March 31, 2022
Banner Season: Men's fencing finale to put feather in the cap of 2021-22 championship slate
Burlington, Ont. - The final Ontario University Athletics (OUA) title is set to be handed out this weekend, as banner season will write its final chapter on the piste. After seeing their fellow fencers compete in the women's finale just a few weeks ago, the time has come for the men's squads to step onto the St. Catharines stage at Brock University from April 2 to 3. Each of the 11 participants will be competing to cap off their 2021-22 season with a Charles Walter Trophy, something the Toronto Varsity Blues have done for five straight seasons at the 2022 OUA Men's Fencing Championship.
2022 OUA Men's Fencing Championship | Fan Guide
The Blues were crowned as champions for a fifth consecutive year in 2020, and with their return to the piste looming, the defending champions are setting their sights on a sixth straight banner. Having claimed gold in numerous categories their last time out, with wins in the team epée, team foil, and individual epée anchoring their 337-point performance, Toronto will try to maintain those lofty standards while also make strides in the remaining three events.
Someone who can help them take those positive steps on the foil side is David Chen-Li, who placed fourth at the OUA finale in 2020. The senior from Toronto, Ont. did one better at the team's appearance at the 2022 Ontario Provincial Championships just a few weeks back, as he took home the bronze medal therein.
He will be joined by fellow medal contender Valdis Ling, who is eyeing a podium performance in his first OUA championship. The second-year psychology and economics student does boast experience beyond the varsity stage; however, having previously claimed a provincial epée title, and he'll hope to turn this past experience into an OUA debut to remember.
With a talented roster in tow and a recent competition under their belts, the Blues will be among the favourites to take home the title - their 36th overall - this weekend.
While they were unable to snap the Blues' winning streak in 2020, the RMC Paladins did finish their championship trek comfortably in second place thanks to strong results from a veteran sabre squad that took home individual and team relay gold. This year, the Kingston squad are split evenly between returning fencers and new recruits, so there is an element of unpredictability surrounding the team, but the roster remains filled with podium potential.
Among RMC's medal hopefuls are DJ Holtz and Andrew Willison. The former, a fourth-year computer engineering major from Kingston, Ont., is one of a few Paladins with two championships under his belt. Beyond just competing on the OUA stage previously, he was able to prevail amidst his provincial combatants en route to winning a bronze medal as part of the team relay in 2019. Holtz and RMC just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in 2020, but a return to the top-3 is once again in their sights when they head to St. Catharines this weekend. Willison, a native of Halifax, N.S., also competed at the 2020 event, and like his teammate, will be looking to improve upon his result therein.
Beyond the placement, however, RMC has another important objective in mind for the 2022 finale. "The goal for this weekend is to have people rediscover the joy of being a competitive combatant," said head coach Patricia Howes. "And while half the athletes are new to OUA fencing, I am looking for the team to go beyond the expected and surprise [the field]."
The Brock Badgers are similarly anxious to experience the thrill of competition once again, as the host squad looks to make a splash in front of the home crowd. Welcoming their fellow fencers to the Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium for the two days of action, the reigning fourth-place finishers are hoping to move back onto the overall podium and even go so far as to top the field for the first time since 1968.
Malcolm McLeod, a fourth-year fencer from Beamsville, Ont., enters as the bedrock of the Brock squad. Since joining the Badgers, the physics major has brought home medal after medal, with his most recent recognition coming in the form of a third-place finish at the 2020 OUA championship. The decorated senior will look for more of a medal haul on his home turf, with his sights set on the top of the podium this time around.
A newcomer to the championship stage, meanwhile, Tanguy Rial will be another one to watch for the St. Catharines squad, as he brings the potential to secure a golden result for the hosts in his first go-around. In Canada on exchange, the business major from Mennecy, France is an exceptionally talented foilist who placed second at the provincial championships earlier this month. His amazing speed and tenacity make him an immediate threat in the discipline.
Another team that will rely on their recent experience at the provincial championships is the Western Mustangs, with the London squad hoping to translate that valuable time on the piste into top marks in their upcoming championship outing.
One member of the Mustangs squad who suited up at this month's provincial gathering was Steven Zhang, a first-year fencer from Toronto, Ont. Not only did he compete there, but also did so at three tournaments with the McMaster team. The engineering student is eyeing a medal in his first OUA championship, and even with this being his first taste of banner season, his immediate leadership and contributions have been important for the whole team early on in his career.
From a current rookie to a former rookie of the year, Rick Wu is set to stack up against the competition with two decorated championships under his belt. The Markham, Ont. native burst onto the scene with Western as their MVP and rookie of the year in 2018-19. In his debut campaign, Wu was the OUA silver medalist in the individual men's epée, which he followed up with a bronze in the team relay the following season. The member of the 2018 Canadian Junior Pan Am team is coming into the 2022 finale with a sixth-place finish at the Ontario Provincial Championships.
The Rams, despite entering the event in somewhat of a rebuilding phase, are looking at the success of their women's team from a few weeks ago as motivation for their own banner season bouts. With Erika Dominguez topping the podium for the Rams at the 2022 women's fencing finale, the team will seek similar results this weekend, with a previous medal winner at the heart of those aspirations.
Ethan Haines, a second-year fencer from Oakville, Ont., brought home a silver medal from the 2020 individual foil event and anchored the relay team's fifth-place finish as well. The biomedical engineering major made waves in his first championship outing and is poised to showcase that same skill in the team's first university event since coming back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fellow foil standout, Omer Ghazali (Oakville, Ont.), who finished 13th and 14th in his last two individual outings at the OUA championship, will push for a personal best showing in his fourth banner season appearance and contribute to a medal-hungry relay team as well.
Bringing a mix of veterans and rookies to Niagara this weekend as well are the Carleton Ravens. After navigating the COVID-19 restrictions as best they could heading into the event, the Ravens will rely on their returning contingent to guide their newcomers, helping them gain some valuable experience and even carry them to some podium positioning when the hardware is handed out.
Representing the returnees, among others, is Daniel Manyoki, a third-year history major from Kanata, Ont. Manyoki made the most of the pandemic breaks, finding ways to stay in shape even amidst the restrictions and other challenges encountered along the way. This work ethic should allow him to compete well against his upcoming opponents, even without garnering the actual fencing experience over the last two years. Having been a previous medal winner at the event, however, the junior will be among those most relied upon by the Ravens squad for more success this weekend.
Quinn Cunnune is one such Carleton teammate who will look to the leadership and experience of Manyoki, as the Corkery, Ont. native has yet to experience tournament fencing. Despite the learning curve involved in one's first competition, the team is excited to see what Cunnune can do, backed by his strong work ethic in training and his desire and ability to translate those skills into his practice bouts.
A former rookie who was able to navigate the tough provincial terrain in his debut championship was Alex Sun, who won the individual sabre silver medal for Queen's in 2020. The Richmond, B.C. native studying global development also led the Gaels' relay team to a matching silver medal result, both of which were significant contributors to the Tricolour's overall bronze medal last time out. With Sun leading the charge once again, Queen's has sabre gold in their sights this time around.
Hoping to make a similar splash in his first banner season outing is fellow Gael David Eliot, and while this may be his foray into the OUA, he is no stranger to the sport. The Kingston, Ont. native trained with the national development team and competed for Canada internationally at the junior level before taking a hiatus while attending university out East. Eliot, however, returns to his hometown for his graduate studies and, in doing so, makes his corresponding return to the sport with a medal on his mind.
With a number of experienced rookies having joined the Gaels this year, and the group as a whole training hard, Queen's is looking to challenge for medals across all three weapons and take home their first OUA title since 2013.
Hoping to make good on their potential to surprise, meanwhile, the McMaster Marauders are confident they can move up the leaderboard following their 2020 showing.
A rise into the top-8 from Jacob Saunders would be a positive step in that direction, a goal that is well within the reach of the veteran from Hamilton, Ont. competing in his third championship. After registering a 13th-place result at the Ontario Provincial Championships, meanwhile, Oscar Hand is bringing a bevy of positive energy to the maroon machine as a rookie. The first-year product of Kingston, Ont. studying arts and sciences is hoping to burst onto the scene in a big way to bring the Marauders into the medal hunt at the 2022 conference finale.
Also competing at this weekend's men's fencing finale are the Guelph Gryphons, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Trent Excalibur, and Waterloo Warriors.
The individual events will kick off the 2022 OUA Men's Fencing Championship festivities on Saturday, April 2, beginning at 9:00am, with the competition wrapping up the following day with the team relays at 8:45am, all taking place at Brock University's Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium.
2022 OUA Men's Fencing Championship | Fan Guide
The Blues were crowned as champions for a fifth consecutive year in 2020, and with their return to the piste looming, the defending champions are setting their sights on a sixth straight banner. Having claimed gold in numerous categories their last time out, with wins in the team epée, team foil, and individual epée anchoring their 337-point performance, Toronto will try to maintain those lofty standards while also make strides in the remaining three events.
Someone who can help them take those positive steps on the foil side is David Chen-Li, who placed fourth at the OUA finale in 2020. The senior from Toronto, Ont. did one better at the team's appearance at the 2022 Ontario Provincial Championships just a few weeks back, as he took home the bronze medal therein.
He will be joined by fellow medal contender Valdis Ling, who is eyeing a podium performance in his first OUA championship. The second-year psychology and economics student does boast experience beyond the varsity stage; however, having previously claimed a provincial epée title, and he'll hope to turn this past experience into an OUA debut to remember.
With a talented roster in tow and a recent competition under their belts, the Blues will be among the favourites to take home the title - their 36th overall - this weekend.
While they were unable to snap the Blues' winning streak in 2020, the RMC Paladins did finish their championship trek comfortably in second place thanks to strong results from a veteran sabre squad that took home individual and team relay gold. This year, the Kingston squad are split evenly between returning fencers and new recruits, so there is an element of unpredictability surrounding the team, but the roster remains filled with podium potential.
Among RMC's medal hopefuls are DJ Holtz and Andrew Willison. The former, a fourth-year computer engineering major from Kingston, Ont., is one of a few Paladins with two championships under his belt. Beyond just competing on the OUA stage previously, he was able to prevail amidst his provincial combatants en route to winning a bronze medal as part of the team relay in 2019. Holtz and RMC just missed the podium with a fourth-place finish in 2020, but a return to the top-3 is once again in their sights when they head to St. Catharines this weekend. Willison, a native of Halifax, N.S., also competed at the 2020 event, and like his teammate, will be looking to improve upon his result therein.
Beyond the placement, however, RMC has another important objective in mind for the 2022 finale. "The goal for this weekend is to have people rediscover the joy of being a competitive combatant," said head coach Patricia Howes. "And while half the athletes are new to OUA fencing, I am looking for the team to go beyond the expected and surprise [the field]."
The Brock Badgers are similarly anxious to experience the thrill of competition once again, as the host squad looks to make a splash in front of the home crowd. Welcoming their fellow fencers to the Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium for the two days of action, the reigning fourth-place finishers are hoping to move back onto the overall podium and even go so far as to top the field for the first time since 1968.
Malcolm McLeod, a fourth-year fencer from Beamsville, Ont., enters as the bedrock of the Brock squad. Since joining the Badgers, the physics major has brought home medal after medal, with his most recent recognition coming in the form of a third-place finish at the 2020 OUA championship. The decorated senior will look for more of a medal haul on his home turf, with his sights set on the top of the podium this time around.
A newcomer to the championship stage, meanwhile, Tanguy Rial will be another one to watch for the St. Catharines squad, as he brings the potential to secure a golden result for the hosts in his first go-around. In Canada on exchange, the business major from Mennecy, France is an exceptionally talented foilist who placed second at the provincial championships earlier this month. His amazing speed and tenacity make him an immediate threat in the discipline.
Another team that will rely on their recent experience at the provincial championships is the Western Mustangs, with the London squad hoping to translate that valuable time on the piste into top marks in their upcoming championship outing.
One member of the Mustangs squad who suited up at this month's provincial gathering was Steven Zhang, a first-year fencer from Toronto, Ont. Not only did he compete there, but also did so at three tournaments with the McMaster team. The engineering student is eyeing a medal in his first OUA championship, and even with this being his first taste of banner season, his immediate leadership and contributions have been important for the whole team early on in his career.
From a current rookie to a former rookie of the year, Rick Wu is set to stack up against the competition with two decorated championships under his belt. The Markham, Ont. native burst onto the scene with Western as their MVP and rookie of the year in 2018-19. In his debut campaign, Wu was the OUA silver medalist in the individual men's epée, which he followed up with a bronze in the team relay the following season. The member of the 2018 Canadian Junior Pan Am team is coming into the 2022 finale with a sixth-place finish at the Ontario Provincial Championships.
The Rams, despite entering the event in somewhat of a rebuilding phase, are looking at the success of their women's team from a few weeks ago as motivation for their own banner season bouts. With Erika Dominguez topping the podium for the Rams at the 2022 women's fencing finale, the team will seek similar results this weekend, with a previous medal winner at the heart of those aspirations.
Ethan Haines, a second-year fencer from Oakville, Ont., brought home a silver medal from the 2020 individual foil event and anchored the relay team's fifth-place finish as well. The biomedical engineering major made waves in his first championship outing and is poised to showcase that same skill in the team's first university event since coming back from the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fellow foil standout, Omer Ghazali (Oakville, Ont.), who finished 13th and 14th in his last two individual outings at the OUA championship, will push for a personal best showing in his fourth banner season appearance and contribute to a medal-hungry relay team as well.
Bringing a mix of veterans and rookies to Niagara this weekend as well are the Carleton Ravens. After navigating the COVID-19 restrictions as best they could heading into the event, the Ravens will rely on their returning contingent to guide their newcomers, helping them gain some valuable experience and even carry them to some podium positioning when the hardware is handed out.
Representing the returnees, among others, is Daniel Manyoki, a third-year history major from Kanata, Ont. Manyoki made the most of the pandemic breaks, finding ways to stay in shape even amidst the restrictions and other challenges encountered along the way. This work ethic should allow him to compete well against his upcoming opponents, even without garnering the actual fencing experience over the last two years. Having been a previous medal winner at the event, however, the junior will be among those most relied upon by the Ravens squad for more success this weekend.
Quinn Cunnune is one such Carleton teammate who will look to the leadership and experience of Manyoki, as the Corkery, Ont. native has yet to experience tournament fencing. Despite the learning curve involved in one's first competition, the team is excited to see what Cunnune can do, backed by his strong work ethic in training and his desire and ability to translate those skills into his practice bouts.
A former rookie who was able to navigate the tough provincial terrain in his debut championship was Alex Sun, who won the individual sabre silver medal for Queen's in 2020. The Richmond, B.C. native studying global development also led the Gaels' relay team to a matching silver medal result, both of which were significant contributors to the Tricolour's overall bronze medal last time out. With Sun leading the charge once again, Queen's has sabre gold in their sights this time around.
Hoping to make a similar splash in his first banner season outing is fellow Gael David Eliot, and while this may be his foray into the OUA, he is no stranger to the sport. The Kingston, Ont. native trained with the national development team and competed for Canada internationally at the junior level before taking a hiatus while attending university out East. Eliot, however, returns to his hometown for his graduate studies and, in doing so, makes his corresponding return to the sport with a medal on his mind.
With a number of experienced rookies having joined the Gaels this year, and the group as a whole training hard, Queen's is looking to challenge for medals across all three weapons and take home their first OUA title since 2013.
Hoping to make good on their potential to surprise, meanwhile, the McMaster Marauders are confident they can move up the leaderboard following their 2020 showing.
A rise into the top-8 from Jacob Saunders would be a positive step in that direction, a goal that is well within the reach of the veteran from Hamilton, Ont. competing in his third championship. After registering a 13th-place result at the Ontario Provincial Championships, meanwhile, Oscar Hand is bringing a bevy of positive energy to the maroon machine as a rookie. The first-year product of Kingston, Ont. studying arts and sciences is hoping to burst onto the scene in a big way to bring the Marauders into the medal hunt at the 2022 conference finale.
Also competing at this weekend's men's fencing finale are the Guelph Gryphons, Ottawa Gee-Gees, Trent Excalibur, and Waterloo Warriors.
The individual events will kick off the 2022 OUA Men's Fencing Championship festivities on Saturday, April 2, beginning at 9:00am, with the competition wrapping up the following day with the team relays at 8:45am, all taking place at Brock University's Ian D. Beddis Gymnasium.
