2011 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup underway in Canada – Fencing Update
The 2011 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing World Cup is underway at the Complexe sportif Claude-Robillard, in Montreal, Canada. The event began on April 29, 2011.
The event will last for three days and will comprise of three categories A, B and C, with respect to the level of the participant’s disability. The sabre weapon discipline will be conducted in all three groups, whereas foil and epee weapon competitions will
only be held for category C.
This event is being organised by the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) in collaboration with Defi Sportif in Altergo, Montreal. This 17-sport event is expected to attract disabled athletes from 15 distinct nations. In
the Wheelchair World Cup, athletes will battle for points in order to be a part of the World Ranking list, which will enable them to qualify into the 2012 Paralympic Games.
A total of six American fencers will hopefully be participating in this weekend’s World Cup in Canada.
American Catherine Bouwkamp, a 15-year-old wheelchair fencer of category A, will
appear in both the epee and foil competition. She was placed sixth in the 2010 Wheelchair World Championships in sabre.
Bouwkamp earned a gold medal, representing the US team in the 2011 Malaga Wheelchair World Cup in Spain, held in March. She also finished at 10th position in foil individuals of the event.
Another young US fencer, Ryan Estep of category B, who ended up with two top-16 finishes in Spain last month, will also be participating in both epee and foil. Estep, this year, expects to earn a podium finish in this World Cup.
Veteran American fencer, Andrea DeMello of category B is also taking part in the event. She appeared in the 2008 Paralympic Games, representing the US fencing team. She will participate in both foil and epee weapon competitions in this World Cup, as she
did in the 2008 Beijing event.
The fourth fencer to represent US in the event is the three-time Paralympian, Mario Rodriguez of category A, who will compete in the sabre and foil at the World Cup, this week.
Rodriguez will be accompanied by Dennis Aspy of category A in both sabre and foil competitions. Aspy last competed in the 2010 Wheelchair World Championships, held in November for the first time and ended up winning a bronze medal.
The sixth US Wheelchair fencing representative is Sonya Perduta of category A, who will participate in epee and foil weapon discipline. Perduta had clinched two silver medals in each discipline in the Wheelchair National Championships.
Apart from the individual competitions, the US women epee wheelchair team will comprise of Bouwkamp, Perduta and DeMello.
The Montreal Wheelchair World Cup competitions are being held as follows:
April 29
Men’s Foil A & B
Women’s Sabre
Women’s Epee A & B
April 30
Men’s Sabre A & B
Women’s Foil B
Men’s Epee A & B
Women’s Foil A
May 1
Women’s Team Epee
Men’s Team Sabre
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