Brentwood School fencers recently returned from the Public Schools Fencing Championships having once again won the overall title as well as winning a number of individual medals and team trophies.  In total 1,300 pupils from 150 schools from all over the country took part in this competition, held at Nottingham University.

34 fencers aged from 12 - 18 represented the school at the Championships and these ranged from 8 British International fencers to pupils who have only been fencing for just over a year but who were still able to gain valuable points for their school.  The School's international fencers are: Grace O'Connell (U20 Sabre), Ashley Henderson and Alasdair Hooper (U17 Sabre), Hee Ah Cho (U17 Foil), Alex Brown, Luke Harding and Phil Robinson (U15 Sabre) and George Baxter (U15 Foil).  The fencers were accompanied by 8 members of the School's Fencing staff along with 6 former pupils who all return regularly to the School to continue with their fencing and were at the Championships to referee and to coach the School's fencers.

The Championships were held in Nottingham over 3 days with men's and women's events being held in Sabre, Foil and Epee in three age groups; Senior (Years 12 and 13), Junior (Years 10 and 11) and Mount-Haes (Years 8 and 9).  Each fencer is able to fence not only in their own weapon but also in the other two weapons in order to gain points for their school.

In Foil, Brentwood pupils achieved 3 medals; George Baxter won the Men's Junior event, Josefine Engel won the Women's Junior event and Johannes Spicker took bronze in the Men's Senior competition.  Baxter also won the Junior Master-At-Arms trophy which is presented to the individual who scores the greatest number of points across all three weapons in his age group.

In Sabre, which has traditionally been Brentwood's strongest weapon, 6 medals were won; Alasdair Hooper won Gold in the Men's Junior event beating fellow international Harry Boteler of Eton College and Alex Brown took Bronze in the same event.  Grace O'Connell won Silver in the Women's Senior event and in the Women's Mount-Haes competition Brentwood took 3 of the 4 medals with Sian Cameron winning Silver and Lauren Tai and Lauren Verheijen both taking Bronze.

In addition to winning the Overall Combined Trophy (presented to the school which scores the greatest number of points in all events), Brentwood also won The Ann Williamson Cup (greatest number of points in all Girls' events), The Graham Langton Cup (greatest increase in points in Girls' events), The Paddy Power Cup (highest number of points at Junior age group across all three Boys' weapons), The Brian Howes Sabre Cup (presented to the school with the highest number of Boys reaching the Last 8 in Sabre across all three age groups) and the Old Millfieldians Cup (presented to the school with the highest number of Girls reaching the Last 8 in Sabre across all three age groups).

Following the Championships, Brentwood's Master-in-Charge of Fencing David Sach said, ‘It was good to see individuals compete at their best to win their respective events but also to see everyone work together for the team trophies. This result is especially pleasing as none of our fencers are leaving this year so we should field an even stronger team next year.'

Full results were as follows:
FOIL: Men's Senior - 3^rd Johannes Spicker, Last 64 Alex Tai and Tadhg Sullivan, Last 128 Ashley Henderson.  Junior - 1^st George Baxter, 7^th Fred Brown, Last 32 Sari Samman, Last 128 Alex Brown, Alasdair Hooper, Tom Miller, Miles Aubert, Phil Robinson, Merlin Betts. Mount-Haes - 7^th Robbie Carver, Last 32 Ben Saunders, Luke Harding, Oliver Ward, Last 64 Robert Dunham, Nikita Usichenko, Last 128 Thomas Pattle, Richard Ketelle, Petrok Lawrence, Alex Rayner.

Women's Senior - Last 16 Hee Ah Cho, Last 32 Grace O'Connell. Junior - 1^st Josefine Engel, 6^th Rebecca Lissmann, Last 64 Sophie Jarvis. Mount-Haes - 7^th Chloe Hooper, 8^th Lauren Tai, Last 16 Leslie Stowe, Last 32 Lauren Verheijen, Last 64 Sian Cameron, Harriet McNish-Porter

SABRE: Men's Senior - 6^th Tadhg Sullivan, 8^th Ashley Henderson, Last 16 Johannes Spicker, Last 32 Alex Tai.  Junior - 1^st Alasdair Hooper, 3^rd Alex brown 6^th Sari Samman, Last 16 George Baxter, Tom Miller, Phil Robinson, Last 32 Fred Brown, Merlin Betts, Last 128 Miles Aubert.  Mount-Haes - 6^th Luke Harding, Last 32 Ben Saunders, Thomas Pattle,Robbie Carver, Last 64 Nikita Usichenko, Oliver Ward, Petrok Lawrence, Richard Ketelle, Robert Dunham, Alex Rayner.

Women's Senior - 2^nd Grace O'Connell, Last 16 Hee Ah Cho, Junior - 8^th Rebecca Lissmann, Last 16 Josefine Engel, Sophie Jarvis.  Mount-Haes - 2^nd Sian Cameron, 3^rd Lauren Tai, 3^rd Lauren Verheijen, 6^th Leslie Stowe, Last 16 Chloe Hooper, Harriet McNish-Porter.

EPEE: Men's Senior - 7^th Johannes Spicker, Last 64 Alex Tai, Ashley Henderson, Last 128 Tadhg Sullivan.  Junior - 5^th Sari Samman, Last 32 Fred Brown, Phil Robinson, Last 64 George Baxter, Tom Miller, Last 128 Alasdair Hooper Alex Brown, Merlin Betts, Miles Aubert.  Mount-Haes - Last 32 Ben Saunders, Oliver Ward, Robbie Carver, Thomas Pattle, Last 64 Robert Dunham, Luke Harding, Nikita Usichenko, Last 128 Richard Ketelle, Petrok Lawrence, Alex Rayner.

Women's Senior - Last 16 Hee Ah Cho, Last 32 Grace O'Connell, Junior - Last 16 Rebecca Lissman, Last 64 Josefine Engel, Sophie Jarvis.  Mount-Haes - 7^th Lauren Tai, Last 16 Chloe Hooper, Last 32 Lauren Verheijen, Sian Cameron, Leslie Stowe, Last 64 Harrriet McNish-Porter.