Bianco Takes Gold in Gand, Zaguins retains World #1

Ilaria Bianco (ITA) defeated teammate Irene Vecchi (ITA) 15-12 in the finals of the Challenge Yves Brasseur. Mariel Zagunis (USA) placed 3rd, retaining her #1 world ranking. A number of top fencers including Olga Kharlan (UKR) and Sofia Velikaya (RUS) did not attend the individual event, turning their focus on the European Championships instead. In the semi-final matches, Bianco defeated Zagunis 15-14 and Vecchi also eeked out a 15-14 win against Irena Wieckowska (POL). Dagmara Wozniak (USA) advanced through her pairings to the quarter-finals where she lost 15-13 to Wieckowska, finishing 6th. Ibtihaj Muhammad advanced from the 64 into the top-32 but was stopped by Bianco, 15-10. Daria Schneider was the 4th American to make the 64 where she lost her match to Paola Guarneri (ITA), 15-8. Team Event In the team event, the US entered as the 3rd seed behind Russia and the Ukraine. The US advanced with a 45-28 win against France and defeated the Ukrainian team 45-33. In the finals the US defeated Russia 45-40 to win the team event. The Ukraine bested Italy 45-39 to take the team bronze. Final Placement: Team [link]

Rank	Country
1	USA
2	RUSSIA
3	UKRAINE
4	ITALY
5	POLAND
6	FRANCE
7	AZERBAIJAN
8	GREAT BRITAIN
9	HONG KONG
10	GERMANY
11	VENEZUELA
12	BELGIUM

Final Results: 7th Challenge Yves Brasseur Individual Event [link]

Place	Last Name	First Name	Country
** 1 **	**BIANCO **	**Ilaria **	**ITA **
**2 **	**VECCHI **	**Irene **	**ITA **
**3 **	**WIECKOWSKA **	**Irena **	**POL **
**3 **	**ZAGUNIS **	**Mariel **	**USA **
5	MARZOCCA	Gioia	ITA
**6 **	**WOZNIAK **	**Dagmara **	**USA **
7	KOZLOVA	Nina	UKR
8	KUBISSA	Stefanie	GER
9	SOCHA	Aleksandra	POL
10	JOZWIAK	Bogna	POL
11	STOLTZ	Marion	FRA
12	LUCCHINO	Alessandra	ITA
13	PALU	Flora	FRA
14	PASCU	Bianca	ROU
15	HUTCHISON	Joanna	GBR
16	SASSINE	Sandra	CAN
17	KIM	Jiyeon	KOR
18	PERRUS	Leonore	FRA
19	MIKINA	Sabina	AZE
**20 **	**MUHAMMAD **	**Ibtihaj **	**USA **
21	BENITEZ	Alejandra	VEN
22	KEDZIORA	Katarzyna	POL
23	LIMBACH	Anna	GER
24	PETRAGLIA	Martina	ITA
25	DI TRANSO	Irene	ITA
25	GRENCH	Eileen	PAN
27	GULOTTA	Loreta	ITA
27	KOMASHCHUK	Alina	UKR
29	KRAVCHUK	Iryna Ayse	TUR
30	KOZACZUK	Malgorzata	POL
31	GUARNERI	Paola	ITA
32	REGUIGNE	Laura	FRA
33	BESBES	Azza	TUN
34	LEE	Rajin	KOR
**35 **	**SCHNEIDER **	**Daria **	**USA **
36	SHATALOVA	Alexandra	RUS
37	BERDER	Cecilia	FRA
37	OSTOJSKA	Matylda	POL
39	GREGORIO	Rossella	ITA
40	NAKAYAMA	Seira	JPN
41	KRAVATSKA	Olena	UKR
42	BUJDOSO	Alexandra	GER
43	ZHIVITSA	Yuliya	KAZ
44	NAVARRO	Araceli	ESP
45	PASTERNAK	Magdalena	POL
46	STAGNI	Livia	ITA
47	TORRES	Adrianny	VEN
48	BUEHRLE	Jasmin	GER
49	PEREZ MAURICE	Maria Belen	ARG
50	ALASGAROVA	Aida	AZE
51	AU	Sin Ying	HKG
52	WILLIAMS	Sophie	GBR
53	CARRENO	Maria	VEN
54	BOUDAD	Kenza	FRA
55	LEMBACH	Charlotte	FRA
56	RODRIGUEZ	Shia	VEN
57	SINIGAGLIA	Lucrezia	ITA
58	FONG	Yi Tak	HKG
59	GONZALEZ	Ursula	MEX
60	VORONINA	Olena	UKR
61	MORMILE	Chiara	ITA
62	KLEMM	Sibylle	GER
63	HIRZMANN	Davina	GER
64	MUNZ	Eva	GER
65	NICOLL	Chrystall	GBR
66	KEMPE	Katherine	GBR
67	DEMONSANT	Marion	FRA
68	KIRYANOVA	Elizaveta	RUS
69	KUSIAN	Judith	GER
**70 **	**RUSSO **	**Francesca **	**USA **
71	GRODDE	Nele	GER
72	WATOR	Angelika	POL
73	BUNYATOVA	Sevil	AZE
**74 **	**MUHAMMAD **	**Faizah **	**USA **
75	LAM	Hin Wai	HKG
76	BOULAY	Beline	FRA
77	PUDA	Marta	POL
78	MOUTOUSSAMY	Lea Melissa	ALG
79	ABRAMS	Jolien	BEL
79	KLEBER	Solvejg	GER
**79 **	**PALMEDO **	**Sage **	**USA **
82	AU YEUNG	Wai Sum	HKG
**83 **	**MERZA **	**Celina **	**USA **
83	PALINGS	Sera	NED
85	HO	Siu In Jenny	HKG
86	AGUSTSDOTTIR	Thorbjorg	ISL
87	WATORA	Martyna	POL
88	BUNYATOVA	Sevinj	AZE
89	CONTRERAS	Patricia	VEN
90	RIDEL	Mariya	RUS
91	COOREMAN	Hanne	BEL
91	BEN CHAABANE	Amira	TUN
91	PRESSMAR	Julia	GER
94	CLOETENS	Charlotte	BEL
**95 **	**HASSAN **	**Aziza **	**USA **
96	YUNDENDORJ	Ariunzaya	MGL
97	VIRLOGEUX	Ophelie	FRA
98	OTTENBACHER	Lea	GER
99	OZOLINA	Alina	RUS
100	HANZLIKOVA	Klara	CZE
101	HENDRICKX	Justine	BEL
101	DEFRANCE	Maryann	BEL
103	GEVAERT	Alexandra	BEL
103	SIMOEN	Barbara	BEL
105	DE LOOF	Elise	BEL