Russia’s world number one foil fencer Inna Deriglazova and Great Britain’s Richard Kruse have both won their fourth career Grand Prix titles at the FIE’s foil fencing event in Shanghai that took place May 18th through 20th.
Deriglazova has been in imperious form this season, winning five of the seven international events she’s competed in since she won the World Championship in Leipzig, Germany, last year. With the 2018 edition just around the corner – Wuxi, China will kick off on July 19 – she looks like the hottest of favorites to win it again.
In Shanghai, she easily defeated Japan’s Karin Miyawaki, 15-6 in the final. For the 21-year-old Japanese, it was her best result in senior competition since she took silver at a World Cup event in Lyon, France, in the December of 2016, but she was no match for the dominant Russian in the decider.
Deriglazova beat Korea’s Song Oh Chae (15-11) in their semi-final and before that overcome two of her teammates, Kristina Samsonova (15-4) and Anastasia Ivanova (12-7) in the tables of 64 and 32 respectively. To reach the medal rounds for the first time in two seasons Miyawaki upset the world number two, Alica Volpi of Italy 15-13, and then top-ten Canadian, Eleanor Harvey 15-11 to reach the final.
In the men’s competition, Great Britain’s Richard Kruse defended his title from the same event last year, beating third-ranked Russian, Timur Safin in the final, 15-13. Before that he had beaten 2011 World Champion, Andrea Cassara 15-14 in a gripping semi, and was also made to work hard by Italy’s Francesco Trani (15-13) in their quarterfinal. Trani had caused an upset himself by defeating teammate and reigning Olympic Champion, Daniele Garozzo in the round of 16, whose results this season can best be described as ‘mixed’. Interestingly, Trani now holds a head-to-head advantage of 3-1 over his more fancied countryman.
Third-ranked Safin mostly avoided other top-ten fencers until his semi-final against world number one, Race Imboden, managing to defeat the dangerous American left-hander 15-10. For winner Kruse, the result cements his place inside the world’s top ten, having started the season with a World Cup victory in Le Caire, Egypt, back in October.
Results
Women’s
1. Inna Deriglazova (RUS)
2. Karin Mitakawi (JPN)
3. Song Oh Chae (KOR)
3. Eleanor Harvey (CAN)
5. Alice Volpi (ITA)
6. Ines Boubaki (TUN)
7. Leonie Ebert (GER)
8. Jacqueline Dubrovich (USA)
Men’s
1. Richard Kruse (GBR)
2. Timur Safin (RUS)
3. Andrea Cassara (ITA)
3. Race Imboden (USA)
5. Gerek Meinhardt (USA)
6. Edoardo Luperi (ITA)
7. Francesco Trani (ITA)
8. Carlos Llavador (ESP)