March 17, 2015, by Lee Chrimes

Big Wednesday’s Big Build-Up – Women’s Fencing

Whilst originally part of the Trophy Tuesday event, our Women’s Fencing team will now be competing as part of Big Wednesday alongside our four Championship Cup finalists, so let’s take the opportunity this Tuesday to celebrate what a year the team have had!

Unbeaten in the 2014/15 season and finishing top of the Midlands 1A league several points ahead of nearest rivals Cambridge, Nottingham will take on Exeter for the Trophy Cup as part of Big Wednesday after dominating their league all year. An average 60-point victory margin in 8 matches also puts them into the Premiership playoffs on merit, a further step up from last year’s 3rd place in Midlands 1A and Trophy Cup semi-finals.

This is truly a team performance – there are no superstars in the team and everyone has made significant contributions at key points. Having said that, our Sabre team of Julie Pages, Jacqueline Cordell and Charlotte Teo has gone unbeaten all year. Two of them, Julie and Jacqueline, also made the quarter finals of the BUCS individual championships.

Performance coach Paul Sibert has been a GBR top 20 fencer and quarter finalist in the World Veterans Championships, and has coached fencers to compete in Commonwealth, European and World Junior Championships. He is currently an assessor coach with the British Fencing AASE programme and the World Class Talent Programme.

Emily Richardson, president of the Fencing club and Women’s first team foilist, said: “We are looking forward to the challenge of fencing against Exeter in the Trophy Cup final. We can’t wait to show our skill and aptitude in this contest, and to represent the university at our highest level.”

You can review the team’s progress throughout the season at the BUCS website, follow the team on Twitter and don’t forget to keep an eye on @UoNSport throughout the week for all the latest news and updates.

A final word from Assistant Director for Sport (Performance) Alexander Perry:

These are exciting times for UoN Sport, who have set inspiring and challenging goals within its Vision for Sport over the next 5 years. One of our key targets is to break into and consistently finish in the top 5 of the British University Sport rankings and to hold national titles across a range of sports. This has been made possible through University and alumni investment into coaching, scholarships and facilities. Our team of international coaches are establishing the University as a hub for sporting expertise which is attracting students of the highest calibre. Our scholar level athletes are impacting extremely positively as role models within the sports clubs, inspiring fellow students to look for more from themselves and be the best they can be. The world class facilities in the form of the David Ross sports village, due to open in Autumn 2016, will provide the environment to support athletes of national and international pedigree and bring high profile, large scale events to the campus. 

The collaboration of key partners is also crucial in supporting athletes of this level. The department is very grateful for the cooperation of admissions in supporting athletes through their entry process, along with academic departments who provide the flexibility for athletes to compete in BUCS matches on Wednesdays across the country.  This assistance has been crucial to support our student athletes in following dual careers and realising their sporting and academic potential.

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