Four wheelchair fencing World Cups to highlight Paralympic year

Joining the recently announced hosts in Cardiff, Great Britain, from 11-14 January are two more editions in Sao Paulo, Brazil, and Warsaw, Poland. Both World Cups will take place before the next Paralympics. A third event in Pisa, Italy, will conclude the 2024 calendar.

Wales will stage a major international wheelchair fencing event for the first time where fencers will still be able to pick-up qualification points for Paris 2024.

Across February, March and April regional Championships in Europe, the Americas and Asia – to be announced shortly – will then fill the calendar.

The world-leading Paralympic Training Centre in Sao Paulo follows with its latest World Cup from 23-26 May. This will be the final chance athletes have to qualify for Paris 2024.

Being held on 4-7 July, athletes will then gather in the familiar surroundings of Warsaw where they will put the finishing touches to their Paralympic Games preparations.

After the Paralympics, rounding off the 2024 season, the historic Italian city of Pisa will host a World Cup from 7-10 November.

Pal Szekeres, Chair of the wheelchair Fencing Executive Committee, said: “The World Cups remain a firm and valuable fixture on our annual calendar, attracting the best wheelchair fencers, and once again we are delighted to add new hosts for 2024. We are excited to see these organisers put their own, unique stamp on the competition and how high they can raise the bar.

“Our more established locations also make a return and we hope they too can push the boundaries for hosting great World Cups.

“Of course 2024 is a Paralympic year and all eyes will be on the rankings as we enter the final qualification period. I would like to wish all athletes the very best of luck and encourage everyone to look out for news about regional Championships happening next year – we certainly have some more exciting updates to come.”

As well as the four World Cups, a satellite competition returns to Orange, France, in 2024. These offer new and developing athletes the chance to compete on the world stage against their peers, whilst still offering some world ranking points.

The 2023 season continues shortly in Warsaw with a World Cup from 6-9 July.

Emerging fencers will then line-up in Busan, South Korea, for the under 17s and under 23s World Championships from 30 August – 1 September before a World Cup in the same location from 2-5 September.

The focus then stays in Asia for the Asian Championships in Hangzhou, China, from 22-27 October and a World Cup in Nakhon Ratchasima, Thailand, from 5-8 December.

The highlight of the year is the 2023 World Championships in Terni, Italy, from 2-8 October.

The hosts for regional Championships scheduled to take place in 2024 will be revealed shortly, completing the calendar for the Paralympic year.