U.S. Olympic fencers will put on a unique display today (May 20, 2005) in New York City.
2004 United States Olympians Jon Tiomkin and Daniel Kellner will compete in an attempt to establish the World Record for the longest fencing bout ever on May 20 to raise funds for the United States Fencing Association’s Elite Athlete Program.
Jeff Bukantz, 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Captain, says “While we’ve reached new heights internationally, we’re going to need our entire membership’s help to stay up there. Many of our competitors are state-funded…we’re not.” The event is his brainchild.
U.S. Fencing Olympians scored unprecedented success at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. To maintain such successes through the next quadrennial, says Bukantz, hundreds of thousands in funding will be needed to support travel and training. As a part of the effort to find these funds, the Fence-A-Thon was born.
Officials at the Guinness Book of World Records have agreed to certify the match, which is projected to last at least five hours, as the longest fencing bout in history. This will be the first time such a record has been set.
All funds will go to USFA Elite Athlete Programs. The match will take place at NYU’s Jerome S. Coles Rec Center in the DeCapriles Fencing Salle, commencing at 10AM.
To donate or to obtain media credentials, contact Jeff Bukantz at 973 615-2150, or bukieboy@aol.com.