New fen=
cing
season at the St.
Paul
Fencing Club
by di-ve.com
![](3D"diveSeas06-7_files/image002.jpg")
Monday,
11 September, 2006
The first week of September heralds the start of the new fencing season
2006/2007 at the St. Paul Fencing Club. The committee and members are
gearing up for the eventful months ahead and planning to improve upon t=
he
success achieved during the previous months. A full training programme =
has
been designed for all the club members in preparation for the forthcomi=
ng
competitive events at both club and national level.
The first club competitions for the U10, U13, U16, novice and senior
categories have been scheduled for the last week of October. Norman
Martinez, the club's top fencer, will once again be leading the senior
men's team as well as coaching and promoting Epee (one of the fencing
'weapons'). Norman, who is the current National Champion (2005/06) at b=
oth
Foil and Epee, also took gold in the foil category at the Malta Open in
June 2006.
The senior men's team is also strengthened by the presence and persever=
ance
of the long-standing members Alex Micallef, Alex Mallia, John Delicata,
John Sammut and Marcus Muscat Baron. Susan Ronald will be setting the
standards for ladies fencing after making it a double yet again in 2006=
by
winning the National Championships in both weapons. Following hot on her
heels for the honours this year are Petra Ellul Mercer, Christine Borg
Bonaci, Anya Soldotova, Rebecca Thomas and Petra Kogelnig, together wit=
h a
dedicated group of novices and youngsters showing constant improvement.=
In the male grouping Pierre Bianchi is the foremost junior challenging =
the
senior categories, along with Kurt Mifsud, Paul Borg and Andre Zahra - =
all
vying for higher placings this year. This August Pierre led an SPFC gro=
up
comprising Kurt Mifsud, Luke Valletta and Mark Borg to a ten-day traini=
ng
camp in Hungary, where all four left a very positive impression of the
level of fencing in Malta.
Another club member, Chris Zarkov, participated in an intensive three-d=
ay
coaching seminar in Bulgaria with the scope of further
exchanges between fencers from the two countries.
During the months of September and October the SPFC will be organising
beginners' courses for children and adults. These courses are designed =
to
promote fitness as well as learning the basic skills of the sport. Anot=
her
aspect of the courses is the appreciation of the art, history and techn=
ique
of swordplay which augments the course material and can also be useful =
for
all stage and film enthusiasts. All courses lead to certification by a
qualified coach. The SPFC is a member of the National Fencing Associati=
on -
Malta which in turn is affiliat=
ed to
the European and World Fencing Confederations.
The SPFC is at the moment receiving applications from children and adul=
ts
who wish to try out this activity. For further information the SPFC may=
be
contacted on 2148 68 41 or 7999 4622.
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