FENCING: Five Ealing fencers were among 400 competitors from around Britain and Europe who took part in last week's Slough Open - one of the largest Fencing tournaments in the country.
It was hard to make an impact, with many of the top swordsmen in the country, taking part in six events - but there were some creditable performances.
In Saturday's men's foil, with 88 competitors, Saxon fencing club's star foilist Michael Thomas competed along with Saxon regulars Edz Maldroom (representing the One Two Six Club) and David Standen (representing his School, St Benedicts).
Thomas, seeking to match his wife's fencing heroics at Holloway last week, had a below-par qualifying round by his standards, winning three from five bouts in a poule entirely made up of left-handers.
This took him into the last 64 where he dominated much of the five-point bout against another left hander. At 13-6 up, his victory looked assured, until a determined fightback left his position looking tenuous with his lead cut to 14-13.
He then reaped the consequences of his average poule seeding as he faced the sixth seed in the last 32. He was well beaten by his opponent - another south paw - 15-5, to finish 27th overall.
The field was cut to 70 after the poules and with one win from his very tough poule, Maldroom was unlucky to miss the cut on points difference, finishing 77th.
After Standen's three wins from six in his poule, he had a tough last 64 eliminator, losing 15-5, but earning him a respectable 48th and national ranking points.
Saxon's Allan Coleman and Grant Smith fenced in Sunday's men's epee - the biggest event of the weekend with 120 fencers.
Coleman, returning to competitive fencing after a gap of several years, struggled in his poule, failing to secure any wins and missing the cut.
Smith had a more successful poule, winning three from six against some strong fencers.
The large field meant there was a further elimination round to earn a place among the final 64 and Smith fenced a patient, astute veteran opponent, but kept his distance and managed hits to the wrists and forearms to take a comfortable 15-6 victory.
In the last 64, Smith faced number two seed Rob Jennings, whose unorthodox, fast, aggressive game initially overawed the Saxon fighter, who recovered sufficiently to give the score respectability before going down 15-9.
His 55th place put him in the top half - a good result in a competition of this calibre.
