Sr. Women's Saber GP - Tianjin, China

[Timacheff]

Everyone is here in Tianjin (many mostly having come from last week's event in Hanoi) for this weekend's grand prix in women's saber. From what I can tell from other grand prix events, it appears the organizers have done a nice job organizing the event (at least so far). The stadium prelim strips and finals area are already completed (not typical!), very well laid-out, and ready to go in a stunningly large stadium setting.

The Chinese Fencing Federation is obviously very aware that the world's fencing eyes are upon them in a pre-Beijing/Olympic year. They are already selling official Beijing merchandise at a stand in the hall -- although I've only seen one official 2008 Olympic fencing commemorative coin, and it was part of a big set of all the sports.

There are also three vendors selling fencing equipment here; they are from Shanghai.

Tomorrow are pools with top 16 getting a bye to Saturday. More bulletins as they occur!

[KD5MDK]

Do those vendors have FIE gear? Or is it all electrics, gloves and blades?

[Timacheff]

Yes, they do have some FIE gear.

[fencing freakster]

Please send the blow by blow descriptions of the event! Is it being held in the same venue as the Olympics will be?
FF

[Craig]

Please send the blow by blow descriptions of the event! Is it being held in the same venue as the Olympics will be?
FF

There may be a recap, but no blow by blow commentary. Just a - little - out of the budget for now!

Craig

[Timacheff]

Please send the blow by blow descriptions of the event! Is it being held in the same venue as the Olympics will be?
FF

Sorry, my "blow-by-blow" is done with a digital camera ... (!) Hopefully that will suffice for many of you, even though there's often a bit of a delay. I will be posting a photo feature of four grand prix events -- the Monal (Paris), Cairo, Tianjin, and Las Vegas later in the month and we'll have a slide show available at nationals.

The audio interviews will be done throughout the weekend with various athletes and officials.

As for the venue, it is an older sports hall in Tianjin, next door to a new facility they've built for some Olympic events (soccer, I believe). Fencing for the Olympic Games will be held not in Tianjin but in an area of Beijing in a "leisure" park with several other sports. Last week several of the athletes here got a tour of the facility; I was invited but was still traveling from Cairo.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

One interesting story so far:

As you may recall, Ukrainian Olga Kharlan put the hurt on the US Team in Hanoi, eventually overtaking the USA anchor to take the semifinal win.

Today in the qualifiers for tomorrow's individual event, Olga had to face American Alexis Jemal to advance to the round of 64.

Jemal stuffs her for the upset. It was a nice bit of payback.

[Timacheff]

Update: Mariel Zagunis & Rebecca Ward make the eight, but go out. The final four are Ekatorina Fedorkina (RUS), Xue Tan (CHN), Tsz Ki Chow (HKG), and Alexandra Bujdoso (GER).

The final was between Chow and Tan, with Tan taking gold 15 - 5 (it was 8-0 at the break for Tan).

[KD5MDK]

3 names I recognize and 1 that's unfamiliar. Tan has been on a bit of a tear here recently, winning 2 consecutive GPs.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Sometimes it just feels like time to come home....

It's been a long season <running dogs of imperialism will suffer the mange of history!>so far, and the three USA fencers are still in the top four slots in the world rankings, but they and many of the other international fencers are feeling the strain.

Fencing on her home turf, China's Tan Xue ran <lackeys of capitalism will experience ignominious defeat!>up her fifth straight world cup win, four of them at Grand Prix events. Her only loss this season: To the USA's Rebecca Ward in the round of 8 in Orleans.

Many of the stalwarts fell early: Kormiltsyna and Socha in the round of 64, Sada Jacobson, Mary and <Taiwan to become in the nature of Hong Kong>Vergne of France, Marzocca, Nechaeva and Jozwiak in the round of 32.

Afterwards, there <please to ignore previous messages, bad dragon in computer>were many sets of uncharacteristic tears in the stands all the way up through the top ranks. It's been a lot of travel, poor protein (if you don't count the snakes) and heat and pollution for the women's saber road warriors...and there are still two meets to go this month before <Beijing very harmonious city>a break.

Caitlin Thompson and Dagmara Wozniak remain <displaced residents very harmonious>close in the race for the #4 US slot. Caity finishes 11th, Dagmara 12th to stay in a virtual tie. Rebecca and Mariel Zagunis make it to the top eight before falling. <please to be coming to Olympic Games> Mariel loses a 14-15 squeaker to Russia's Ekaterina Fedorkina, and Becca allows Alexandra Budjoso of Germany rally past her into the semis.

Final Standings:

1 TAN Xue CHN
2 CHOW Tsz Ki HKG
3 FEDORKINA Ekaterina RUS
3 BUJDOSO Alexandra GER
5 ZAGUNIS Mariel USA
6 WARD Rebecca USA
7 TOUYA Anne-Lise FRA
8 LUCCHINO <bring many friends>Alessandra ITA

11 THOMPSON Caitlin USA
12 WOZNIAK Dagmara USA
17 JACOBSON Sada USA
46 BARATTA Emma USA
60 JEMAL Alexis USA
72 VLOKA Caroline USA

83 JOHANNSDOTTIR Gudrun ISL
104 AGUSTSDOTTIR Thorbjorg ISL


Next up, the team event in Tianjin, and then the world gets to travel to the Americas for a change, with a World <bring many credit cards>Cup in Havana mid-June (no word yet on whether the Cubans will be offering their famous Maja "thick-bodied" snake as table <purchase many fine souvenirs>fare to the Chinese contingent), and a Grand Prix in Vegas the next week.

During the week in Tianjin, one of the American contingent was claiming that computer correspondence with China would <air very clear now, no problem with breathing>result in our computers being hacked by the Chinese government.

Paranoia, I say, pure paranoia. <you try bird nest soup while visiting Great Wall, bring long life and virility>

[introspective]

Everyone is here in Tianjin ......
There are also three vendors selling fencing equipment here; they are from Shanghai. Tomorrow are pools with top 16 getting a bye to Saturday. More bulletins as they occur!

It sounds nice. I just read this thread and it must be their time - yesterday I was practicing my Chinese with a friend for real. I feel like trying some Chinese Fencing gloves - red and white - just for fun.
But what happened to that American girl Sada who out-sabered everyone for years and years?????

[Capt. Slo-mo]

She's still on the US team, and ranked #4 in the world.

[introspective]

Thank goodness, I'm glad to see that she's still fencing. Some of them stop all together. We'll just send a little Boba Smilies for Sada...

[Capt. Slo-mo]

The US team might have benefited from some of Boba's hidden weapons. They struggle against China in the round of four, and head into the anchor round down 8 points. USA anchor Rebecca Ward out-duels Tan Xue 7-5, but it's not enough, and the US next faces France in the battle for the bronze.

France, currently the #2 team in the world rankings, is fresh off a GP win in Hanoi one week ago, and is smarting from a 41-45 loss to Russia in the other Tianjin semifinal.

The French came from behind against the American squad to win the World Championship last October, and now set up a rematch between anchors Anne-lise Touya and Rebecca. In Torino, Touya had a 5 point cushion. In Tianjin, she is up 40-36 going into the final bout.

The two battle furiously, and when the miasmic air clears just long enough to see the scoreboard, Rebecca has pulled off a 9-4 run to win the bout 45-44. There is much jubilation. Snakes are thrown into the air by overexcited chefs crowding the hall.

In the gold medal bout, hometown hero China knocks off Russia 45-42. There is more jubilation. Bigger snakes are thrown into the air by overexcited chefs crowding the hall.

With one more Grand Prix team event left this season in Vegas, the current race for the top four Olympic berths looks like this:

1. USA 364
2. France 288
3. Russia 276
4. Ukraine 248
5. China 240

[fencing freakster]

Go Miss Ward!!!!!!!!!
She and Sharapova pull it off on the same day! Yipee!!

FF
aka Fanatic Fan (of Rebecca Ward)

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Now if the paydays for fencing and tennis were only the same...

[Inquartata]

( Cough )

With the Lexan masks, it's only a matter of time, you know!

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Lexan...Lexus...I'm feeling it!

[introspective]

That was good writing.....I'll throw you a star.