Sin City Saber Spectacular
If the Vegas bookies knew the difference between a saber and Saluki (an greyhound-like Egyptian hunting dog), the odds on the Grand Prix Team match between the USA and Russia might have been dead even. The Russians are the World Cup point leaders, and beat Team USA in last year’s Las Vegas Grand Prix. The Americans are a close second in WC standings, and stunned the Russians in Leipzig last October for the team World Championship.
Both squads had their powerhouse Leipzig rosters on hand: Mariel Zagunis, Sada Jacobson, Becca Ward and Caity Thompson for the USA; Ekaterina Fedorkina, Sophia Velikaia, Svetlana Kormilitsyna and Elena Netchaeva for Russia. But the rematch wouldn’t be that easy.
Kormilitsyna is upset in the round of 64 the day before during individual competition, as is Jacobson, who had been suffering a three day bout with the stomach flu. Zagunis wins the individual event on Saturday, but can’t answer the bell on Sunday. Fencing sluggishly, she is benched during the semifinal bout against the Ukrainian team. For most of the sabrists, it’s their third or fourth Senior WC in four successive weekends…a grueling international schedule at the end of the season.
When the teams arrive at the finals strip Sunday afternoon, Kormilitsyna is in the stands, and Ekaterina Diatchenk takes her place as alternate. Zagunis is relegated to alternate duties, and will not fence all match. Team USA is now forced to compete without the fencer who was widely touted as the heroine of their Leipzig World Championship Team victory.
Jacobson leads off against Velikaia in the first round, and fences strongly to give the USA its first lead, 5-3. Ward and Netchaeva face off next, and Ward has a slow start, giving up a 4-7 loss to the elder Russian fencer. Russia leads 10-9. Round three has Thompson facing Fedorkina. Caity fences her best bout of the championship, going 5-5 with Fedorkina. Pinned on the back line at 13-14, Caity misses a riposte, then steals tempo on Fedorkina for a touch that leaves the Russian fuming at the director. The Russians keep their narrow lead, 15-14.
Round 4: Jacobson vs. Netchaeva. Elena finished 53rd in the individual event, but the two elder members of each squad put on a stunning display of bouncing, leaping footwork that had the crowd mesmerized. In the end, Jacobson shows no effects of her illness, and proves too quick for the Russian. Midway, Sada pulls off an incredible triple parry-riposte to go up 19-17. She powers on to win the bout 6-3 and regains the lead for the USA, 20-18. Round 5 pits Thompson against Velikaia, who finished 5th in the individual event. Caity again rises to the moment, and fences a 5-6 bout, including a gutsy second-intention parry riposte out of a on-guard attack to keep the American lead at 25-24.
Round 6: Ward fences Fedorkina. This is a hard fought match ranging up and down the strip, with many multiple action points. Ward unleashes a one-footed 5-parry at the very end of the strip to take a 28-27 lead, and goes on to a 5-4 win, increasing the USA lead to 30-28. Becca closes the bout with a perfectly timed stop cut on the charging Russian, who gets a heated lecture from the Russian coach in the team box. Round 7 puts Thompson squarely in the crosshairs of Netchaeva. The veteran Russian diagnoses Caity’s attack timing, and makes Thompson fall short repeatedly. Caity has little luck in defense, and falls to Netchaeva 3-7. Team Russia bolts back into the lead 35-33.
Round 8 between Jacobson and Fedorkina is tight from the beginning. The two exchange points until Sada finds a pair of blurringly-fast ripostes to knot the score at 38-38. Fedorkina answers with two strong attacks, and hands her anchor Velikaia a 40-38 lead.
Round 9 provides a rematch between Ward and Velikaia. The two met in the semi-final round of last year’s Vegas Grand Prix team event. Ward had been thrust into the anchor role by Coach Ed Korfanty, and inherited a substantial lead going into the final bout in 2005. Velikaia relentlessly chipped away at the 15 year old American’s advantage, eventually winning a heart-breaking 45-44 victory over the US Team. Would Ward have a chance for payback in 2006?
Ward loses the first touch while backpedaling and looking for a stop cut. Russia bumps to 41-38. Ward’s straight fast attack gains the next touch, 39-41. After a failed riposte, Becca tries to steal time with an immediate lunging remise, but the director doesn’t agree, and Velikaia goes up 42-39. The American box is frantically exhorting their anchor. The next touch will prove a foreshadowing of disaster for Velikaia. She chases Ward back to the end of the strip, and Ward executes a textbook closeout stop-cut for a one light touch. Russia leads 42-40.
Becca executes an attack off the line to close the gap to 41-42 and the US bench is sensing a comeback. Unfortunately, the following stop cut by Ward is not in time, and Russia moves up 43-41. The next point is one of the most active of the entire bout. Four sets of distance misses and ripostes move the two up and down the strip in furious action. At the end, Velikaia picks off a charging Ward with an immaculate stop cut, and the Russians have match point at 44-41. There is little joy in the American box.
Ward refuses to yield. After her attack falls short, she is forced into a defensive retreat, and with the match on the line, pulls off a one light, parry two riposte from the back of the strip. USA trails 42-44. On the next point, the two exchange distance, and Ward attacks furiously. The Russian counterattacks, thinking she has caught the American pumping her arm. The director begs to differ, and Velikaia glares at the call before stomping to the end of the strip. The Russian coach shares a few choice bits of advice in a somewhat heated manner. Russia’s lead is cut to 44-43, and hope returns to the American box.
Velikaia tries to draw the American forward, looking for a stop cut, but the strategy backfires as Ward dashes the length of the strip and unleashes a flick over the Russian’s bell guard to knot the score at 44-44. The largely American crowd joins the USA team box in frantic exhortation of their anchor. The Russian team is on its feet.
The next attack is ruled simultaneous, and the crowd ratchets the volume up again. Becca attacks hard, but Velikaia backpedals, and the attack falls short. Sophia immediately presses the advantage, pushing Becca towards the back of the strip. Ward continuously feints from an aggressively held line, minutely slowing the Russian’s advance.
As the two reach the American end of the strip, Velikaia closes in for the kill, but forgets the lesson from earlier in the bout. In a mirror move from the action 8 points earlier, Ward executes a stop cut with a close-out for a one light touch and the victory.
The American team rushes the strip, and Ward gains a measure of revenge over a disbelieving Velikaia. By the time Ward emerges from the jubilant American scrum to shake Velikaia's hand, the Russian has strolled off the strip.
For the match: Sada is the top performer, 16-11. Becca notches a 16-15, and Caity finishes at 13-18. For the Russians: Velikaia is 13-17, Netchaeva is 17-13 and Fedorkina is 14-15.
The victory still leaves the Americans 8 points shy of victory over the Russian team in World Cup standings. Presumably, the two teams will face each other this fall at the Senior World Championships in Turin, Italy, once again ranked #1 and #2.
By Bill Ward
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