News

Day Five of the European Fencing Championships 2025 in Genova brought double delight for France, as both their men’s épée and women’s sabre teams climbed to the top of the podium. With high-level team spirit, composure under pressure, and remarkable depth, the French delegations delivered a powerful message: they are here to reign.

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Men’s Épée: Gold for France, History for the Netherlands

France's men's épée team confirmed their status as Europe’s finest by securing another gold medal, just as they had done last year in Basel. The squad—Paul Allegre, Alexandre Bardenet, Gaetan Billa, and Luidgi Midelton—fought with poise and confidence, using a balanced blend of technique and tactical control to dominate their matches and reaffirm their continental supremacy.

But it was the Netherlands who provided the surprise of the day. Tristan Tulen, Rafael Tulen, David van Nunen, and Konrad Veenenbos achieved a historic silver medal for their country, navigating a turbulent path through the tableau. They defeated Poland, stunned reigning Olympic champions Hungary, and overcame Germany to reach the final—proving that resilience and belief can break new ground.

Italy, fencing at home in front of a passionate crowd, secured bronze. The team—Gianpaolo Buzzacchino, Davide Di Veroli, Matteo Galassi, and Andrea Santarelli—brought together individual excellence and team unity. Galassi and Santarelli had already medalled in the individual competition, and they added another chapter to their success by standing on the podium once again.

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Women’s Sabre: France Shines with a Renewed Line-up

In the women’s sabre team event, France once again stood tallest. With just one returning member from last year’s victorious team—Sarah Noutcha—the French squad added fresh strength with Sara Balzer, Faustine Clapier, and Toscane Tori. Despite the changes, their path to gold was marked by clarity and dominance. Every bout was secured with comfortable margins, a true testament to the depth and power of France in this discipline.

Poland emerged as a standout contender, delivering their best team performance in recent years. Zuzanna Cieślar, Zuzanna Lenkiewicz, Sylwia Matuszak, and Angelika Wątor fought their way to the final with precision and teamwork, securing a well-deserved silver medal and inspiring a new wave of confidence in Polish sabre.

Italy’s bronze was earned through grit and comeback spirit. After falling behind significantly in the bronze medal match, Michela Battiston, Chiara Mormile, Manuela Spica, and Mariella Viale rallied in the final stages. Their last two bouts turned the tide in Italy’s favour, sending the crowd into celebration and adding another medal to the host nation's tally.

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Up Next: Final Day of Team Events

The sixth day of the Championships will bring the final team titles:

– 09:00 | Épée Women Teams
– 11:30 | Foil Men Teams
– 17:30 | Team Finals

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Follow the Action
Live results and full schedules:
https://www.fencingtimelive.com/tournaments/eventSchedule/6F3E353632504FA28F3B81389D3490BE

Livestream on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@FIEvideo

Behind-the-scenes and interviews:
https://www.instagram.com/eurofencing/