The Open is N Ireland’s premier and largest fencing competition of the year and was held last weekend the 25th & 26th of January in Thornhill College in Londonderry. Five Sullivan fencers took part, Amelia Penny, Myles Wilkinson, Tom Woolsey-Jensen, Lennox Brown and Sam Snoddy. At the same time Cassidy Ogle was competing in a European Fencing Confederation (EFC) U17 event in Riga, Latvia. Cassidy had been selected to represent Ireland in the individual and team competitions.
In Derry on Saturday 25th Amelia made the final of the women’s foil, finishing up with the silver medal. Meanwhile Cassidy and the Irish foil team finished 21st in the team event in Riga, having been knocked out by Ukraine. Back in Derry on the Sunday, in the men’s foil, Myles and Tom made the last 16 in 13th and 14th places while Sam and Lennox finished 18th and 20th. In the Sunday individual competition in Riga Cassidy faced a tough world class international field with competitors from as far afield as Australia, Brazil and the USA as well as the European nations. She finished in the last 128 in 107th place, a respectable first full international performance at age 15, and the only NI fencer currently competing at this level.
The next event for SUFC fencers will be for U12s, U14s and U16s at Round 4 of the NI Junior Foil Series on 1st February in Shankill Leisure Centre (postponed from 18th Jan.
David White
SUFC Coach
29 Jan 2025
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