Italy dominates world rankings in fencing for the 2010-2011 FIE World Cup season.
Lausanne, 3 November 2011 – With Elisa Di Francisca (women’s foil), Paolo Pizzo (men’s epee) and Andrea Cassara (men’s foil), Italy boasts three out of six top ranked fencers for the 2010-2011 fencing season.
The top ranked fencer 2010/2011 in women’s epee is SUN Yujie (CHN), in women’s sabre it is Mariel Zagunis (USA) and Alexey Yakimenko (RUS) is top ranked in men’s sabre.
The prizes for the top ranked fencers 2010/2011 will be awarded in a ceremony during the FIE Congress 2011 (2-4 December) in Philadelphia, USA. The top fencers present will also participate in a show match against the best US fencers. Each of them will be awarded 2000 EUR by the FIE.
Winners of the FIE World Cup Rankings:
Women’s Sabre: Mariel Zagunis (USA)
Mariel Zagunis is for the third time in a row top ranked at the end of a FIE season. In the past 3 seasons she has won the gold medal in Beijing and at the two following World Championships. She has been dominating women’s sabre in recent years. At the World Championships in Catania, she could only be stopped by Sophia Velikaia (RUS) in the gold medal match.
Men’s Sabre: Alexey Yakimenko (RUS)
Alexey Yakimenko is for the third time now top ranked after a FIE season. Except for the World Championships where he finished ninth, he had made it into the top eight at every competition, winning the last four tournaments before the World Championships.
Women’s Epee: SUN Yujie (CHN)
SUN Yujie, only 19 years old, is the shooting star of women’s epee in the 2010/2011 season. She won the silver medal in the individual event at the World Championships in Catania and has achieved two podium positions during the 2010/2011 season.
Because of her young age, she still participated also in FIE junior competitions during the 2010/2011 season, winning the silver medal in the individual event and the gold medal in the team event at the Junior World Championships 2011 in Jordan.
Men’s Epee: Paolo Pizzo (ITA)
Paolo Pizzo had crowned an extraordinary season with four top eight positions with winning the gold medal at the World Championships in Catania, his hometown. With this extraordinary result, he obtained the top position in the 2010/2011 official world ranking from Gauthier Grumier (FRA).
Women’s Foil: Elisa Di Francisca (ITA)
2010 World Champion Elisa Di Francisca (born 1982) wins the FIE official rankings for the first time. In the 2010/2011 season, she finished all competitions except for one on the podium, achieving three victories. At the World Championships in Catania, it was only her compatriot Valentina Vezzali who could stop her from winning her second title.
Men’s Foil: Andrea Cassara (ITA)
Andrea Cassara had just regained the top position in the FIE ranking from LEI Shang (CHN) before the World Championships. Winning the title in Catania, he manifested his current leading position in men’s foil. Throughout the whole competition, he had been really challenged only by his compatriot Valerio Aspromonte in the gold medal match.