The closing ceremony was a humble affair. The championships that included many glorious moments and many disappointments, all started with one of the best world championship opening ceremonies ever.

The Italians came out disappointed with one of their poorest quest for gold in recent years. Margarita Granbassi with her superb performance saved the day and gave them their only gold. The mood at the french camp was also very gloomy. Half way into the championships with all the individual events concluded and not one single medal of any colour for the french. But just as everyone was dismissing the french they bounced back to win four out of six gold all in team events. this performance brought them from no where all the way to the top of the medals table. very impressive. But equally impressive were the Russians. They look as if they are making their way back to the top of the medals table. I think that some of their fencers are yet to mature and that they will grow even stronger. Women's foil is a good example where they will continue to have a stiff resistance from the Italian camp.

The USA team was the outsider who made it into fifth place ahead of Germany. But that is only thanks to their two women saber fencers, Rebecca Ward and Mariel Zagunis without whom they would not have made the medals table at all.

When men fenced like women and ... when women fenced like men
This might be one very bold statement to make, but if you report you must report frankly and reflect reality. Although I am comparing women's team final to men's individual finals but the point remains. Watching the finals between Baldini of Italy and Joppich of Germany I couldn't help thinking they were doing an epee style match. Neither with enough will and conviction to fight and pull ahead and finish with a victory. When either dropped behind they would fight back to equalise and get one hit ahead and but no more sense of urgency to score further. In that match you can also see the majority of hits made with one action after which fencers are either passed each other or are into each other's distance. This I am honest enough to say is what we are used to see in mainstream won's matches.

But where you there to see the finals of women's foil team, then you would have been on your knees admiring the determination, skill, fight and the flamboyantly technical moves executed there. I was presently shocked to see so many great moments of fencing excellence. forty to fifty present of hits were not a simple single attack. And how about this; you can count on a single hand the number of simultaneous attacks. These are unbelievable statistics. Vezzali, six times world title and she was in tears when she lost the deciding hit. This is because both teams deserved the medal. Now how about this to add to the flavor; The international federation introduced very harsh changes in timing to eliminate flick hits. Top men fencers like Joppich, Sanzo and Vanni had great problems to adjust. But guess what Ida Chanaeva of Russia produces hits to shoulder in the finals against world champions!

This is was truly an epic match and a classic. This is one of those matches that you keep in your memory for always.

Never expect the expected
This was one championships that the finals was a safe bet. Sanzo v Cassara, Vezzali v Trillini. But that was not be. Cassara never fired up and Sanzo fought but did not make it. Vezzali Made it but Granbassi made sure Trillini didn't. Who expected Joaquim Videira of Portugal to be in the finals with Lei Wang in men's epee in the presence of giants like Fabrice Jeannet. So if there is one thing you learn, is that all the training you do is great and without which you many not get anywhere. But ultimately it's your ability to rise to the occasion on the day that would deliver you the results.

Have the right upper hand
There has been a myth associated with left hand v right hand fencers. It had even been suggested that it is the left hand side of the brain that decision making is made therefore giving lefthanders a sight advantage in speed. Whatever the case may be, this championships certainly buts the whole myth of left handers superiority to bet and gives the upper hand to the right hand.
Men's Foil Final: Baldini left handed v Joppich right handed. Joppich wins
Women's Foil Final: Right against right
Men's Epee Final: Right against right
Women's Epee Final: Left against left
Men's Saber:
Women's Saber: Right against right

Day One: The Turin fencing world senior championships kicked off with the qualification rounds of women's foil. This saw all the usual suspects get through. In the evening a truly lavish and a very welcoming open ceremony to the 80th world championships took place at the Open square of San Carlo. The whole town celebrated fencing which was all too evident in the numerous displays of fencing in so many shop fronts.

Day Two: The second day was the first serious day. Both women's foil and men's saber fenced to the finals to decide the medals. There was no surprise to see Stanislav Pozdniakov leading the way. Three world titles and an olympic medal is enough experience to see him through to the podium. But in women's foil, the expected Trillini-Vazzali final was not to be. This is because a younger fencer, Margherita Granbassi also of Italy took her out and squared up to face The legend of women's foil Valentina Vezzali. Margherita did not look happy just to make the finals she was after the title. This good looking looking Italian showed off some beautiful footwork and crisp technique. She surprised everyone and she deserved to be the new world champion of women's foil.

Day Three: The third day was the qualifying round for men's foil. All four of the GB team made it through. All had to fight of a knockout mach to get to the next day accept James Beavers claimed who claimed a bye after coming undefeated in the pools round. The only upset was Uzbek national champion Ruslan Kudayev who made the last eight at the world championships last year. He lost to non other that BG's Richard Kruse.

Day Four: This was a day of may disappointments. All GB team fencers were out in the first knockout. Keith he did all he can and David did put up a good fight against Baldini. however, Richard and James, the stars of the BG team, didn't even get into it. That equally applied to the Italian big guns. Andrea Cassara couldn't find his rhythm nor was the great technique of Salvatore was there to aid him. The other two italians however kept winning. Stefano somehow fed on the huge italian support to get his hits. Baldini despite some leg problems struggled on. Eventually Peter Joppich came out victorious over Andrea Baldini in a tit for tat finals. Women's epee came to final class with two old rivals from Hungary making the semifinals. Emese Szasa doesn't make it to the finals which gave Timea Nagy, a mother of thee, an easy ride in the finals to claim her title. At 36, she is the oldest World Champion this year.

Day Five: Well, everyone deserves a break and fencers too. So this was the day of rest. Good job too as everyone needs to clear their heads and get ready for the team events. I was planning a trip to Milan, but I had a meeting planned with a german coach, Uli Shreck, Peter Joppich's coach. Also I was warned by a certain Turinian diver about the bad roadworks on the main motorway. So instead, I took a trip around town and the outskirts of Turin.

Day Six: Stay tuned. Report to follow