February 4, 2018

Varsity Blues complete three-peat with well-rounded performance

KINGSTON, Ont. – The Varsity Blues successfully defended their title at the 2018 OUA Men’s Fencing Championship in Kingston with strong performances in the team and individual competitions for the three-peat. RMC snuck into second overall, edging out Carleton 160 to 158.

Toronto earned 340 points overall, thanks to medals in every event. The Varsity Blues made the finals in all three team events, earning silver in foil against Ottawa to start the day, before striking gold in sabre team relay, defeating Carleton. Toronto squared off against the Western Mustangs in the last final of the championship, earning another silver in epee team relay, while Western took gold.

To round out the podiums in team competition, Ryerson earned the bronze over Waterloo in foil, while the host RMC Paladins won bronze over York in the sabre team relay. It was an all-Kingston affair to decide third place in epee team relay, where Queen’s claimed bronze over the host Paladins.

On Saturday, Toronto earned gold in individual sabre with a win from William Kinney, who reclaimed the Schwende-Tully Trophy with the victory. Colin Dale and David Chen-Li earned bronze for the Varsity Blues in individual epee and foil, respectively.

Individual foil gold and the Charles Walter Trophy was captured by Mateusz Kozak from Ryerson, who defeated Waterloo’s Gareth Marks. Chen-Li finished in third. In individual epee, Zac Zanussi collected the Desjarlais Trophy for Carleton after defeating Matthew Litwin from Queen’s. Toronto’s Colin Dale rounded out the podium. With the Swchende-Tully Trophy on the line, Toronto finally topped the individual podium thanks to William Kinney’s victory in the sabre final. Carleton’s Matheson Go finished with sabre silver, while RMC’s Gareth Whelan won bronze.

At the end of the Championship, Brock’s Tim Stang was named Coach of the Year, earning the Christian Vidosa Trophy, while Queen’s fencer Litwin was awarded the George Tully Trophy as the most proficient in skill, style and sportsmanship.

OUA All-Stars

Foil

Mateusz Kozak – Ryerson

Gareth Marks – Waterloo

David Chen-Li – Toronto

Malcolm McLeod – Brock

Epee

Zac Zanussi – Carleton

David Litwin – Queen’s

Colin Dale – Toronto

Joe Wright – Western

Sabre