Following excerpted from the FIS official website: http://www.federscherma.it/news.asp?34454
3/18/2006, ROME – The Chinese women epeeists took over the Eternal City with three of them in the final eight. and the young
Xiaojuan Luo winning the first edition of the
Trofeo Cittŕ di Roma, valid for the World Cup WE (individual) which took place at the Centro Sportivo GymSeng in Casal Palocco, not far away from the sea in Ostia.
Xiaojuan Luo is left handed, not yet 21 years old, ranked #14 in the world won her first World Cup tournament. Her masterpiece performance was sealed in the semifinal bout when she beat 14-13 the super favorite Canadian
Sherraine MacKay who dominates the World Cup starting the season with three victories and a second place. Today the Canadian had to "be happy with" third place because of the fencer from Asia who, though very young, is showing great maturity and coolness on the strip.
The other semifinal -- all German -- had an unexpected conclusion with the victory of
Markovic over the better ranked
Claudia Bokel in a bout with very few touches (5-4).
Nice final bout which the Chinese Luo controlled from start to finish (3-0, 5-2, 8-4) never letting the German
Marjiana Markovic put any doubt about the final outcome. The final bout was directed by the Italian
Martina Ganassin.
.....
TV - Live broadcast on Raitre, Raisport which before the final at 5:20 pm, made a gift to the fencing fans by adding 20 minutes of live broadcast between 4:35 and 4:55 pm of the semifinal bout between the Chinese Luo (later the winner of the tournament) and the Canadian Sherraine MacKay, bronze at the World Championships in Leipzig, 2005. A very exciting bout with the surprise outcome of eliminating the current best epeist.
RESULTS Quarter finals: Marjiana Markovic (Ger) b. Cristiana Cascioli (Ita) 9-8; Claudia Bokel (Ger) b. Julie Leoprohon (Can) 5-3; Xiaojuan Luo (China) b. Lanlan Qin (China) 10-8; Sherraine MacKay (Can) b. Na Li (China) 15-9
Semifinals: Xiaojuan Luo (China) b. Sherraine MacKay (Can) 14-13; Marjiana Markovic (Ger) b. Claudia Bokel (Ger) 5-4
Final: Xiaojuan Luo (China) b. Marjiana Markovic (Ger) 15-10
Final Results (top 8):
1) Xiaojuan Luo (China)
2) Marjiana Markovic (Ger)
3) Sherraine MacKay (Can)
3) Claudia Bokel (Ger)
5) CRISTIANA CASCIOLI (Ita)
6) Na Li (China)
7) Julie Leoprohon (Can)
8) Lanlan Qin (China)