University of Waterloo hosts provincial fencing championships

Some of the best fencers from across Ontario are in Waterloo, Ont. for provincial championships.

More than 150 athletes were at the University of Waterloo campus on Saturday for the Ontario University Athletics Men’s Fencing Championships.

“You have foil events, sabre events and epee events,” Paul Godin, head coach of the University of Waterloo’s varsity fencing team, explained. “We have 13 universities in Ontario competing here this weekend. Each school can send four athletes per weapon type, so 12 athletes total per school.”

Saturday’s competition focused on the individual events, where competitors faced off through multiple rounds in hopes of reaching the final elimination bouts.

“[It is] kind of like a physical chess,” fencer Daniel Manyoki told CTV News. “You do one move, your opponent does another. You have to think two or three steps ahead and it’s really mentally engaging.”

Godin said the sport has seen steady growth in Ontario in recent years.

“The Ontario Fencing Association is actually putting a big effort into youth development of the sport. They run a whole youth fencing tournament circuit,” he said. “On the university side, we have a lot of high level athletes coming from high school, now graduating, coming to university.”

But he also said the sport can appeal to newcomers just getting into the activity during their post-secondary studies.

“There are a lot of students who start fencing in university. We run a beginner program; almost every school here runs there own beginner program.”

Team relay events wrapped up the championships on Sunday, where the University of Toronto Varsity Blues captured their 10th consecutive OUA Men’s Fencing Championship.

Toronto finished with 343 points, edging out the host Waterloo Warriors, who placed second with 335 points. The Western Mustangs finished third with 181 points.

Team relay all-star honours went to Manyoki (foil), the Ottawa Gee-Gees’ Edward Yang (epee) and Toronto Metropolitan University Bold’s Niraj Karki (sabre).

Waterloo’s fencing program has sent full squads to the provincial championships for the past five years, this is the first time the university has hosted the event.