Banner Season: Fencers flock to nation’s capital to fight for the year’s final OUA championship
Burlington, Ont. – It’s the men’s turn to take to the piste this weekend in the final banner season event of the year. Top performers from across the province will meet in the nation’s capital, including those from the seven-time defending champion Toronto Varsity Blues. And whether eyeing another chapter to the dynasty or hoisting their first banner in decades, the year’s final title will be coveted by all at the 2024 Ontario University Athletics (OUA) Men’s Fencing Championship from March 16th to 17th.
Championship Details:
When: Saturday, March 16 to Sunday, March 17 | FULL SCHEDULE
Where: EY CENTRE (University of Ottawa)
Participating Schools (13): Brock Badgers, Carleton Ravens, Guelph Gryphons, McMaster Marauders, Ottawa Gee-Gees (host), Queen’s Gaels, RMC Paladins, Toronto Varsity Blues, TMU Bold, Trent Excalibur, Waterloo Warriors, Western Mustangs
Defending Champions: Toronto Varsity Blues
Student Athletes to Watch:
Nicholas Gutierrez- Sarabia, Brock Badgers | The 2023 most outstanding fencer from Budapest, Hungary, is back for his second year with the Badgers and has big goals on his mind. Placing second in the individual epee a year ago, Gutierrez-Sarabia knows what it takes to succeed on the varsity piste, and was able to top the field at this year’s Winterfest in that same category.
Daniil Makarenko, RMC Paladins | Makarenko is a top fencer for the Paladins and will bring a Canadian Domestic Ranking to the competition this weekend. The third-year engineering major from North Delta, B.C. was part of RMC’s bronze-winning epee team from the Carleton Invitational against McMaster, and he will be leading his team into action once again at the banner season finale.
Colin McCurdy, Toronto Varsity Blues | There is no doubt who the one to watch is in the individual epee, as the two-time defending champion in the discipline is back for more. In addition to a pair of Desjarlais Trophy wins, McCurdy has also claimed the George Tully Trophy as most prolific fencer, and the fourth-year Toronto, Ont. local has his sights set on even more hardware for the seven-time defending champion Blues this weekend.
Matthew Seale, Carleton Ravens | When teams are faced with injuries, others need to step up, and Seale will be tasked with doing just that for Carleton. The second-year global and international studies major will likely be called up on compete in multiple weapons to help his squad this weekend to help counteract some of those injuries, but will surely be ready to step into the spotlight at his championship encore.
Sacha Vasiliev, Ottawa Gee-Gees | Leading the charge for the Gee-Gees, the sophomore brings plenty of talent to the Garnet and Grey’s championship aspirations. Having captured a bronze medal in the individual foil last time around, the Ottawa, Ont. local is looking to take a step or two up the podium at home, and will do so on the heels of his recent first-place finish at the Queen’s Open.
Richard Yang, Waterloo Warriors | Looking to defend his title as the 2023 sabre champion, Yang is ready for a challenge heading into the 2024 OUA Championship. Having competed in only one banner season event previously, the Markham, Ont. local studying computer science has been busy building on that varsity experience this season. He has reached the podium across four different competitions heading into this weekend’s finale and is hoping that preparation pays off in Ottawa.
Steven Zhang, Western Mustangs | A veteran fencer, Zhang brings years of experience to the Mustangs squad that he is looking to showcase this weekend. In addition to competing with the Canadian team from 2015 to 2019, the Toronto, Ont. native has previously placed in both the individual (2nd) and team relay (3rd) foil events. A podium push is once again in his purview to close out the 2024 OUA Men’s Fencing Championship.
Storylines to Keep an Eye On:
It may have been a slow start to the season for the Brock Badgers, but the St. Catharines squad is looking to keep going onward and upward to close out the season. The team will strive to continue overcoming those challenges they faced this season, build on their momentum, and peak at the right time of year.
Injuries have put a wrench in the Ravens’ championship plans, but that doesn’t mean the healthy Carleton contingent won’t be looking to make the most of the weekend. Rookies like Duy, Lawrence, and Tai will have a chance to gain a lot of experience and might even be called upon to fence in weapons in which they normally don’t compete. But no matter the results at the E.Y. Centre, the experience gained will be well worth it.
The host of this year’s competition, the Ottawa Gee-Gees, are hopeful for this year’s championship as they head into the weekend carrying momentum. There is reason for optimism for the Garnet and Grey as well, as the team earned a fifth-place finish in the fall at the RMC Team Fencing Invitational and followed that up with a gold medal at the Carleton Invitational. Earning another top result in front of the home crowd would be a picture perfect way for the Gee-Gees to close out the campaign.
Pushing themselves for a better performance than the previous year, the RMC paladins have their sights set on climbing the standings. Finishing 11th a year ago, the Kingston squad will feature a couple of solid, experienced fencers at their core this season across each of their weapons teams, and they are excited to see what this group can do to build on last year’s finish.
Defending champions in all three team relay events, and having claimed the last seven OUA men’s fencing titles, Toronto is well-versed in provincial success on the piste. As they prepare once again to take on the best of the best from around the province, the powerhouse Blues, winners of 37 conference titles in program history, are poised to add to their legacy with a veteran squad that knows what it takes.
After a pair of Waterloo fencers found themselves atop the OUA podium a year ago in their individual disciplines, both Yang and Jiaan Li return to defend their titles and help the Warriors as a whole rise the ranks. Not only do they have the top-tier talent, but also an impressive crop of newcomers that have made the black and gold stronger than ever and hungrier than ever to claim their first banner since 1978.
With strong camaraderie off the piste, the Western Mustangs are looking to turn that into productive performances on it. With goals of earning medals and top placements in both the individual and team events, the sky is the limit for the purple and white this weekend, and having claimed bronze a year ago, they are pushing to bring a different colour medal back home to London when all is said and done.
What They’re Saying:
“Our Badger fencers are putting the challenges of this past season behind us and looking forward to taking the fight to the OUA Championship” – Tim Stang, Head Coach, Brock Badgers
"I'm looking forward to seeing what Mathew Seale and Kevin Zhou can do at the finals next week. Both of them have been travelling to a lot of exhibition tournaments and doing extra training in this extended season." – Kyle Girard, Head Coach, Carleton Ravens
“The Gee-Gees are thrilled to host the Men’s Fencing OUA Championship at Ottawa’s EY Centre. We are pleased to welcome student-athletes from all OUA schools in what should be an exciting weekend of competitive fencing. Our team features a mix of experienced and new fencers who have remained committed all season to putting their best effort forward and hope to reach the podium this year. This should prove an excellent finish to a season of dedication and hard work.” – Jay Logan, Head Coach, Ottawa Gee-Gees
"Our fencers are a tight knit team of strong yet humble athletes looking to elevate our fencing and challenge the best." – Carol Christie, Head Coach, Western Mustangs