Canlas Fencing sets the table in PFA Cadet/Junior opener

c/o Philippine Fencing Association

Members of the Canlas Fencing community stepped up and showed out in the first leg of the Philippines Fencing Association's ranking tournaments for Cadet and Junior fencers last March 21-22 at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum.

The competition, called the Dr. Celso L. Dayrit Memorial Fencing Championships, took place days after the conclusion of the UAAP Fencing Championships that was held at the University of Makati.

Leading the charge for the club are the Canlas sisters, with Nina netting two gold medals in Women's Epee and Nicol securing a gold and a bronze in Women's Sabre. The former dispatch a couple of Oblation Fencing competitors, Sophia Carig in the semifinals, and Faith Olemos in the final to claim the Cadet crown on Saturday, before defeating fellow Red Warrior Mika Ragot in the semifinals and Justa Sandoval of UP in the final for Juniors the next day.

As for the latter, she managed to defeat Liah Gillana in the semifinals, 15-7, avenging her defeat to the UST HS standout in the UAAP Girls Sabre semifinal a week earlier. Nicol then dispatched CF teammate Gabrielle Wynter Ang in the final, 15-12 for the Cadet crown.

She almost matched her sister's feat, but lost to Nadelle Turiano in the semifinals, 15-7. The Canadian-based fencer topped the Junior crown with a 15-13 win over Arianna Tiu of Republic Fencing.

All-CF match-ups also popped up on both days, with Oscar del Castillo defeating Franco Pediapco in the Cadet Men's Epee final, while it was a pure CF podium on Junior Men's Foil, with Nathan Canlas defeating Marcus Antonio Manuel in the final, 15-4. James Limuel Lim beat his fellow Red Warrior Brynt Gale for the bronze, 15-13.

Willa Galvez took advantage of Sophia Catantan incurring an injury during the knockout rounds to claim the Cadet Women's Foil title, dispatching Hagia Sophia del Castillo. With Catantan ruled out for the next day's Junior action, the younger del Castillo bounced back to top the action against Jodie Tan.

Other winners include Xavier's Gabriel Marcus Chua in Cadet Men's Foil, UST's Antonio Baydid in Cadet Men's Sabre, Matt Jacob Mayo in Junior Men's Epee, and Charles Babatio in Junior Men's Sabre.

The second leg of the Cadet and Junior ranking tournament is slated to take place next month.