FENCING SPIRITED BOUTS AT SCHOOLS’ MEETING

Press, Volume CII, Issue 30191, 24 July 1963, Page 4

FENCING SPIRITED BOUTS AT SCHOOLS’ MEETING

Willingness to attack and. spirited defence marked many phases of the Canterbury secondary schools’ fencing tournament at the week-end. In the boys’ events, particularly, lack of technique was compensated for by vigour and good penetration. Close competition put the final of the boys’ foil contest among the most interesting for some years, and in the girls’ section decisive and consist-

ent wins by Miss D. Swain (Riccarton High School) throughout the day early gave the girls' event a clear winner.

Miss Swain, a left-handed fencer, was in top form and was undefeated in either teams' or individual pools. Good fencing measure and a well-controlled one-two attack gave her many easy victories. She won the girls’ title with only four of a possible 25 hits against her in the final pool. The runner-up was Miss D. Mathison (Cashmere High School), who together with the third place-getter, Miss J?. Hughes (Linwood High School), gained three wins and two losses. Their places were decided on points. Miss Mathison, an orthodox fencer, fought steadily throughout Miss Hughes, another lefthander, was slow, but good distance gave her a well-used advantage. The winner of the boys’ individual title was G. Lewis (Boys’ High School). His victory was well earned. Although he was hard pressed in many encounters, intelligent play took him through the final pool without loss. A most effective compound riposte, generally from a counter parry, earned him many points. The move, rare among school fencers, reduced the attacking confidence ■ of nearly all his opponents. R. Glover (Linwood High School), technically the best school fencer in the province, was runner-up. He took the active and aggressive Lewis to match point in their bout. Third was G. J. F. Grady (Boys' High School). The strength and consistency of the competition were such that all six finalists, excluding Lewis, had two wins and three losses, so that a countback on points was necessary to decide second and third placings. Riccarton High School dominated the teams’ events, winning both the girls’ and boys’ sections. In the boys’ event Riccarton beat both Boys’ High and Linwood, 5-4, and Boys' High beat Linwood. 6-3. Riccarton, in the girls’ section, had 7-2 victories over Linwood and Avonside Girls’ High School. Linwood beat Avonside. also by 7-2.