Fencers do well at Doric
Last weekend the Shetland Fencing Club travelled away to the Doric Open at the Beach Leisure Centre in Aberdeen. Eight fencers travelled down on the boat and three more joined from the mainland.
This was the fourth Doric Open and in the past Shetland has always done well in the competition.
This continued last weekend with good performances on the Saturday from Christopher Rocks and Christopher Hudson, who gained second and third respectively in the men’s epee.
Mhairi Gifford at her first senior competition away showed no nerves and performed extremely well in the ladies’ sabre to gain a bronze medal.
There is also a secondary competition for each weapon held for those knocked out in the first round of direct elimination. Kyle Smith fenced well in the epee plate and overcame all his opposition to take first place.
Sunday saw everyone participating in the foil competition. Shetland was again very successful in the secondary competition with three fencers, Stephen Rocks, Kyle Smith and Phil Hibbert making the semi-finals – Stephen carried on to win with Kyle and Phil taking third place.
The medals from the main competition and the plate combined with the results of all the other fencers over the weekend gave Shetland enough points to claim the best team award for the weekend, overcoming Edinburgh FC.
The fencing club will be taking a large group of fencers to Orkney for a three day training camp in August following which the inter-county fencing competition will take place. All fencers are reminded to check the dates for this trip and also for the restart of the fencing club sessions in Shetland. Dates are on the club calendars.
