South American News
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South American News
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Date
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April 1941
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volume
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6
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2
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page start
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10
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10
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en
SOUTH AMERICAN NEWS
The Riposte has received the January number of El Esgrimista (The Fencer), a monthly fencing review published in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Interesting news articles and commentaries compose the greater part of this 8-page, double-column, printed magazine, which is now finishing its second year of existence. The January number (No. 20) is of special interest to us because it quotes a message of goodwill from our President, Dr. John R. Huffman, to Mr. Luis Herrera V., President of the Chilean Fencing Federation, and because it gives us a detailed account not only of Argentina’s national championships but also of the Chilean events and of a series of international matches between Brazil and Uruguay. Since the Pan-American Olympic Games are scheduled for Buenos Aires in 1942, we believe that readers of The Riposte will enjoy becoming acquainted with the names of the leading fencers of the Southern Hemisphere. Here, then, in brief, is the story of the 1940 Championships held last December (it is summer in December down there, you know).
Argentina
Women's Foil: Miss Josefina Braga was undefeated in six bouts, winning over the 1939 champion, Miss Elsa Irigoyen, 4-3 in the final and deciding encounter. Miss Julia Bonafina was third.
Men's Foil: Raul Saucedo (well known to American fencers as a member of the 1932 and 1936 Argentine Olympic Team) defeated Ricardo Mallou, 5-2, in a fence-off after each had finished with 8 victories in the round-robin of 10. Felix Galimi was third.
Sabre: A three-way tie for first place was settled by a fence-off, with Albino Aguera placing first, Huergo second, and Gutierrez Morel third. Each had won 5 bouts in the 8-man final.
Épée: Young Felix Galimi, with 9 victories, nosed out Raul Saucedo to win first place. Although beaten 3-0 by Saucedo, Galimi was touched only 6 times in 10 bouts. Diaz Arnesto was third. The competition was fenced with electrical weapons.
The following were the results of the Chilean championships:
Foil
1. Mario Maletta
2. Erto Pantoja
3. Renata Simonetti
Épée
1. Hector Moreno
2. Erto Pantoja
3. Renato Simonetti
Sabre
1. Lt. Leopoldo Silva Cubillos
2. Hector Gacitua
3. Enrique Accorsi
The international Tournament (Baron de Rio Branco trophies) – between Brazil and Uruguay resulted in brilliant victories for the Uruguay fencers, as follows:
Team Events
Foil: Uruguay 9, Brazil 7.
Épée: Uruguay 10, Brazil 4 (two bouts tied).
Sabre: Uruguay 8, Brazil 8 (Uruguay winning on touches, 67-57).
Individual Events
Foil: Won by Sergio Jesi (U), undefeated in 9 bouts.
Épée: Won by Juan Olegui (U) 5 victories in final.
Sabre: Won by Hildemaro Lista (U), with 8 victories and 1 defeat.
The commentaries about competitive fencing in Argentina sound a familiar note: One writer complains about long competitions which last until two or three o’clock in the morning (with consequent domestic difficulties) and suggests the adoption of Sunday tournaments. Another speaks of the inadequacy of the judging, especially from old-timers who seldom appear at competitions and expect to officiate at the championship events. The electrical épée machine is said to work satisfactorily, but the weapons seem to break down as much as ours here in the United States. The ladies appear in all sorts of costumes, in utter disregard of the rules. Difficulties with the rules of classification of fencers include the fact that national championships are limited to First Class or Senior fencers, leading to a suggestion for a "first ten" list similar to that of our Ranking Fencers. Problems of scheduling events have also been noted—it is suggested that instead of concentrating the championships in one week, they be held over a period of four months, one event a month. Problems of interpretation of the rules, and a long explanation of the "benefit of the doubt" principle.
Special Troubles in Argentina: Absence of the President from the championships. Complaints about disregard for the rule prohibiting competitors from serving as members of the Bout Committee or as officials. Lateness in awarding prizes (the 1939 winners received their medals at the 1940 championships).
It seems to us that fencing is much the same everywhere, and that our common problems, and our similar difficulties in meeting them, will do as much as anything else to give fencers in the United States a feeling of close kinship with fencers of our sister republics in the Americas.
—M. A. de Capriles.
