On Saturday 12th and Sunday 13th November, the best world swordsmen under 17 years old will be in Grenoble for the 16th edition of the World Challenge, a real must for all those who want to shine on the big international championships.
For the 16th consecutive year, the Grenoble Parmentier fencing club is getting ready to welcome the world’s best under-17 swordsmen for its World Challenge. Four competitions will punctuate the weekend at the Halle Clémenceau and will bring together more than 380 participants.
Kyle Fallon, for the double?
The Challenge Vaujany, the name of the women’s individual competition, promises to be particularly challenging. With 175 registrants on November 8, the Grenoble club has filled up: in number and in quality. The American delegation will once again be present at the Halle Clémenceau and will be the favorite. Kyle Fallon, title holder, will be there, as will her compatriot and runner-up in 2021, Yasmine Khamis. Sarah Gu, 12th last year, will be the outsider. In total, 17 different nations will be represented on Saturday.
On Sunday, during the team event, 22 teams will be lined up by the different nations. The United States, title holders, will field 5 teams and will act as scarecrows. The Italians, first in the European ranking, and the Ukrainians, second in the same ranking, will try to thwart the predictions.
With the European number 1
For the boys, the Challenge Bertrand-Dedieu, name of the individual event, will be just as interesting to follow. 208 boys from all over the world have registered for the Grenoble tournament. Thus, among the 20 nations present at the Halle Clémenceau, one Jamaican, eight Singaporeans or two Hong Kongers will be present. The best Europeans will also be present and the Ukrainians Maksym Perchuk (n°1) and Denys Lavrentiev (n°3), the Italians Leonardo Cortini (n°4) and Edoardo Strobia (n°9) as well as the French Aina Rahamefy (n°6) and Matteo Lesponne Denis (n°8).
On Sunday, during the team event, Italians (European n°1) and British (n°2) will be, as last year, the favorites. The French will also have a great card to play. In total, 29 teams will try to succeed the Italians, winners in 2021.
4 representatives from Grenoble
As every year, the fencers of Grenoble will be represented. 4 fencers from Grenoble have been selected by the French Fencing Federation to participate in the individual events. Among the girls, Fanny Catinon will compete in her first World Challenge. She took the 50th place in the European Cup in Klagenfurt on October 30th. She will be accompanied by Loane Bacles-Min, only U15. For the boys, Joakim Dupont will compete in his second World Challenge while Théo Genon will discover the event. In 2021, Nolan Wingerter took 3rd place in the Challenge Bertrand-Dedieu. The 4 Grenoble participants will try to do as well or better and why not imitate Aliya Luty, winner in 2015.
In short: the 21 nations present
Challenge Vaujany: Austria, Belgium, Estonia, Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine, USA, Ireland and France
Challenge Bertrand-Dedieu: Belgium, Estonia, Great Britain, Germany, Hong Kong, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Romania, Switzerland, Sweden, Ukraine, United States, Ireland, Czech Republic, Spain, Jamaica, Netherlands, Singapore, France.
Program :
Saturday, November 12, individual events:
- Challenge Bertrand Dedieu, epee men: beginning of the pools at 8 am, final from 7 pm
- Challenge Vaujany, women’s epee: beginning of pools at 12:45, final from 8:30 pm
Sunday November 13th, team events:
- Men’s & Women’s Epee: start at 8 am, finals from 2 pm
