Hosts Canada sweep board at IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships

Canadian athletes completed a home triple at the International Wheelchair and Amputee Sports Federation (IWAS) Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships on Friday (14 September), kick-starting the competition in Saskatoon in style.

Three-time Paralympian Pierre Mainville overcame one of his fiercest opponents in the men’s sabre category B.

Mainville delighted his home crowds with a win over Brazil’s Jovane Guissone, retaining his title from two years ago in Sao Paulo.

After receiving a bye in the opening round as the top seed, the Canadian took on another Brazilian, Rodrigo Massarutt in the semi-finals. Mainville executed a strong performance, winning 15-5.

Guissone advanced past the USA’s Joey Brinson 15-10 in his semi-final to meet Mainville.

Mainville and Guissone endured a close battle before Canada’s golden boy claimed a 15-12 victory.

Brinson and Massarutt shared third place on the podium.

The women’s epee category A went to form as the Americas top-ranked athlete Camille Chai emerged the winner.

Chai’s path to the gold medal match saw her successfully take-on two US athletes Victoria Isaacson and Ellen Geddes. Chai eased past the pair 15-7 and 15-10, respectively.

Meanwhile Brazil’s Carminha De Oliveira had to face two of her teammates on her route to the final.

De Oliveira dispatched Karina Maia and Fabiana Soares in her two bouts, 15-13 and 15-11.

Chai, slightly fresher from an easier set of matches beforehand, then beat De Oliveira 15-4 in the final.

Geddes and Soares completed the top three.

The men’s sabre category A final was an all Canadian affair that saw Matthieu Hebert claim gold over top seed, and local fencer, Ryan Rousell. Hebert claimed top spot in a 15-9 score line.

Brazilian compatriots Fabio Luiz Damasceno and Alex Sandro Souza claimed the bronze.

The 2018 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing Americas Championships run from 14-16 September. Around 30 athletes from six countries are in the hunt for titles.

Live results will be available here.

Saskatoon 2018 is the first of three regional Championships in 2018.

The 2018 IWAS Wheelchair Fencing European Championships get underway in Terni, Italy, from 17-23 September. The Asian Championships then follow as part of the Asian Para Games in Jakarta, Indonesia, from 6-10 October.