The golden girls of DC Fencers Club win big at national tournament

Amanda Sirico’s win in Junior Women’s Epee earns her the #4 ranking in the United States

  DC Fencers Club struck gold – twice – at the first Senior/Division 1 North American Cup of the season in Cleveland, Ohio.  Amanda Sirico, 17, of Bowie, Maryland, won the gold medal in Junior Women’s Epee and was one of four DCFC women who took gold in the Senior Women’s Team Epee event  Both gold medal wins took place at the first North American Cup of the season for the highest ranked ‘Division 1’ fencers, among them, 11 members of the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team. 

Sirico’s golden Junior debut

Last spring, Amanda Sirico graduated from the Cadet (under 17) category as the top ranked U.S. Cadet in women’s epee.  As a freshly minted Junior (Under 20) fencer, Sirico wasted no time establishing her credentials.   At the Junior Women’s Epee event on Monday, Sirico advanced from a field of 145 fencers, defeating six opponents in the direct elimination bouts to win the top spot.  Winning this event moves her to the #4 spot in junior rankings.

In the gold medal finals she faced off against #2 ranked Junior Anna Van Brummen, a freshman at Princeton University and a member of Alliance Fencing Academy.  In a close bout, Sirico won 15-12. 

“I was really nervous, but I kind of went into the bout knowing that it will be what it will be,” said Sirico on gold medal match with Van Brummen.  “I have beaten her before, but she is fierce, so I didn't want to expect anything.  Of all six bouts, Sirico called the finals “the toughest match. … It was a fight.”

Sirico’s recent top results:

·         Silver, Junior Women’s Epee, North American Cup, Columbus, OH (July 2013)

·         Top 16 (14th place), Rio Epee Internationale Senior World Cup, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, (May 2013)

·         Gold, Junior Women’s Epee, Junior Olympic Fencing Championships, Baltimore MD (April 2013)

·         Silver, Junior Women’s Epee, in Goteberg Sweden (February 2013)

·         Gold, Cadet Epee European Cup, in Grenoble, France (November 2012)

·         Silver, Cadet Epee European Cup in Klagenfurt, Austria (October 2012)

One for all, and all for one – Team Gold for DCFC Senior Women’s Epee

There’s more than one golden girl at DCFC, and they proved it with a win in the Senior Team Women’s Epee event at the North American Cup. In the gold medal final, teammates Valerie Asher (Bethesda, MD), Rebecca Chimahusky (Wheaton, MD), and Brooke Sirico and Amanda Sirico (Bowie, MD) won sound 45 – 32 victory over Boston Fencing Club’s ‘Team Blue’ (Shawn Wallace, Stephanie Wolf, and Madeleine Killough).   

DC Fencers Club sent 25 men and women to match skills at this in this highly competitive tournament of more than 1,000 fencers from fencing clubs nationwide.  The event is one of five North American Cups organized this season by the United States Fencing Association, the national governing body for the American fencing community.  Each NAC offers events in all three weapons (epee, sabre, and foil) for select competitive categories (such as Youth, Cadet, Junior, Senior, Veteran (40+), Team, and Wheelchair fencing). 

About fencing tournaments

Fencing competitions in all three weapons usually consist of two rounds of bouting.  In the first round of “pools,” six to eight fencers compete in a round-robin of 5-touch/3 minute bouts.  Pool results inform the seeding of the next round, Direct Elimination or “DE.” Direct elimination bouts are 15 touch/9 minute bouts.  Winners of each DE round advance to the table of 64, 32, 16, semifinals, and finals.

DC Fencers Club Beginner Classes and Summer Camps

Each generation of fencing champions gets its start in a beginner fencing class. DC Fencers club hosts several beginner fencing classes on weekdays, weeknights, and Saturdays, including beginner classes for youth, teens, and an all-ages/levels fencing class.  Equipment is provided for beginners.  DCFC also offers weeklong DC Fencers Club offers summer fencing camps for beginners ages seven and up.  For more information on getting involved in this Olympic sport, call 301-562-1990 or email dcfencers@gmail.com.

About DC Fencers Club

DC Fencers Club (DCFC) has a national and international reputation as one of the best fencing clubs in the United States.  The club offers instruction through classes, camps, workshops, and individual lessons.  Fencers of all ages are welcome, and members range from recreational fencers to fencers who compete in local, regional, national, and international tournaments.  DCFC instructors include certified coaches and credentialed fencing masters who have a combined 100 years of training, competition, and teaching experience.  DC Fencers Club promotes excellence, sportsmanship, and safety in a friendly, easygoing environment.

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