Nick Wright previews this weekend's clash between York City Knights and Hull FC
Alex Reid looks at whether the once ever-present appearance of English clubs in the later stages of the Champions League is set to become a thing of the past
Craig Dobson looks at QPR's decision to sack Neil Warnock and replace him with Mark Hughes
James Tompkinson reviews an excellent pre-season victory for the York City Knights against Yorkshire rivals Leeds Rhinos
University of York 1sts 135 – 64 Northumbria University 1sts
With a sixth victory on Wednesday, the York female fencing team have won all the matches in their BUCS league. After five successive wins already this term, the York team were quietly confident as they began their final match against Northumbria. The day started well, and continued in the same fashion, with York winning all three disciplines by comfortable margins.
Sabre was the first weapon; with Captain Kat Chzhen racing ahead with hit after hit, and Katherine Gracey chasing one of Northumbria’s fencers off the end of the piste more than once, the weapon was soon won with a 45 – 26 lead to York.
Upset by their defeat, the Northumbria team started to find fault with the York home team's set up. First complaining about the length of the piste - meant to be 14 meters, the piste was a meter short – and then about the standards of the refereeing, claiming that York had to provide a non-York affiliated official referee, only a rule in the Premier league, so that the refereeing was unbiased. Northumbria even had the ‘playing under protest’ forms filled out before York were able to persuade them that they were incorrect, and allow the fencing to continue.
The second weapon in the line-up was epee. Again York quickly found the lead, and managed to defend it, despite Rebecca Ellis being subbed in for Miranda Smith, as Smith’s injured back limited her ability to play. Louise Highton and Gracey, once again, fenced brilliantly, with Highton finishing the epee with a 45 – 23 win to York.
With only four points needed to draw and five points needed to win, as the teams began the fight for the last 45 points in foil, the atmosphere in the room was pure elation as the York team and their supporters could see how close they were to winning the overall league. And within a minute victory was indeed theirs, as Gracey outfenced her opponent 5 – 0. And even with a win already secured, York carried on hitting point after point, winning the third weapon 45 – 15.
With the league won, York are likely to fence either Bangor or Liverpool, the top two contenders in the north-western league, next spring. As captain Chzhen summed up, “I’m very happy we’re top of our league and heading to the play-offs.”
But unsated by easing to the league title with their midweek victory, the team continued to fence well into the weekend - most of the team went to Nottingham to fence in the BUCS individual fencing competitions, with and Gracey and Highton fencing in the Hereford and Worcester Opens as well. No doubt their passion for the sport is the key to their success.
Teamsheet: Sabre: Kat Chzhen, Rebecca Ellis, Katherine Gracey. Epee: Louise Highton, Katherine Gracey, Miranda Smith. Reserve: Rebecca Ellis. Foil: Katherine Gracey, Louise Highton, Kate Horner.
You must log in to submit a comment.
