BASEL, SWITZERLAND: US Junior Epeeist Michael Raynis upset a world ranked Italian fencer en route to a bronze medal finish. On Saturday, Feb. 6th, at the Challenge Maître Roger Nigon Junior Men’s Epee World Cup in Basel, Switzerland, Michael Raynis beat the number four ranked fencer in the world, Lorenzo Bruttini from Italy 15 -14, to advance into the round of 32.
After this important victory, he fenced Polish fencer, Seweryn Brzozowski to make it into the 16, Barna Bernat from Hungary into the 8, Jonathan May from Great Britain into the semi finals, finally losing to Levente Tamas Gyorgyi from Hungary who lost the gold medal to Szablcs Bojte from Hungary. Michael is coached by Gago Demirchian, former USFA head coach men’s epee, at the Los Angeles International Fencing Center, Los Angeles, California. Next September, as an incoming freshman, he will be fencing for Harvard.
{sidebar id=1}The bronze medal in Basel, will most likely secure a spot for Michael on the Junior Men’s Epee team for the Junior World Championships in Baku. In 2008, Michael was a member of the cadet team with Jonathan Yergler and Edward Kelley. While Jonathan Yergler will also probably be on the 2010 junior ME team, the third team spot will be determined at the junior event on Saturday, February 13, at the Junior Olympics in Memphis.
At the Junior WC in Basel, Adam Watson, placed 11th. These points will place Adam in contention for the third spot on the men’s epee team. Alan Hadzic, James Hawrot and Clifford Fishler follow closely behind but each have one empty Group I spot. With a field of 231 fencers, the men’s junior event at Junior Olympics should be exciting, since not only the juniors but cadet fencers will be fighting to get into the round of 32 for points to make national teams!
Complete results can be viewed at http://212.34.165.4:8080/WAFechten/index.jsp
