Fencing, CdM: Sara Kowalczyk and Giulia Rizzi give Italy a dream start

Great start for Italy in World Cup

After the Olympic smiles also come from the start of the World Cup fencing season important results for the Italian movement. In Fujairah, site of the opening stage of the 2024/2025 season, Sara Kowalczyk and Giulia Rizzi in fact won gold and silver in the women's epee tournament, thus immediately taking the top two positions in the rankings.

Earlier in the day Rizzi overcame Hungarian Toth 8-7, while Kowalczyk è won 15-10 over Poland’s Brych. Later, the Friulian of the Fiamme Oro beat Ukrainian Bezhura 10-9, while the Caserta-based epee player carded for the Army defeated US Husisian 15-11.

Qualification for the quarters è came with Rizzi’s 15-10 success over France’s Louise Marie and Kowalczyk’s 15-9 win over Switzerland’s Brunner. The two Italians also commanded and managed very well the assaults for the entrance into the medal zone: Giulia Rizzi beat French Sersat 15-12 while Sara Kowalczyk acquired the certainty of her first medal in the Cup by imposing 15-13 on Hungarian Muhari.

The Italian double ride experienced its last great joy in the semifinals: first with Rizzi’s 13-7 win over French Remi and then with Kowalczyk’s 15-12 success over Estonian Embrich, verdicts that decreed the Italian derby for the top step of the podium. In the all-Italian final, Kowalczyk immediately took the lead, managing the advantage well and closing on 15-10 the assault that delivered her first historic World Cup victory, leaving Giulia with a still important silver.