National Veteran Age Group Championships
Saxons Paul Lowen, Adrian Medhurst and Tom Girn all competed in the 2009 National Veterans Age Group Championships on Jan 14th.
Paul had taken the Cat 2 (50-59 year olds) foil championship for the last two years, so cam alonto defend his title. The competition was going well for him , but he lost out in one of his bouts by losing track of time (a common problem in the older categories of Vets fencing) when 1-0 down and being timed out. In a tightly fought contest, this was enough to tip the balance and Paul took a, still very creditable, forth place.
Tom and Adrian, after persistant pestering from Paul, entered their first veteran competition, in the Cat 1 Sabre for 40 somethings. Adrian was on a wave of confidence after his SE Regional performance. In a report on the match, told a week later in the Red Lion and Pineapple, the hirsute armourer described his tactical decision to rely entirely on foot speed, guessing that his oppenents, although experienced and skillful, might not be as quick on their feet as they were in their prime. This paid off and the wing-healed sabreur (pictured above in his pre-veteran days) took 4th place.
Tom, being new to sabre, struggled somewhat against the wiley vets, and his non-attendence at the pub to report his exploits, means the ghost can only report that he came in 14th. Paul, also fenced oin the sabre, as a digestif after his foil performance, taking 8th.