Whatever Happened to Andre Wessels?

[reposte]

I was thinking about whatever happened to Andre Wessels, especially in view of what came of Gyuart since te 2002 world championships.
Who ever watched it won't soon forget the utter dominance Wessels had over Gyuart or indeed every other Frenchman he fenced at the team finals.
Since then, Guyart came out to win Olympic gold and Wessels, was he even on the German team...?

[fencerX]

I was thinking about whatever happened to Andre Wessels, especially in view of what came of Gyuart since te 2002 world championships.
Who ever watched it won't soon forget the utter dominance Wessels had over Gyuart or indeed every other Frenchman he fenced at the team finals.
Since then, Guyart came out to win Olympic gold and Wessels, was he even on the German team...?

Yes, Wessels was on the German team.

The French team of Ferrarri, Guyart, Attelly defeated the German team of Senft, Joppich, Wessels, 45-38

Wessels' website is at www-andre-wessels.de

[reposte]

I didn't mean materially what happened to him, but what happened to him?
He's been down on a spiral ever since 2003...

[fencerX]

I was thinking about whatever happened to Andre Wessels, [...] and Wessels, was he even on the German team...?

Oh, OK. So you didn't mean was he even on the German team materially, you meant it immaterially. Fine.

[Madmartigan]

I didn't mean materially what happened to him, but what happened to him?
He's been down on a spiral ever since 2003...

His style of fencing requires a very high level of confident. Bit by bit, some people started to figure him out. I think that the turning point was in Paris CIP 2003 when Nassibouline cracked Wessel's crazy style with simple actions. I remembered watching to bout and wonder why we didn't think of that before. Since then, his level of confident went down quite a bit, not enough to land his crazy touches anymore. After that, Gomes dispatched him almost perminently in Aquaba WC (very much the same way he eliminated me less than one hour before).

[nahouw]

His style of fencing requires a very high level of confident. Bit by bit, some people started to figure him out. I think that the turning point was in Paris CIP 2003 when Nassibouline cracked Wessel's crazy style with simple actions. I remembered watching to bout and wonder why we didn't think of that before. Since then, his level of confident went down quite a bit, not enough to land his crazy touches anymore. After that, Gomes dispatched him almost perminently in Aquaba WC (very much the same way he eliminated me less than one hour before).

I agree. The more you are on the World Cup Circuit, the more exposure for your opponents to see what you do. If you don't have a versatile arsenal of actions, then eventually everybody figures you out. Part of why the Asian nations do so well is that they do not compete that often on the circuit, so there is surprise to competitors at World Championships.

I guess Gomes was smart enough to figure him out and get his number.

Also, I think that the new timings have had an effect on him -- his style cannot adjust to the new timings.

[reposte]

Also, I think that the new timings have had an effect on him -- his style cannot adjust to the new timings

He seems to have pulled through nicely at the German nationals, Bundestrainer Scherck said it might herald the return of Andre Wessels.
I hope so, he was tremendous to watch on a good day.