intermediate level fencers, with qualification for it being on a regional level. East Midlands had 3 fencers in men's foil, one of whom being our own Roderick Howlett.
Roderick won 2 and lost 3 of his first poule, including a 4-5 loss to bronze medal winner Joe Kerr. He was thrown by his foil failing the weight test at the start of the second match, meaning he had to use brother Ed's foil for the next two matches, so having to use a different handle. Small gains and losses...... He then won 3 and lost 2 in the second poule, with a very impressive 4-5 loss to silver medallist Josh Saunders.
Going into the DEs as 12th seed, Roderick had a very comfortable 15-5 win over Bryan Hughes of South West region. There then followed a tough match against Kieran Patrick of Nottingham Cavaliers (so also of East Midlands). Roderick took a 2-0 lead which Kieran pulled back and the match was even up to 11-11. Kieran managed to pull away, with a 15-12 win. Roderick was very pleased to have fenced well and finish 12th and 2nd of the 3 East Midlands fencers in men's foil.
Vaguely fun (!) fact: of the three East Midlands men's foilists, Kieran recently finished a PhD, Roderick is starting his in October and Ali Delboyer, the third fencer, is in the middle of a PhD. Properly academic.
Next Saturday sees the RAF Open at RAF Cosford in Shropshire. We have 5 fencers competing (though the two Eds are fencing under ZFW and the RAF).