USFA News: Jacobson 2nd in world in WS

[Craig]

March 4, 2003
FENCING: Gold and Bronze; Jacobson now Second
Gold and Bronze!

The U.S. women's sabre team won gold at a meeting of the world's best in Nagykanizsa, Hungary this weekend!

The team of Sada Jacobson (19, Dunwood, Ga.), Emily Jacobson (17, Dunwoody, Ga.) Mariel Zagunis (17, Beaverton, Ore.) and Amelia Gaillard (19, Fayetteville, Ga.)defeated Hungary to win the gold.

The U.S. women met Iceland in their first match and defeated them 45-13. They next defeated Romania, winning 45-34.

The team's third opponent was France, who had defeated Germany in the previous round. The U.S. won 45-42. They went on to fence Hungary for the gold, defeating them 45-41.

Sada Jacobson also won bronze in the individual "A" World Cup competition this weekend in Hungary. Jacobson is now the #2 ranked women's sabre fencer in the world -- the highest ranking ever achieved by a U.S. woman in any weapon. The U.S. women's sabre team stands in fourth place in the World Cup rankings.

Senior "A" Women's Sabre, Budapest, Hungary, 1 March 2003
113 competitors
1) ARGIOLAS Cecile FRA
2) BIANCO Ilaria ITA
3) JACOBSON Sada M. (19, Dunwoody, Ga./Nellya Fencers/Yale '04)
3) SOCHA Aleksandra POL
5) JEMAYEVA Elena AZE
6) NETCHAEVA Elena RUS
7) TOUYA Anne-Lise FRA
8) PERRUS Leonore FRA
24) GAILLARD Amelia (19, Fayetteville, Ga./Nellya Fencers)
31) JEMAL Alexis D (20, Westfield, N.J./Westbrook Foundation/Rutgers '05)
33) JACOBSON Emily (17, Dunwoody, Ga./Nellya Fencers)
34) BECKER Christine (39, Portland, Ore./Oregon Fencing Alliance)
40) ZAGUNIS Mariel L. (17, Beaverton, Ore./Oregon Fencing Alliance)
76) MUSTILLI Nicole (24, South Orange, N.J./Lilov Fenc. Acad./U.S. Air Force)
78) BARATTA Emma (18, Somerville, N.J./Medeo F.C./Columbia '06)
80) COX Susan (28, Lithia Springs, Ga./Nellya Fencers)
85) CRANE Christina (20, Riverdale, Ga./Nellya Fencers/St. John's '05)
100) IMAIZUMI Vivian (23, Arlington, Va./D.C. Fencers Club)
101) LE Nhi Lan (37, Marietta, Ga./Nellya Fencers)
111) LATHAM Christine (33, Columbus, Ohio/Fencing Alliance of Ohio)

Senior "A" Team Women's Sabre, Nagykanizsa, Hungary, 2 March 2003
11 teams
1) USA
2) HUNGARY
3) RUSSIA
4) FRANCE
5) POLAND
6) GERMANY
7) AZERBAIDJAN
8) ROMANIA
Referees to Hungary: Wes Glon, Derek Cotton

Épée Club Trophy
Senior "A" Men's Épée, London, England, 1-2 March, 2003
107 competitors
1) STRIGEL Daniel GER
2) BOLLATI Federico ITA
3) FIEDLER Jorg GER
3) VANKY Peter SWE
5) MOERCH Claus NOR
6) MAZZONE Luigi ITA
7) SCHMID Sven GER
8) REICH Wolfgang GER
12) HANSEN Eric (28, San Bruno, Calif./Golden Gate Fenc. Ctr.)
22) SNIDER H.Jeffrey (31, Falls Church, Va./D.C. Fencers Club)
45) FELDSCHUH Michael (32, New York, N.Y./N.Y.A.C.)
53) BURKE Nathaniel (26, Rancho Cordova, Calif./Lucchetti Fencing Foundation)
55) LICHTEN Keith (18, Alameda, Calif./Golden Gate Fencing Center)
61) MATTERN Cody (22, Portland, Ore./NorthWest Fencing Ctr.)
62) EXUM Travis (33, Kent, Wash./Salle Auriole Seattle)
65) TAUSIG Justin (32, resides Paris, France/Racing Club de France)
79) KELLY Chris (34, New York, N.Y./N.Y. Athletic Club)
Referee to London: Bruno Goossens

Gran Prix "A" Women's Foil, Shanghai, China, 1-2 March, 2003
1) VEZZALI Valentina ITA
2) GRUCHALA Sylwia POL
3) MOHAMED Aida HUN
3) MAGNAN Clothilde FRA
5) TRILLINI Giovanna ITA
6) WUILLEME Adeline FRA
7) MENG Jie CHN
8) LIU Yuan CHN
21) SMART Erinn (23, New York, N.Y./Westbrook Foundation)

Gran Prix "A" Men's Foil, Shanghai, China, 1-2 March, 2003
1) GER WESSELS Andre
2) ITA CASSARA Andrea
3) BEL GOHY Cedric
3) CHN ZHOU Rui
5) GER SCHACHE Lars
6) GER JOPPICH Peter
7) EGY TAHOON Tamer Mohame
8) FRA ROBIN Jean-Yves
38) USA DUPREE Jedediah (23, New York, N.Y./Fencers Club)
59) USA TIOMKIN Jonathan (23, New York, N.Y./Fencers Club)

For more information, please contact Cindy Bent, USFA Media Contact, email: usfencingmedia@earthlink.net.

[edew]

So Mo won't ***** and moan at us for not cheering on the gals,

Way to go! Sada and the gang(ette)!

It's really too bad that WS doesn't have team representation in the 2004 Olympics. Maybe if Bush runs over Iraq too quickly for his taste, we can get him to run through another axis of evil starting with "I", that is, the IOC. Maybe we can get all weapons to have their team component included.

It'll be the last thing fencing will ever ask from the IOC again.

Again, good showing fencers.

Also, congrats to Eric Hansen for his strong finish in London. That should help his world up point position.

Lastly, congrats to Keith Lichten, who managed to drop about 12 years off his age.

[a517dogg]

i wish there were tableaus available onlnie somewehre

[Mo]

So Mo won't ***** and moan at us for not cheering on the gals,
Hey Mo does not ***** and moan!! Mo is nice, Mo is good, Mo often has excellent points!

You have to admit though, women's saber is going places!!
I am equally happy for all fencers and love it when they all do well. Recognizing talent and hard work is always appropriate.
It will be very interesting to see how things work out coming up. There is the Atlanta Crew and the Oregon Crew of Women fencers. May the best woman win!! Cannot wait to see who makes the O team.
Also at the meet in San Diego I got to see Emily Cross fence. Not only is she an amazing foil fencershe is also very nice to her mom.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally posted by edew
So Mo won't ***** and moan at us for not cheering on the gals,

Way to go! Sada and the gang(ette)!

Now, now, Edew...it's obvious Mo has some motherly instincts towards women's sabre. Just like finding two grizzly cubs in the wild...back away slowly! Don't taunt them with a stick.

Aside from that, congrats to the women's sabre team, and Sada's new lofty world ranking!

[Sabresque]

G

There is the Atlanta Crew and the Oregon Crew of Women fencers.

Hey, what about the couple californians, new yorkers and the virginians?

[Inquartata]

"Virginians may wander unmolested!
( Unmolested! )"

[Mo]

Originally posted by Sabresque
G

Hey, what about the couple californians, new yorkers and the virginians?

Who in NY?? Virginians?? Carolyn Wright?? Maybe that upstart from California, Eilene someone??

Actually it looks like there will be two places for Women's Saber in the Olympics. In this year of competition I think it will be between Mariel Zagunis, Amelia Galiard and Emily Jacobson. Sada is a gimme.
They are the only three with enough experience to carry it off. Caitlin Thompson could be in the running too as she is fairly consistent but also young. Christine Becker seems to be able to pull out things when she needs to. Jamal is getting pretty darned good, the tippy top girls seem to be so close.
The Olympic's in China could be very interesting. There are a lot of younger girls on the cusp of greatness. I think that will be the year of the , Thompson, Zagunis, the dread Jacobson sisters etc.

For Olympic quality fencing, a fencer is going to need to be where they can fence enough. They will need a comprehensive training schedule, darned good coaching on a daily basis and very good people to fence. That is why I think it has to be Georgia or Oregon. They are the two places where you can get enough time in to get to a good sustained world cup level. (unless you are fencing Veteran like our dear Peach and can do it on two days a week.)

Having seen the coach from Atlanta in action and his ill tempered treatment of his victims, um I mean students, Oregon seems the better choice. Some people can handle that sort of thing but no one should HAVE to. Sadly he gets results.

Who knows who else is in the line up? So much can happen. The first time there is a Women's Team Saber as well as individual, that is when it will get very very interesting. The National Women's Team seems so capable, it is amazing.
Sabresque? Who do you think will be there?? Do tell and don't be modest. Let's talk the next one.
As a female sabrist, what are your goals?

[Craig]

Having seen the coach from Atlanta in action and his ill tempered treatment of his victims, um I mean students, Oregon seems the better choice. Some people can handle that sort of thing but no one should HAVE to. Sadly he gets results.

Why is it that people always give Arkady a bad rap? I've had him as a coach and fenced at Nellya and observed him coaching his other students. Yes, he demands a lot out of his students, but he truly cares about them and how they do. He is intense and he pushes his students hard so that they can excel.

Cheers,
Craig

[Repechage]

I have known Arkady Burdan a long time. There is no doubt that he cares about his students. There is no doubt that he helps them excel.

I also believe, based on my long acquaintance with him, his students, and the families of his students, that at some times he is far too hard on his students. I personally would not send my kid to him, but others deal very well with his coaching style.

Every coach has flaws. It's not a bad rap.

[135711]

Wjat nice surprise! Frederico Bollati did so well, we studied with him during the summer of 2001, he taught me and my former chinese maestro especial epee footwork, he is a doll! i hope he wins more and more ciao! if he reads this, i am studying epee now, lost weight, my 'stomach' came out, and i remember everthing you showed us, i got your postcard, keep in touch. And the American girls, I'm totally inspired!

[Purple Fencer]

Originally posted by Capt. Slo-mo
Now, now, Edew...it's obvious Mo has some motherly instincts towards women's sabre. Just like finding two grizzly cubs in the wild...back away slowly! Don't taunt them with a stick.

Unless it's an FIE stick!

[Capt. Slo-mo]

Originally posted by webmaster
Why is it that people always give Arkady a bad rap? I've had him as a coach and fenced at Nellya and observed him coaching his other students. Yes, he demands a lot out of his students, but he truly cares about them and how they do. He is intense and he pushes his students hard so that they can excel.

Cheers,
Craig

Craig: Maybe the root of why people are "always" giving him a bad rap is that there may be some reason for it.

Maybe it's just me, but if a coach called my kid a "piece of $#&%" like Arkady did to one of his best fencers at the NAC Div 1 in Columbus--at the top of his lungs in front of God and country--that would be our last day at the club. Period.

Maybe he does get the best out of his fencers...but at what cost? When you contrast his behavior and demeanor at the national events (the only place I have seen him in action) with many of the other coaches, it makes you wonder about the emotional well being of his younger students. Arkady is intense, he yells and scowls at his fencers...his entire body language radiates anger and displeasure.

Here's an example. I watched all the finals matches in junior women's sabre at the 2003 Junior Olympics. Round of eight, Arkady's student Amelia Galliard (member of the recent women's gold medal sabre team in Hungary) was up against Y-12 fencer Becca Ward, a student of National Women's Sabre Team coach Ed Korfanty. At the 8-point break, Ward was leading 8-6. Arkady was clearly angry with Amelia, speaking and gesticulating harshly. She never looked at him, instead staring straight ahead with a distraught expression. Ward's coach spoke to her softly, but intensely. She nodded, and had eye contact the whole time.

As the match progressed, Arkady continued to yell at Amelia (and the referee). When Ward took a one light parry- riposte to go up 14-12, Arkady threw up his hands and stomped off the strip, leaving Amelia alone to lose the next point and the match.

What kind of message does that send to a fencer who is clearly having a tough bout?

All coaching styles and strategies are different. What makes a good coach? When does intense coaching go too far? Or can it? Perhaps this should be explored in another thread.

[Craig]

Should be a decent discussion on the other thread. I haven't seen those reported incidents and yes, they would color my view of a coach if that was my only view of them.

Thanks for the good responses.

Craig

[edew]

On the other hand, I'm begging the BC to give me a sabre bout to referee where one of Arkady's student is there. I'm ready to pop out that red card at the instant.

Having refereed with Greg Massialas standing next to me making wiseacre chuckles, I'm pretty immune to B&Ms.

[135711]

you want to red- card the student, blaming the student for the instructors behavior. the other way around, the coach should go, and the salle should place an ad to hire another one, something's up, he sure doesn't want his kid to win, where's he from?

[edew]

I didn't say I'm red-carding the student. I'm red-carding the coach.

[135711]

i'm not into arguing, i have to save my energy for fencing. your comment was unclear.

[damianip]

Originally posted by 135711
i'm not into arguing, i have to save my energy for fencing. your comment was unclear.

Seemed pretty clear to me...



Paolo

[Mo]

Originally posted by edew
On the other hand, I'm begging the BC to give me a sabre bout to referee where one of Arkady's student is there. I'm ready to pop out that red card at the instant.

Having refereed with Greg Massialas standing next to me making wiseacre chuckles, I'm pretty immune to B&Ms.

Should this happen please have it announced! I would love to watch!!
We could bet on how long it takes to have him blow his top.