Glory for Mason in National contest (From Redditch Advertiser)

Glory for Mason in National contest

8:00am Thursday 10th January 2013 in Sport

REDDITCH fencing star Anita Mason saw off some stiff competition to win the National Senior Open in Malvern.

The 19-year-old from Redditch Fencing Club was in dominant mood as she powered to her first open title success.

She won all but one of her 12 pool fights in the women’s foil competition and took a high seeding through to the knock-out stage.

She had a fairly easy run through to the semi-final where she met long-time nemesis Chiara McDermott from East Sussex.

Mason took an early lead and showed great maturity, keeping her head and using her footwork to stop her opponent from attacking and emerged as a 15-11 winner.

In the final, she then saw off Shetland’s Sophie Drosso 15-8.

Club-mate James Harris, 22, retained his men’s epee title with a series of impressive displays.

Harris won all of his pool fights and qualified for the knockout stages as second seed.

His progression through to the semi-final was professional as ever where he met county and regional team-mate, John Leahey from the local Malvern club.

Harris’ patience paid off as he saw off Leahey 15-11 to book his place in the final.

In the title-decider, he defeated Cardiff’s James Taylor in six minutes with a series of swift counters.

Matt Rowland finished in seventh place and Harris’ brother Richard in 16th.

In the men’s foil competition, James Renhard, once a fencer at Redditch Youth Fencing Club and now at Plymouth University, finished in 25th a great result in his first competitive season.

Biggest smile of the weekend went to local favourite Emma Potter who won the women’s sabre competition for the first time on her 10th attempt.

Mason and Harris are both coaches at Redditch Fencing Club.

They started fencing aged between eight and 10 years old and have gone on to achieve great things in their fencing careers, all the staff, students and coaching team greatly appreciate them giving up their time to help coach the next generation of open champions.

The club meets every Saturday morning at Trinity High School in Redditch between 10am and noon.