Fencers host West Midlands Championships

5th February, 2010

On Sunday 24th January Packwood's Sports Hall was converted into an eight-piste Epee fencing arena with children aged 9 to 18, from across the region, fencing for the right to represent the West Midlands at the British Youth Championships in May.

The competition consisited of a group stage in the morning followed by lunch upstairs in the Cafe d'Art (once we'd cleared the paint pots and drawing materials away!). In the afternoon the fencing moved into the knock-out stages. The event remained relaxed and friendly throughout whilst maintaining an exceptional standard of competitive fencing.

Thirty-one Packwood pupils competed. For some this was the first taste of a high level event, a fantastic opportunity to learn and a great experience. For other 'veterans of the campaign' it was an opportunity to 'go for gold' and book a ticket to the nationals. As the bouts reached the quarter finals, the semi finals and the finals for each age category, the tempo, intensity and volume increased (and that was just the parents!).

Eventually, the final buzzer buzzed, the final 'Halt!' was called and the final end-of-fight handshake made (fencers shake with the 'wrong' hand because the other has a glove on it). The badminton courts reappeared from under their metallic carpet rolls, the piste numbers were peeled from the walls ready for another day and the hall returned to a place for Packwood children to kick and pass balls around with their friends.

The West Midlands 2010 Epee Champions are:

U12  Archie Connolly (Packwood)             Ce-Ce Whittingham (Packwood)

U14  Henry Harrison (Warwick School)     Ella Southall (Kenilworth FC)

U16 Richard Harris (Stourport FC)           Elizabeth Smith (Stourport FC)

U18  Tom Powell (Warwick School)          Lucy Henshall (Malvern College)

The following eight Packwood pupils were selected to represent the West Midlands at Under 12 level: Archie Connolly, Edward Stanton, Rory Davies, Freddie Houlker, Ce-Ce Whittingham, Ruby Lavender, Ella Downey and Tia Barlow.

Packwood's Captain of Fencing, Henry Don, pre-qualified as he was sixth at the British Youth Championships last year. He is joined in the Under 14 West Midlands squad by Olivia Wade-Smith and Fran Hughes.

Many thanks are due to all of the staff, parents and children of Packwood who helped to make the event such a successful day. The 'circus' comes to town again in March for the Packwood Epee Cup. See you there!