It was another terrific spring and summer season of competitions for several Rhode Island Fencing Academy & Club athletes of all ages as they took part in various events leading up the the national championships in Columbus, Ohio.

Among those fencers were a group of Providence Country Day School students, who are required to participate in an athletic endeavor each term.

RIFAC has welcomed both students who want to fulfill their sports obligation in an after-school program and those who have further committed to training with club teams, dedicating significant time and effort to enhancing their fencing expertise.

RIFAC has twice been recognized nationally as a club of excellence, promoting exceptional youth training and skill development. PCD fencers have profited from RIFAC’s instruction as evidenced by a group of current students who have qualified and will be traveling to the National Fencing Championships, held this year in Columbus, Ohio.

The Knights who headed to Ohio included: Elias Kaba, epee fencer; Dean Masse, epee fencer; Jack Masse, epee fencer; Joseph Ripa, foil fencer; Ian Thompson, epee fencer; and Aidan White, epee fencer

Brandeis tournament
RIFAC fencers headed to the Gosman Sports Center at Brandeis University in June each year for the Pomme de Terre fencing tournament, a highly regarded event that serves as a perfectly positioned as warm-up to the National Fencing Championships that took place in Columbus, Ohio.

A number of RIFAC athletes earned top-three or top-eight medals. Barrington produced three medalists: Dasha Smuk with a silver in Senior Women’s Epee, Joseph Ripa with bronze in “E” and Under Men’s Foil, and Vivian Sonpal also with bronze in “E” and Under Women’s Foil. (“Senior” events restrict fencers by age—eligible athletes aged 13 and above. “E” events restrict fencers to those holding a national rating no higher than “E”—ratings range from “A” at the highest to “E.”)

Dasha won all six bouts in her pool and was ranked 1st after this round. She received a bye going into direct elimination, then outscored her opponents in the next four rounds to reach the gold medal bout. Though Dasha just missed gold, she was awarded the silver and a new national rating—an “A,” up from a “B” previously earned in 2023.

Joseph Ripa won four and lost only one bout in pools, emerging 15th after this round. He, too, skipped the first DE and went on to control four successive, victorious DE bouts to reach the semifinals and take the 3rd place bronze. Vivian Sonpal also won all but one bout in pools. She was listed 10th after pools. She earned a first round DE bye and scored victories her next three bouts to reach the semifinals and a bronze medal. With the 3rd place finish, Vivian earned her first national rating of “E.”

Andrew Crowder from Coventry prevailed in Veteran Men’s Foil (for fencers aged 40 and above) to capture another bronze medal for RIFAC. He won four and lost one bout in pools and was listed 2nd prior to DE’s. He had a first round bye, won his next two bouts decisively (scores of 10-2 and 10-3), but lost a heartbreaking semifinal by only one point. Andrew improved his national rating to from “E” to “C” with the bronze medal win.

Tom Bush from Pawcatuck, Conn., made the quarter-finals in Veterans Men’s Epee. He battered the competition in pools, winning every bout in decisive fashion. He received the expected first round DE bye and went on to defeat his next two opponents, reaching the quarter-finals and earning a fifth place medal.

Aidan White from Bristol and Nadav Pessin from Providence split the bronze medal honors in “E” and Under Men’s Epee. Nadav won five and lost only one bout in pools. He was ranked 2nd in this event after the initial competition. He had a first round DE bye and three successive victories prior to reaching the semifinals and securing a bronze. Nadav collected his first national rating of “E” with the 3rd place win. Aidan won three pool bouts and lost two. He was ranked 17th after this round. He, too, earned a first round DE bye and gathered three more wins to reach the semifinals and collect a bronze. Like Nadav, Aidan was awarded a new rating of “E.”

Chaissen Costello from Tiverton, who represented both RIFAC and Sacred Heart University at Pomme de Terre, competed in Senior Men’s Foil, finishing in 6th place out of 116 total fencers. He won four pool bouts, losing only one, before starting DE’s, placing 20th after pools. Like his RIFAC teammates, Chaissen earned a first round DE bye. He had three DE victories before making the quarter finals where he missed a bid for the semi-finals by just one point. Despite that disappointment, Chaissen did significantly improve his overall placement in the event while renewing his “A” rating with the top-eight medal.

Elaine Phuong from Johnston and Didi Sklar from Providence both fenced in “E” and under Women’s Epee. Elaine scored four wins against two losses in pools, ranking 10th after this initial round. She had a first round DE bye and two successful DE bouts. Elaine reached the quarter finals with a 7th place finish in this event. Didi prevailed in three of five pool bouts and was listed 11th, just after Elaine, in pool results. Didi skipped over her first DE with the usual bye and won her next two bouts. Her day ended in the quarter finals, but her 8th place finish was sufficient to snag a prized bag of chips in addition to a medal.

Worcester tournament
Cora Powledge, Didi Sklar, Gareth Stafford and Aidan Fortes Pina collectively displayed their competitive skills gained from training at the Rhode Island Fencing Academy & Club (RIFAC) in E. Providence at a “D” and under/Division III tournament held at Worcester Fencing Club. The singular requirement for participation at the event was a national rating of “D” or under. Fencing ratings range from “A” at the highest to “E.” Cora competed in Women’s Foil, Didi Women’s Epee, Gareth, and Aidan Men’s Foil.

Cora, who lives in Portsmouth, scored three wins against two losses in the pool round. She was ranked 10th overall after pools. Cora successfully progressed through the next three direct elimination bouts after an initial bye. In the gold medal round, Cora was pitted against the fencer ranked #1 after pools. The bout was hard fought and close; Cora won silver, just missing gold by a single point.

Didi, a Providence resident, won four bouts and lost only one in pools. She emerged 8th after this round and earned a bye going into direct elimination. Didi’s first DE was tight, but victorious with a score of 15 to 13. Like Cora, she faced in her next DE the fencer ranked #1 in her event. The bout was even closer than the previous one, sadly, a nail biting loss of 15 to 14. Didi finished the day in 8th place.

Gareth and Aidan shared 3rd place, bronze medal honors in their foil event. Gareth, who lives in Barrington, lost only one of four pool bouts. He was in 7th place after pools and earned a bye going into DE’s. Gareth defeated his next two opponents before reaching the semifinals. Aidan, a North Providence resident, also fenced well in pools, winning four and losing just one bout, placing 4th after pools. As all of his RIFAC teammates, Aidan earned a bye for his first DE. He had two victorious bouts before meeting a tough opponent in the semifinals. Aidan’s bronze medal was undoubtedly sweet and made sweeter with the addition of his first national rating of “E.”

Davidson shines
Diligent training and significant talent clearly paid off for Barrington’s Elliot Davidson who trounced the opposition at a Regional Open Circuit fencing competition held at Boston Fencing Club.

Elliot won the top prize in Division II Men’s Foil. He started strong, winning every bout in his initial pool, and was listed 6th overall after this round. He breezed through four subsequent direct elimination rounds with little difficulty. Elliot had scores of 15-2, 15-7, 15-6, and 15-9 in these DE bouts. In the fifth DE, Elliot was pitted against the fencer ranked #2 after pools. This bout was a nail biter, but Elliot hung on for victory at 15-14. The gold medal bout was less stressful despite the opponent who was #1 out of pools. Elliot showed his dominance with a 15-9 point victory. A special bonus for Elliot in addition to a gold medal was a renewal of his “C” rating, last earned in 2023.

Davidson also fared well in a Regional Open Circuit fencing tournament held at Mission Fencing Club in Rocky Point, NY. The tournament featured Division II and Division 1A events exclusively. Athletes who qualified for Division II were required to hold a national rating of “C” or under on a scale of “A” at the highest to “E.” Division IA had only a basic, minimum age requirement of thirteen years old without rating restrictions.

Elliott scored an 8th place finish out of 51 total fencers in Division II Men’s Foil. He had equal victories and losses in pools, going 3-3, and was ranked 26th after this round. He rolled over his opponent in the first direct elimination bout with a score of 15 to 4. Elliot progressed successfully in the next two DE’s, winning 15-9 and 15-8. He did meet his match in the quarter finals, but his effort to reach the top eight after a DE start at 26th was certainly a credit to his effort and skill. He presently holds a “C” rating in foil.

Boston youth tournament

Boston Fencing Club hosted a tournament exclusively for young athletes in three different age categories: 14 years old and under, 12 and under, and 10 years old and under. Four RIFAC athletes successfully reaching the top eight in their respective categories.

Elias Kaba from Seekonk won gold in Y-12 Mixed Epee (boys and girls competing together). He competed impressively in pools with 6 wins and no losses. He was ranked 1st after pools and, subsequently, showed his skill in the direct elimination rounds. He received a first round bye and breezed through three more DE bouts to decisively achieve victory with a 15-2 point score.

RIFAC teammate Elijah Burdick from East Providence also participated in Y-12 Mixed Epee. His pool results were not as impressive as Elias’ with only one victory, emerging from this round in 29th place. Elijah went to work after that, however, and had a strong performance in DE’s. He had a first round bye, going on to defeat his next two opponents. Elijah lost in the quarter finals, but finished in 8th place overall—quite a comeback after pools!

Griffin Roper from Barrington fenced in Y-10 Mixed Foil. He beat four of five opponents in pools and was ranked 7th after this initial round. Griffin had only token resistance in DE’s with forceful performances, winning 10-0, 10-2, 10-5, and 10-6. He didn’t quite make gold, but fenced with determination in the final round to claim silver after a 10-7 point loss.

Didi Sklar from Providence placed 6th in Y-14 Mixed Epee. She had four wins and only one loss in pools, coming in 5th prior to DE’s. She received a first round bye, won her next DE bout, but ultimately lost in the quarter finals.

Boston qualifier
Fencing at Summer Nationals is the ultimate goal for young athletes seeking to compete with the country’s best, hoping to reach the top eight in their specialty weapon or to be crowned champion in their most skillful event. RIFAC athletes earned their way in through a Division II/III qualifying tournament held at Boston Fencing Club. In fencing, a Division II event restricts participants to athletes holding a national rating of “C” or under. Division III limits fencers to those holding a rating of “D” or under. National ratings range from “A” at the highest to “E.”

In D-II Women’s Epee, RIFAC fencers destroyed the competition by sweeping all top three medals. Natasha Connolly from Providence won gold, Elaine Phuong from Johnston silver, and Didi Sklar from Providence won bronze.

Natasha won five and lost one bout in pools. She was ranked 1st after this initial round. She earned a first round bye in direct elimination and breezed through the next two bouts. For the gold, Natasha fenced her teammate Elaine, scoring a slim victory by only two points. The first place medal also earned Natasha a renewal of her “E” rating last awarded in 2023. Elaine had four victories and two losses in pools; she emerged 3rd after this round. In her first DE bout, she trounced her opponent with a score of 15 to 0. Her next bout was the complete opposite—a tough 15 to 14 win. Elaine won the next DE which put her into the gold medal round. Didi also nailed four wins in pools with two defeats, placing fourth overall before DE’s. She fairly easily shut down her first two opponents, but her third in the semifinal round was the eventual gold medalist Natasha.

Lily Tibbetts from Barrington finished 8th in Div II Women’s Epee. She had equal wins and losses in pools, placing 10th after this initial round. She won her first DE bout, but lost the next in a close 15-13 contest. Natasha, Elaine, and Didi qualified for Nationals in both Division II and III; Lily qualified for Division III.

Cora Powledge from Portsmouth continued the medal streak for RIFAC with a gold medal victory in Division II Women’s Foil. Teammate Elena Lau from Cumberland battled to the semifinal round to capture bronze in the same event. Vivian Sonpal from Barrington placed 7th. Cora won three and lost one bout in pools. She claimed first place after pool results. Her first DE was a basic walk-over 15 to 1 win. The next two DE’s were hard fought and close, but Cora hung on to win gold. The strong result in Boston improved her national rating from “E” to “D.” Elena swept her pool—all victories, no losses. She had two successful DE bouts to reach the semifinal round, though her day ended with a loss to the ultimate silver medalist. The bronze, however, did earn Elena a new rating of “E.” Vivian went 3-2 victories to losses in pools. She emerged 7th after this round. She was victorious in her first DE, but met a difficult opponent in the next. Cora and Elena both qualified for Nationals in Divisions II and III. Vivian qualified for Division III.

In Division II Men’s Foil, Joseph Ripa from Barrington competed with serious determination to score a second place silver medal. Teammate Justin Tibbetts also from Barrington finished 5th in the same event. Both qualified for Division II and III at Nationals. Joseph dominated the competition in pools with five wins and no losses. He ranked second in pool results. He earned a first round DE bye and had little resistance through three more rounds until he reached the gold medal round. Justin missed victory in only one pool bout, emerging 8th after this round. He, too, received a bye for his first DE, but eventually met the gold medalist who ended his competitive day.

Ian Thompson from Pawtucket competed in Division II Men’s Epee. He had three victories and two losses in pools, putting him in 13th place after this round. He received a first round bye and fenced decisively in the next two DE bouts, improving his standing to 6th at the end of the day. Ian qualified for Division II and III at Nationals.

Y-14 national qualifier
RIFAC athletes also vied in a Y-14 national qualifying tournament hosted by Boston Fencing Club. The competition was organized exclusively for athletes aged 14 years old or under and served as a pathway for participation at similar, age-related events at Summer Nationals, the culminating tournament of the American fencing season at which multiple national champions will be crowned.

Patrick DeRosa from Providence had a rather shaky start in Men’s Foil pools, winning only one of his scheduled bouts. He was ranked 14th after this initial round. Patrick’s performance in direct elimination, however, dramatically changed his standing. He breezed through his first two DE bouts without allowing his opponents more than a few points each. Patrick successfully reached the semifinal round where he secured a third place bronze medal and a qualification for Y-14 Men’s Foil at Nationals.

Competing in Women’s Foil, Elena Lau from Cumberland fenced well in pools with four wins and only one loss. She earned a first round bye in direct elimination, won the next round, but ultimately just missed a bronze medal, losing a fence-off for third. Elena officially finished in fourth place.

Didi Sklar from Providence impressed in Women’s Epee pools by sweeping to victory over every one of her fellow competitors. She, too, received a first round bye, but next encountered a strong opponent who prevented her from reaching the top three. She finished the event in 5th place.

NY tournament
Alexandra Smuk from Barrington and Tom Bush from Pawcatuck, CT, both earned top-eight medals at the Premier Challenge Regional Open Circuit (ROC) fencing competition held in the spring at Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York. Alex snagged a 6th place finish in Division IA Women’s Epee while Tom scored a third-place bronze in Veterans Men’s Epee.

Alex fenced a successful pool, dropping only one of her required bouts. She emerged from pools 13th out of 90 total fencers. She earned a first round bye in direct eliminations and grabbed a victory in her next DE. The third DE, unfortunately, ended Alex’s run to the top three. With a 6th place result, she did, however, re-earn her national rating of “A,” the highest available from the United States Fencing Association.

Tom had a similarly successful pool round, defeating all but one of his opponents. He, too, was awarded a first round bye into direct elimination. He proceeded to dispatch his next two adversaries, ultimately reaching the semifinal round and claiming a 3rd place bronze. Tom also received a bonus with his medal, a national rating of “B,” up from the “C,” he had last earned earlier in 2024.

All of the RIFAC athletes train under the direction of lead coach Alex Ripa and his staff out of the club's location on Almeida Avenue in East Providence.