Strong fencing by young Swedes at Challenge Bernadotte – 17 years old epeeist goes through to fight with the best in the world
In the extremely strong line-up of 190 fencers, including all top 32 on the world ranking, we find 14 Swedish fencers. In the initial round of poules earlier today, several of these posted impressive results.
At the top, we find two of the youngest Swedes. Vincent Alston, 20 years old from the Stockholm club Föreningen för Fäktkonstens Främjande won 5 of 6 matches with very good hit index and goes directly through to Saturday’s direct elimination from 64 fencers.
The second youngest fencer of all, Robin Kase from Djurgården Fäktning in Stockholm also fenced extremely well with 5 wins and only one loss. Considering that Robin is only 17 years old and that the opposition is the strongest possible, his results so far are astonishing.
During the Friday afternoon, Robin will fence one match that will decide if he will be one of the 64 fencers who will fight for the Challenge Bernadotte silver trophy tomorrow Saturday.
For Sunday’s world cup competition for national teams, the Swedish captain Igor Tsikinjov has nominated Tor Forsse, Adam Larsson, Carl Frisell, Robin Kase and Joar Sundman. The final decision on which four fencers will comprise the team will be taken by lunch time on Saturday, based on the performance thus far.
For further information, please contact:
Peter Ejemyr
+46 733-611000
Pierre Thullberg
+46 706-831883
Background:
On March 5-7, the very best men’s epee fencers convene in Stockholm, Sweden to compete for the 2010 Challenge Bernadotte / Stockholm Grand Prix. The current world number one ranked fencer, Gauthier Grumier from France will be there as will the reigning world- and Olympic champions Anton Adeev, Russia, and Matteo Tagliariol, Italy, spearheading what is most likely the strongest rooster ever in men’s epee.
Since its initiation in 2004 the competition has each year had full participation from the highest ranked fencers. With the final entries now coming in, this year’s event is gearing up to be at least as strong as previous years and in total attract close to 190fencers. On Friday, March 5, the fencers start off with a round of poules (round-robin in groups of 7 fencers) which determine who will qualify for Saturdays tableau of 64. From there, the fencers fight in direct elimination matches first to 15 hits and where each match is for advancement or elimination. The 16 highest ranked fencers are directly qualified for the fencing on Saturday. At 4.30pm (CET) the semifinals start and the best four fencers fight for the trophy.
The venue for the competition is Eriksdalshallen, on Ringvägen 70, Södermalm, Stockholm.
Schedule
For the competition schedule, please go to http://www.challengebernadotte.org/programme/
Streaming video live and results in real time
At the Challenge Bernadotte website– www.challengebernadotte.org – information will continuously be published ahead of and during the competition. New this year is that streaming video will be available from four pistes. This means that several of the poules and all matches from the round of 64 will be possible to watch live. The results will also be available in real time, hit-by-hit. These services can be accessed from www.challengebernadotte.org.
Press images are available free of charge
History
The history of this competition goes back to ’Bernadottepokalen’, which started in 1977 and was from the beginning a ranking tournament for the men’s epee world championship. The competition was set up by the club Djurgården Fencing and its name was set to honor the club president during this entire period, Count Oscar Bernadotte af Wisborg. His Majesty Carl Gustaf, King of Sweden in 1999 donated the challenges price made in silver on a base of cherry wood from the Drottningholm Royal Gardens.
Resources:
Competition website:
(with links to live video and real time results)
What time is it in Stockholm?
http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/city.html?n=239
Press material including images:
http://www.challengebernadotte.org/press_577/
Continuous news in blog format:
http://www.challengebernadotte.org/blog/
Video from Challenge Bernadotte 2007-2009:
http://www.youtube.com/user/ChallengeBernadotte
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b8VyYtjhlVw
Swedish Fencing Federation: