8 US fencers advance in World Championships

All 8 US Fencers Advance to the Top-64 on the First Day of the 2009 Fencing World Championships

The 2009 Fencing World Championships began on Wednesday in Antalya, Turkey, with preliminary-round matches in the women’s sabre and men’s foil divisions.

Four of the US fencers had byes directly to Saturday’s round of 64 and the other four fencers competed in preliminary pools and qualified for Saturday’s DE matchups.

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The format for the 2009 World Championships is slightly different than years past. Here’s the breakdown:

• Top 16 fencers in the FIE world rankings automatically qualify for the DE of 64.
• The top 16 fencers out of pools qualify directly to the final day’s DE of 64
• The bottom 20% of fencers out of pools are eliminated
• The remaining fencers compete in a preliminary DE table until 32 remain to fill out the DE table of 64

The final day of competition is run as a single-elimination DE table.

In women’s sabre Mariel Zagunis and Monica Aksamit had byes to Saturday’s direct elimination rounds. Daria Schneider and Dagmara Wozniak qualified directly out of pools. Each went 3-2 in pools to advance to the final of 64.

Unfortunately, the US women find themselves all in the same section of the bracket, so only one US woman has a chance to make the top-8. Aksamit and Wozniak fence in the round of 64 with the potential for the winner of that match to face Schneider on the 32.

In men’s foil Kurt Getz and Gerek Meinhardt had byes. Miles Chamley-Watson (4-2) and Alex Massialas (4-1) each qualified directly from pools.

The fencer to watch in men’s foil is Andrea Baldini (ITA). Baldini was excluded from the 2008 Olympics due to a positive drug test, but he has been reinstated and has won several tournaments this year. He comes into worlds with the #6 seed and a great deal of momentum. Kurt Getz has the chance to match up with Baldini should they both make the top 16.

UniversalSports.com will broadcast Saturday’s finals live — the first of six such days — beginning at 10:30 a.m. ET.

The competition continues on Thursday with the preliminaries of women’s foil and men’s epee.

Next – The Table of 64 for Women’s Sabre and Men’s Foil:

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Women’s Sabre – Table of 64

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Men’s Foil – Table of 64