Surrey Fencers show cutting edge

Fencing is often a misunderstood sport and is certainly not at the forefront of our national sporting focus. In this country, sports like football, rugby and cricket dominate the scene, taking all the inches of column space, while sports such as fencing get neglected – possibly due to the lack of good quality fencing puns – well not any more!

Surrey  women’s  1st Team fencers have made a stunning start to the season, winning all three matches in their first ever season in the BUCS (British Universities and College Sports) league. The team has contributed more than most to ensure that fencing is the University’s best performing sport so far. So what’s the secret? Well, there are many...and I may be about to expose them, so I’ll have to be “on-guard” for the next few weeks.

Captain Rebecca Smethurst has cited many factors as contributors to the success, including “excellent coaching from Andy Reynolds and assistant coach Alex Bela” as well as thanking a “very dedicated and strong team.” Smethurst, typically humble throughout our ‘interview’ – essentially a fragmented exchange of emails – says that the team aims to “stay focused and to try to retain our 100% record and get more ladies involved with the team” before stating her pride and happiness in the team’s progress.

Members Liz Ng, Grace Edmund, Flora Da, Minna Wilke and Smethurst will be aiming to put their next opponents – UCL and fellow unbeaten team, University of Sussex – to the sword.