Irish Open Fencing Championships

The main event, the Mens Epee FIE Satellite competition had an entry of 45 competitors from 10 countries. The popular winner was Dublin resident Israeli Ido Ajzenstadt who beat former champion Joao Cordeiro from Portugal. Tied for third place were another Dublin resident Roumanian Radu Andrei and Alarico Bosio from Italy.

There was a very encouraging high entry in the Womens Epee event which was dominated by the Champion Rayssa Costa who defeated her team-mate Cleia Guilhon in the final. Joint third were Dublin-based Olga Velma from Estonia and Pentathlete Natalya Coyle.

In mens foil the champion for the first time was David Alexander originally from Northern Ireland now based in the UK who defeated Conor Nagle from Dublin in the final. Third were Chris Lennon from Liverpool and Trinity College club captain Max Milner.

Womens Foil saw Dublin-based Portuguese Joana Ramalho defeat 16-year old Viktoria Kralikova from Bratislava who travelled to the competition with her father International Referee David Kralik. Joint third were Rachel Philpott from Northern Ireland and Dublin-based Katja Rybakova from Russia.

In Mens Sabre Stephen Concannon (IRL) was defending his title this year when he beat Raphael Gilmas of France in the final., with Paris-based Owen McNamee and James Nicholl from Derry in joint third place.

Womens Sabre Champion was Cambridge student from Derry Niamh Spence who defeated Erin Barclay from UCC in the final, with US Erasmus student Mary Ball from Queens Belfast and another US origin fencer Maddie Siegmund from NUIM in joint third.

The trophy for Best Under-18 performance was awarded to Viktoria Kralikova from Bratislava.