Fencing – Page 2

EFC Thessaloniki

One of the smaller competitions on the calendar, but one I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking to get some more International experience.

Introduction

One of the smaller competitions on the calendar, but one I’d definitely recommend to anyone looking to get some more International experience, as this is definitely a great development event.

Very welcoming, reasonable facilities and Thessaloniki is a nice place to visit, even in the winter!

Years attended – 2022

Venue

Helexpo (Thessaloniki International Trade Fair)

Functional venue for the size of the competition with enough space for fencers and spectators. Fairly centrally located, we took a taxi there in the morning from the hotel but walked back in the evening.

Hotels

We stayed at the Blue Bottle Boutique Hotel which I could not fault. It was was fantastic hotel and I would recommend this as a place to stay in Thessaloniki every time. The rooms were wonderful and the breakfast was sensational. The guys on reception were super helpful in arranging transport for us for competion day and airport transfers.

Shops & Places To Eat

Breakfast at the hotel was a real treat as it was all pretty much made on site – great tasting and super fresh. For lunch we visited Spoon which was also very nice, but also very busy so we had to sit outside under the heaters. Worth it though as the food was great. At the venue there was a food van outside that served some snacks and drinks. As we stayed very centrally in Thessaloniki there were plenty of shops to get anything needed and the venue was also near a fair few shops, all within a few minutes walk.

EFC Belgrade – Belgrade Open

In 2021 the Belgrade Fair hosted the event – a large complex of event halls next to the Sava river on the outskirts of the city.

Introduction

This was the second International event we went to after the Covid restrictions were eased for travelling. At that time in Belgrade there were still many measures in place and the competition was quite obviously affected. However, despite this, it was still a great weekend and is definitely one I would recommend.

In 2021 the Belgrade Fair hosted the event – a large complex of event halls next to the Sava river on the outskirts of the city. It was quite spectactular with all the glass, as you can see in the pictures below.

It’s worth noting though that venues can change for events in Belgrade.

Years attended – 2021

Venue

Belgrade Fair

A stunning hall next to the river. Not really walkable if you’re staying in the city centre, so a taxi is needed to get there. Plenty of space for all the pistes and for spectating. The only negative really was that it was quite hard to get a taxi back to the hotel at the end of the day, but that may have been down to covid and there not being many taxi drivers working.

Event Videos

Liam Kew GBR v. Maksym Perchuk UKR (L16 team competition – 2021)

Igor Chernousov RUS v. Alec Brooke GBR (Semi-final team comp – 2021)

Hotels

The Courtyard Marriott Belgrade City Center was where we stayed and it’s an excellent hotel which I would highly recommend. It is very well situated in central Belgrade with a plenty of restaurants and shops nearby and is only a short taxi ride to the venue which was easily arranged for us by the hotel reception.

Hotel Srbija often comes up as being the recommended place to stay for competitions in Belgrade – I’d suggest far better options exist and staying there wouldn’t be desirable. Some of the GBR squad did and they really regretted it.

Shops & Places To Eat

If you are staying central then there are many small stores and mini-marts to pick up any needed provisions all within a short walk of most hotels. One thing you may need is a Serbian prepaid mobile SIM card (we used A1). These are available from any of the small kiosks dotted around the city.

For places to eat, you are really spoilt for choice. There are many great restaurants around the Republic Square and the surrounding area, We ate at Restaurant Duomo, Restoran Mihailo and Monument Restaurant on this particular trip and I’d happily recommend all three.

I’d also like to mention Red Bread – this is one of the top places I’ve eaten in anywhere in the world. If you have some free time in the morning, then do pay them a visit for some breakfast. It’s sensational.

EFC Luxembourg

Back in 2017 this event was a dry run for Luxembourg to host a FIE Junior World Cup.

Introduction

If my memory is good, this event was a dry run for Luxembourg to host a FIE Junior World Cup, so there were some extra processes, like accreditation and a more thorough weapons control to go through when entering this event.

Since then I believe another cadet event has taken place in Luxembourg at a different venue.

Years attended – 2017

Venue

Lycée Guillaume Kroll

A somewhat fragmented venue, but it appeared to work. Part of the competition was in the foyer of the school and the finals hall, like in Geneva, was in another smaller room (not pictured). The bulk of the action took place in the main hall, as seen below.

Russia v. Italy in what was a very close match

Hotels

It was a late booking as we got a reserve spot on the GBR squad for this event and there was very little hotel availability in Esch-sur-Alzette. With only a week or two before we were due to fly out, Hôtel Acacia was the only viable option. It was OK, but was double the price of what we usually pay.

It was a 30 minute pleasant walk to the venue – don’t make the mistake of getting a taxi as they were eye-wateringly expensive!!

Shops & Places To Eat

The hotel was situated in the heart of Esch-sur-Alzette so there were no problems picking up the needed provisions from the town centre shops.

The two restaurants we ate in were equally nice, but somewhat worlds apart cuisine wise. First up was Restaurant Moustache which served traditional French style dishes, and then on the second night we visited Gangnam Restaurant – a Korean BBQ.

EFC Espoo – Espoo Fencing Challenge

One of the smaller competitions but also one of the best.

Introduction

One of the smaller competitions but also one of the best. Not only is this in a great location – it snowed for both of our visits and was really picturesque looking out over the lake – but it’s also really well organised and a very friendly event to attend.

Although it can attract fewer entries than many of the other events, it makes up for that with quality – expect strong entries from all the Scandinavian countries and the Baltic states as well as the potential for travelling squads from USA and Japan.

Years attended – 2017 & 2019

Venue

UniSport Otaniemi

A fantatsic sports hall with loads of space and all the facilites you could need – definitely one of the best venues on the cadet circuit.

Event Videos

Julian Fuchs AUT v. Seiya Asami JPN (L16 fight – 2019)

Ting Hin Ng HKG v. Markus Salm EST (L8 fight – 2019)

Julian Fuchs AUT v. Seiya Asami JPN (L16 fight – 2019) – Part 2

Luke Mason GBR v. Andrea Alno ITA (L16 fight – 2017)

Ethan Kew GBR v. Jan De Nobel ESP (Team Competition – 2019)

Hotels

Essentially there is only one place to stay for this competition, and that is the Radisson Blu which is next door to the venue. I’d say the vast majority of fencers choose to stay there. The even organisers also lay on a transfer bus to and from the airport which makes the whole process very slick.

It’s really nice hotel but when a bus load of fencers arrive to check-in, it can be chaotic. The bar and restaurant area also seemed to struggle to deal with the increase in guest numbers.

Shops & Places To Eat

Although the Radisson Blu has a restaurant, the food is quite high end (ie, small portions) and it did take a long time to be served, so I’d suggest taking a walk towards Aalto University and the checking small shopping centre there – we had pizza in Who The xxxx is Alice which is definitely recommended. Walking a little bit further (maybe 20 minutes or so from the hotel), we had a great dinner at Ravintola Fat Lizard which again, was really nice – but if you plan on visiting there, make a reservation as it’s very popular.

EFC Bratislava – Coupe du Danube

The colossus of all the EFC cadet events – expect all the top fencers from around the world to be attending this competion. Generally considered to be the toughest event on the circuit.

Introduction

The colossus of all the EFC cadet events – expect all the top fencers from around the world to be attending this competion. Generally considered to be the toughest event on the circuit.

Originally based in the Hala Elan, after Covid it moved to the film studios just around the corner. Both venues are just not quite big enough for the number of entries, but somehow it works itself out.

If you’re serious about fencing at cadet level, then you have to experience Bratislava at least once, in my opinion.

Years attended – 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020 & 2022

Venue

Športová hala Elán

A sunken indoor athletics space with a few rows of banked seating around the perimeter. It’s super cramped with often nowhere to sit and finding a spot to warm-up can be a real challenge. That being said, I always enjoyed the competitions here and it’s better than the newer venue in the film studio. A special mention also to the on-site cafe owner who sold the best chicken in Bratislava – I wouldn’t argue with that!

A4 Studio

The competition moved here in 2022 after the break for Covid. It just wasn’t a big enough for the competition + there were a lot of teething issues leading a long wait for registration to open. Hopefully they’ll have got that resolved now.

Event Videos

Filippo Severini ITA v. Kirill Gurov RUS (L64 fight – 2019)

Fabrizio Di Marco ITA v. Theodoros Avramidis GRE (L64 fight – 2019)

Yonatan Cohen ISR v. Rostislav Rustamov RUS (L32 fight – 2020)

Jan Socha POL v. Akseli Heinamaa FIN (L64 fight – 2019)

Quentin Srecki FRA v. Zsombor Keszthelyi HUN (Team comp – 2019)

Artem Sarkisian RUS v. Ethan Kushnerik USA (L8 fight – 2020)

Ian Hauri SUI v. Peter Kambeseles GRE (Team competition – 2019)

Hotels

There are many hotels to choose from within a short walk to the venue(s). My personal favourite was the Lindner Hotel. A modern hotel on top of a large shopping centre, conveniently situated with just a 15 minute walk to the venue. As an added bonus it also has a fantastic sky bar with great views out over Bratislava.

We also had great stays in the DoubleTree Hilton (this gets booked up very early) and for our last stay, the Mercure (Clarion) served our needs very well although it was quite a long walk to the venue from there.

Shops & Places To Eat

There are two places that I would strongly recommend – firstly, Brick Beer & Restaurant is an absolute must. The quality of the food and drink served there is off the charts. Secondly, if you’re in the old town then drop in to Urban Bistro for some great coffee and amazing slow cooked beef. A popular place to eat in Bratislava is Slovak Pub – I’d definitely give it some consideration if you’re interested in traditional cuisine.

As for shops, there is a big BILLA supermarket near the venues and plenty of other small shops near all the hotels.

EFC Krakow – Wawel Dragon Trophy

Normally taking place towards the end of the cadet season, this event attracts a good number of fencers and is definitely worth a visit.

Introduction

Normally taking place towards the end of the cadet season, this event attracts a good number of fencers and is definitely worth a visit. The only negative I have is that it’s held in two different halls, so it feels a bit disjointed and if you’re in the com-com zone hall, it almost feels like you’re in a different competition all-together. Krakow normally doesn’t have a team competition, so bear that in mind.

It’s very similar to Challenge Wratislava in my mind – but maybe that’s just because both take place in Poland!

Years attended – 2020 & 2022

Venue

Hala Widowiskowo & Com-Com Zone

The main hall is Hala Widowiskowo and the extra pistes are located a 2 minute walk away in the com-com zone. Both are good spaces, but it’s worth noting that the cafe, shop and majority of the action takes places in the main hall. And like I mention above, this is very much like the ORBITA sports hall used for Challenge Wratislava in that it’s right on the outskirts and is a taxi ride from pretty much wherever you choose to stay.

Hotels

We opted for a bit of luxury for our visit and stayed at the Sheraton Grand. It ticked all the boxes to be fair, but for our second visit we opted for the Holiday Inn Krakow City Centre which would be my recommendation. Very well situated for the old town – just a couple of minutes walk – and a quick enough taxi journey to the venue.

A few fencers stayed closer to the venue, but discovered there were very few restaurants near to their hotels so ended up getting a taxi in to the city centre.

Shops & Places To Eat

Krakow old town has a lot of choices, we ate at Betmanowska Residence on the main square which is definitelty geared towards catering for tourists. There is though one place I would strongly recommend in the old town and that’s Czarna Kaczka / Black Duck. A reservation will definitely be needed, but it’s well worth finding time to pay this amazing restaurant a visit.

EFC Copenhagen

What can I say about this event – it’s all round one of the best competitions you could wish to attend.

Introduction

What can I say about this event – it’s all round one of the best competitions you could wish to attend. It literally ticks all the boxes with a fantastic modern venue, amazing hospitality, great atmosphere, excellent facilities, it runs like clockwork and generally has an entry standard suitable for cadets at most competitive levels. They have also been very accomodating to sort our opportunities to fence in the team competition with fencers from other nations if you don’t have your own team. Combine all that with Christmas in Copenhagen, and this is a real winning combination.

Years attended – 2016, 2018, 2019 & 2021

Venue

Gentofte Sportspark

It’s a large modern sports hall and it is hands down one of the best spaces for a fencing competion you could with to fence in.

Event Videos

Marco Balzano ITA v. Alban Diane FRA (L64 fight – 2016)

Leonardas Kalininas LTU v. Alex Oroian ROU (L16 fight – 2016)

Mattia Magni ITA v. Igor Borisov RUS (L32 fight – 2016)

Ben Andrews GBR v. Francesco Leone ITA (L32 fight – 2016)

Hugo Brandberg SWE v. Liam Kew GBR (Team Competition – 2021)

Hotels

There are essentially two options most fencers have chosen over the years – Gentofte Hotel is the closest to the venue and sometimes a shuttle bus is available. The rooms though are quite small and it can be very expensive. The alternative is the Scandic Eremitage in Lyngby. This is a more affordable hotel but does require a train journey to the venue. One thing to note about staying in Lyngby is that are more restaurant choices than there are in Gentofte.

Shops & Places To Eat

If your are staying at the Gentofte Hotel then your eating options are a little limited. The hotel restaurant is a fine dining experience. A short walk is SuperBrugsen and Netto for any needed shopping, and Big Bens pizza. Heading in the other direction is Armando’s, another pizza place. All these places get booked up as there are not so many choices. For our last visit in 2021 a new takeaway pizza place had opened right next to the hotel – Costa Smeralda Pizzeria.

In Lyngby there is a lot more places to choose from – we ate in Green Mango and the amazing Halifax burger shack.

EFC Grenoble – Challenge Mondial

A great competition with a good number of entries and high standard of fencing – just prepare for any eventuality and a small amount of chaos.

Introduction

If you were to pick an outlier of all the competitions on the cadet circuit, this is probably it. Thankfully things have become a little more simple in the past couple of years, but you only have to go back to 2016 when there were 2 rounds of poules, 2 cuts and a repechage from the L32 – something that no other event was doing. However, all things considered, it’s always been a great competition with a good number of entries and high standard of fencing – just prepare for any eventuality and a small amount of chaos.

Years attended – 2017, 2018, 2019 & 2021

Venue

Halle Clémenceau

It looks terrible from the outside (take a look on Google maps street view), but inside it has a lot of character. It can feel a bit busy and cramped in the pistes area, but there is plenty of seating and it does have a great atmosphere. The food served in the cafe is definitely a major positive too., There is though one big negative – the toilets are horrendous and they have a septic tank at one end of the venue which can be a bit aromatic.

Event Videos

Theo Brochard SUI v. Semen Zhukov RUS (Semi Final – 2019)

Damiano Di Veroli ITA v. Igor Borisov RUS (L64 fight – 2017)

Theo Brochard SUI v. Mikhail Kazmin RUS (Final – 2019)

Jules Mangin FRA v. Simone Mencarelli ITA (L32 fight – 2017)

Quentin Podique FRA v. Ethan Kew GBR (Team competition – 2018)

Hotels

By far and away the most popular place for fencers to stay is ApartHotel Citadines. It’s a short walk through the park to the venue, has some shops and restarants pretty much opposite and has always been a good price.

Another popular choice is the Mercure, which is also just a short walk to venue. As Grenoble is a popular destination for ski holidays, there are quite a lot of available hotels options as well as Airbnbs – we stayed in one along Bd Maréchal Joffre which worked out really well.

Shops & Places To Eat

Your are spoilt for choice really – the restaurant in Pathé Grenoble was a good choice for larger groups. Le Cintra Pub and Le Sporting on Pl. Grenette were good for walk-ins as a lot of places needed a reservation, especially at the weekend. La Palestria on Pl. Grenette is a good destination if you’re after a pizza. As for shops, there are loads so that’s not a problem, although it is worth noting that many do close on Sundays.

Finally, it’s worth mentioning that if there is overlap with the Christmas Markets, then that’s really woth checking out the stalls at Place Victor Hugo.

EFC Bonn – Tank und Rast Pokal

I’ve not got many positives to say about this competition, and I’d probably rank it as the worst organisationally that we went to over the years.

Introduction

I’ve not got many positives to say about this competition, and I’d probably rank it as the worst organisationally that we went to over the years.

I think we started the individual competition at 08.30 in the morning and the L16 only got underway at around 19:30. There were long periods of time when no-one was fencing and the pistes were empty. I remember asking some of the refs about this as that’s quite unusual but it’s seemingly not uncommon for this to happen in Bonn.

Years attended – 2018

Venue

Olympic Fencing Club Bonn

It’s a purpose built fencing facility on the outskirts of Bonn. As a competition venue I thought it was very tight on space.

Hotels

We stayed in the IntercityHotel Bonn which was very central in Bonn and only a short stroll through the railway tunnel to the excellent Christmas markets and main shopping area.

It was though a taxi journey to the venue which was not really walkable from any city centre hotel.

Shops & Places To Eat

As we stayed very centrally in Bonn there was a supermarket less than 5 minutes walk from the hotel. At the venue though, there were no shops nearby, however there was a cafe selling a range of snacks and drinks.

A popular choice for visiting fencers over the years has been Tuscolo Muensterblick, an Italian restaurant known for it’s very large pizzas. It gets very busy there, so be prepared to queue or book in advance. If the Christmas markets are up and running then you can’t go to far wrong with the food on sale there, but again, it gets very busy.

EFC Klagenfurt – Trofeo Dario Codarin

Despite the travel hassles, this is well worth the effort. Klagenfurt is a picturesque city and the competition venue ranks among the best of the best.

Introduction

This has to be the hardest competition to travel to – we went via Vienna and then a 4 hour train journey to Klagenfurt in 2016 and then tried flights to Ljubljana and a bus through the mountains in 2017.

Despite the travel hassles, this is well worth the effort. Klagenfurt is a picturesque city and the competition venue ranks among the best of the best – it’s huge!

Years attended – 2016 & 2017

Venue

Eissportzentrum Klagenfurt

Quite simply a great venue – easily accomodates 30+ pistes and has room to spare. Great facilities and only a short walk from the hotels in Klagenfurt ciry centre.

Event Videos

A look around the venue – 2016

Hotels

We stayed in two hotels – one was quite expensive and the other a bit more budget. Hotel Zlami-Holzer was very affordable and served us well. Der Sandwirth is slightly more up-market and is definitely worth considering – the one negative I can remember is that the restaurant closed very early and wasn’t open on Sunday, but that may have changed over the past few years. Der Sandwirth was definitely a popular choice for many travelling teams.

Shops & Places To Eat

Klagenfurt for us will always bring up the memory of the roast chestnut seller pictured here – quite simply the best roast chestnuts we’ve ever had.

For dinner, you can’t go far wrong with Zum Heiligen Josef or Gasthaus im Landhaushof but both places do get very busy and you’ll need a reservation. For something less formal there were some good pizza places on Alter Platz.

On Sundays very few shops are open, so be sure to grab everything you need on Saturday.

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