New nations, new names: this is what the Italians see for Antalya

[gladius]

The FIS web site has a countdown to Antalya World Championships. Here is today's news item.

http://www.federscherma.it/news.asp?i=74910&s=7

Several things, materials and rules for example, have changed in the one hundred years of Italian fencing. Great names were replaced by others. Change, which is cousin of time, continues.

The adversaries at a global level, apart form the historic and traditional, have increased in number. Next to France, Hungary, and Russia we have new countries like the USA and China.

At the Beijing Olympics USA conquered six medals (1 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze) being strong not only in WS but also in team events like WF and MS. A name stands above anyone else: Mariel Zagunis, Olympic champion in 2004 and 2008. Think about it: WS became part of the Olympic program at the Athens games.

China made incredible efforts to be ready in the best way for the Olympics at home. On its way to the games, already at the Turin World Championships in 2006, Lei Wang had won gold. At the last Olympics China got gold for MS with Zhong Man and silver for WS (team) with Tan Xue, Ni Hong, Bao Yingying, and Huang Haiyang, all students of Chritian Bauer, Maestro well known also in Italy.

Ukraine is moving ahead with the sabreuse Olga Kharlan--who these days is visiting us together with her entire national team at the Acquacetosa CONI Center for Olympic Training--, Japan with Yuki Ota, and South Korea with the indefatigable Nam Hyun-hee. Great Britain deserves more and more attention and proved with Richard Kruse, second at the Europeans in Plovdiv 2009, to be well ahead in her run toward the summit.

It will be interesting to watch these Antalya world championships after the Olympics, see new faces, and read new names.



It's nice to see that somebody does good PR for US Fencing

[Kettch]

It doesn't make any mention of Germany whatsoever. Bit of an oversight?

Maybe it's because Kleibrink slighted Italian men's foilists in the interview he did for federscherma...

.

[erooMynohtnA]

There also wasn't any mention of France, beyond the same sentence naming Germany, because this was an article about new fencing powers.

[Kettch]

Next to France, Hungary, and Russia we have new countries like the USA and China.

France, Hungary, and Russia are acknowledged as traditional powerhouses - and Italy of course is the author of the article.

Germany is not mentioned anywhere at all. You subconsciously read it in the list of traditional powerhouses (because it is indeed one of the Big Five) but it's not actually listed there

Like I said, an interesting 'oversight'


.

[gladius]

Germany is not mentioned anywhere at all...

Like I said, an interesting 'oversight'

I suggest not making a mountain out of a molehill. The FIS started a 30 day countdown to Antalya and each day they post an article related to the senior world championship. http://www.federscherma.it/canale.asp?s=7&c=598

Some articles are of general information about Antalya (tourism, business, sport), others are offering a historic perspective of the old time fencing champions, and others look at the present day situation in terms of strong competitive nations and emerging new powers in this sport.

The day before the article which seems to bother you because of the "omission" of Germany from the fencing pantheon they had the interview with Kleibrink (see Benjamin Kleibrink getting ready for the World Championship). Obviously, the articles are written from the Italian prospective for an Italian audience and they research and present past results of Italian fencers, including how today's seniors emerged--if they did--as world cadet and/or junior champions. In the process, they also include the winners of other nations and talk about Mariel Zagunis, Becca Ward, USA WS, together with all other world champions. The purpose, I suppose, is to drum up some attention and build up the excitement for these world championships (the highest and most prestigious fencing event in a non Olympic year). What better way to give a bit of history and writing about the current crop of potential winners?

I'll continue to post any article I read which speaks of our champions, since otherwise we would hardly even know what's coming up in Antalya at the end of the month.

[Displacement]

Please keep posting Gladius. For A “Glass is half full” guy this is great stuff that I wouldn't be aware of.

Nice interviews, event Summaries and Previews. Hat's off to the FIS. Excellent job reporting on the event, I hope they keep up the content and quality.

If there were any intentional or unintentional "slights" in this piece, it will be worked out on the piste. That's why I love the individual sports. I did notice Germany was not mentioned, but I thought it was good editing (3+ consecutive nouns = too many).

With Tim's efforts and the NBC Universal coverage, I'm going to attempt to follow this tournament closely. MF and WS will interrest me most. I'm wondering if Mariel can take itagain, and the pool of talent in MF is insane (my discoplin).

[PeterGustafsson]

Hi!


I second the quoted stuff, and send my best wishes for the new fencing season to FB.


Have a nice time!

Peter Gustafsson

Please keep posting Gladius. For A “Glass is half full” guy this is great stuff that I wouldn't be aware of.

Nice interviews, event Summaries and Previews. Hat's off to the FIS. Excellent job reporting on the event, I hope they keep up the content and quality.

If there were any intentional or unintentional "slights" in this piece, it will be worked out on the piste. That's why I love the individual sports. I did notice Germany was not mentioned, but I thought it was good editing (3+ consecutive nouns = too many).

With Tim's efforts and the NBC Universal coverage, I'm going to attempt to follow this tournament closely. MF and WS will interrest me most. I'm wondering if Mariel can take itagain, and the pool of talent in MF is insane (my discoplin).

[gladius]

In the countdown to Antalya, here is what the FIS web site has today about German fencing.

http://www.federscherma.it/news.asp?i=75160&s=7

09/11/2009 - 10:29
Germany announced the national team for Antalya. As anticipated, Germany is betting on the Olympic champions Britta Heidemann (epee) and Benjamin Kleibrink (foil) and on Peter Joppich, foil world champion in 2003, 2006, and 2007. Among others on the team Sven Schmid, the current European epee champion and Katja Waechter, defeated in Plovdiv in the gold medal bout by Valentina Vezzali. Nicolas Limbach starts in pole position in MS since he is #1 in world ranking.

In total the German Fencing Federation (DFB) has summoned 26 men and women fencers. Manfred Kasper, Director of High Performance declared, "We believe that we will perform well in Antalya and continue on our road which started in Plovdiv. We hope to do better in the team events."

[gladius]

Continuing in the countdown to Antalya at T - 13 days the FIS web site has today an interview with Mariel Zagunis.

http://www.federscherma.it/news.asp?i=75354&s=7

09/17/2009 - 13:45
We spoke with Mariel Zagunis, Olympic gold in 2004 and 2008 in women's saber.

Q: What is the life of a twice Olympic champion? How many sponsors do you have? Could you make a living with your successes in fencing?

MZ: My life as a twice Olympic champion can be at time rather hectic and busy. I'm a full time fencer, therefore I spend really many hours a week training. At the peak of the fencing season I spend much more time traveling than at home and this is probably the hardest time of the year. When I have a break between world cup competitions I have the chance to travel around the country for presentations, fencing demonstrations, or benefits. What I like most of all this is to give publicity to fencing which is not a very popular sport in USA so I'm glad to be a spokesperson for this sport.

Unfortunately, it's really hard to attain a level where one can survive just from being a successful fencer. Fencing in USA does not pay as in Europe. But I try my best to make ends meet with the help of my sponsors, Nike and Leon Paul.

Q: How is it that the USA are so strong in women's fencing? The world of Italian women saber is still waiting to get its first individual world champion....

MZ: Training is a great part of the success of US women's saber fencing. I know well that I would have never gotten what I got without the guidance of my coach, Ed Korfanty. I am very lucky that he decided to move to the US establishing an excellent rapport between the coach and his students.

There is plenty of great talent in the Italian fencing federation therefore it's just a matter of time.

Q: Can you describe your daily and weekly training schedule?

MZ: I train five days a week, three times a day. The daily sessions consist of a lesson with my coach, an athletic session with my personal trainer, and in the afternoon fencing practice at the club. In total 4 to 6 hours of physical training each day. Weekends, I like to keep in shape with playing tennis or soccer.

Q: When you think about Italy what comes to mind?

MZ: I've been in Italy many times for the various world cup competitions and the world championships in Trurin 2006. People are always very kind and hospitable wherever we went. During the world cup in Lamezia Terme and Italian family was very kind with our team and invited us the last evening to their home for dinner. The food they served was the best food I've ever had!

Q: What is your experience in fencing with Italians?

MZ: One of my first memories of a bout with an Italian fencer was the senior world cup in Foggia when I fought against Gioia Marzocca. She is few years older than I and at that time I was rather inexperienced while she had had already good results in senior world cup events. I lost by few points but I remember that it was a tough but beuatiful bout.

Q: How do you see yourself in 10 or 20 years? Will you continue in the world of fencing after retiring as a competitor?

MZ: It's very hard for me to see myself in 10 to 20 years from now. Right now my focus is on the next three years until London. All I do right now is focus on getting results at the next Olympics, then who knows? I can see myself with a family, maybe working in business, advertising, sports marketing, communication. Obviously, there is alwayst the possibility to become a coach if I wanted to remain in the world of fencing. I'll always love fencing, but I'd like to challenge myself in other fields also.

Q: Three words to describe Mariel Zagunis

MZ: As a fencer: hard worker, competitive, champion
As a person: happy, motivated, passionate.

Q: Your goals for Antalya?

MZ: My first goal for Antalya is to win the individual gold at the senior world championship since this is the only title still missing (apart form an Olympic team gold). The other goal is to get a good result with my team. My team mates and myself have worked hard and we focussed a lot on team work to have all the elements necessary to win all together.

[Mr.MightyMouse]

Continuing in the countdown to Antalya at T - 13 days the FIS web site has today an interview with Mariel Zagunis.

http://www.federscherma.it/news.asp?i=75354&s=7



Q: How is it that the USA are so strong in women's fencing?

Q: Can you describe your daily and weekly training schedule?

MZ: I train five days a week, three times a day. The daily sessions consist of a lesson with my coach, an athletic session with my personal trainer, and in the afternoon fencing practice at the club. In total 4 to 6 hours of physical training each day. Weekends, I like to keep in shape with playing tennis or soccer.

Thanks, G.
I truly and sincerely envy her for that number and that number only :
25 hours - approximately of training per week
+ I'm sure a few hours of recuperative procedures - swimming, massage, sauna, meditation, etc
+ video training
+ footie/tennis on weekends
gotta be around 40 hours p/w. No matter how hard I try - can't get over 15.

Best of luck to her in the land of "Midnight Express", 1st civilization, and lulakebabs.

[gladius]

The FIS had a press conference Wednesday, September 16, to announce the Italian fencers competing at the Antalya world championships from September 30 to October 8, 2009.

In the course of the presentation, FIS President Giorgio Scarso announced that Faro Assicurazioni (a major insurance company) was going to be one of the FIS (new) sponsors for the next four years. The Italians don't miss a beat in gathering publicity for their fencers and sponsors. The monthly agenda of president Scarso always include several events of courting and cuddling potential sponsors.

In the Q&A part of the press conference a question was asked to Aldo Montano regarding his training in China. Giorgio Scarso replied, "The federation was pleased to accept the athelte's request who felt the need to have a training period in China obviously to improve his competitive chances."

Here is the Italian fencing team for Antalya:


MF: Andrea Baldini, Stefano Barrera, Andrea Cassarà, Simone Vanni. Reserve in Italy: Valerio Aspromonte.

WF: Elisa Di Francisca, Arianna Errigo, Margherita Granbassi, Valentina Vezzali. Reserve in Italy: Ilaria Salvatori.

ME: Diego Confalonieri, Francesco Martinelli, Alfredo Rota, Matteo Tagliariol. Reserve in Italy: Paolo Pizzo.

WE: Cristiana Cascoli, Bianca Del Carretto, Nathalie Moellhausen, Francesca Quondamcarlo. Reserve in Italy in Italia: Francesca Boscarelli

MS: Aldo Montano, Diego Occhiuzzi, Giampiero Pastore, Luigi Tarantino. Reserve in Italy: Luigi Samele.

WS: Ilaria Bianco, Gioia Marzocca, Livia Stagni, Irene Vecchi. Reserve in Italy: Irene Di Transo.