ZFW WOMEN HONOURED FOR FENCING PROGRESS

PRESS RELEASE: ZFW WOMEN HONOURED FOR FENCING PROGRESS

SUNDAY JUNE 28, 2020: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Attached Composite Photo:

Amelie Tsang (top left), Yasmin Campbell (top right) and Carolina Stutchbury (bottom right) share this year’s Susan Wojciechowska (bottom left) award for progress and development by women in fencing.

PHOTO CREDIT: ZFW Fencing Club

ZFW WOMEN HONOURED FOR FENCING PROGRESS

Three young women at north London fencing club ZFW have been honoured for their athletic endeavours with an annual award that recognises development. Yasmin Campbell, Carolina Stutchbury and Amelie Tsang shared this year’s Susan Wojciechowska award for progress by women in the sport.

Stutchbury, aged 14, earned international accolades with a bronze-medal victory in February at the Cadet (Under 17) European Fencing Championships in Porec, Croatia. The Croatia competition was among the last to be held before international fencing was shuttered by Covid-19.

Campbell is Britain’s top-ranked Junior (Under 20) foilist. She qualified to represent Great Britain at both the European and World Junior Championships; the Worlds were scheduled for Salt Lake City, Utah in March and April but did not take place because of the pandemic.

Tsang, aged 13, a consistent podium presence at home and abroad, also qualified for the European and World Championships in the Cadet category alongside clubmate Stutchbury.

“This year it was evident that three young fencers from ZFW made significant progress,” said ZFW head coach Ziemek Wojciechowski. “Carolina Stutchbury who trains in in the US, with her bronze medal at the European Cadet Championships, Yasmin Campbell, with her regular top-16 finishes in World Cups, and Amelie Tsang, with her international and domestic medals. All three are very talented and are also working incredibly hard to achieve further improvement.”

Susan Wojciechowska, nee Wrigglesworth, broke new ground when, at the age of 17, she represented Great Britain at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich. A national and Commonwealth champion, she also fenced at the Montreal Olympics in 1976 and the 1980 Games in Moscow. Married to ZFW founder Ziemek Wojciechowski, Susan died of cancer in 1996. Ziemek established the award to honour Susan’s considerable efforts and achievements, consulting within the fencing community to identify promising women foilists.

Tsang said the award has encouraged her to aim high, noting that Wojciechowska “was one of the youngest British fencers to go to the Olympics. This is a wonderful inspiration for me to continue working hard.”

Campbell said she felt honoured to be among this year’s recipients. “For my results to be recognised shows that I am on the right path for greater success,” she said. British Fencing’s rising stars are working to remain (safely) active while fencing halls are shut and international competition is stymied.

Stutchbury said: “I have seen so many great fencers get the award and I didn’t expect it. It was a real surprise and I am grateful to Ziemek for the recognition of all the hard work.” The award comprises a cash prize aimed at supporting training and competition.

Although this year’s award winners all fence for ZFW (Stutchbury also trains at Epic Fencing Club in Atlanta, Georgia, where she currently resides), the award is not limited to ZFW members. Previous recipients include Teagan Williams-Stewart (2018) and Alice Campbell (2016), both of Newham Swords fencing club.

ZFW is run by Olympic Coach Ziemek Wojciechowski with a team of dedicated experts. The club aims to boost the standard of fencing in Britain by providing a centre of excellence for high-performance fencers training for Olympic, international and national teams. It also provides a learning programme with an emphasis on youngsters. ZFW operates from various venues in North London and elsewhere around the capital, although the club is currently impacted by Covid-19 restrictions.

For further details, including of online training, please visit https://www.zfw-fencing.co.uk