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The annual U.S. National Championships is the opportunity for emerging Minnesota competitors to test their skills against the best fencers from across the country.  Chisago Lakes area fencer Fred Thibodeau won that opportunity on April 24 by finishing second in the Epee event at the Minnesota Division National Qualifier.  Fencing has three events – Foil, Epee, and Saber.  Thibodeau does Epee which is the larger dueling-style sword and fencers can score anywhere on the body.  

Thibodeau followed up his April performance with a third place finish at the Minnesota Open at the University of Minnesota on May 7.  The Minnesota Open’s Epee field of 22 fencers had 16 United States Fencing Association (USFA) classified fencers from Minnesota, North Dakota, Iowa, and Illinois. All fencers start out as Unclassified and must win their way up the ladder of classifications from E-class up to A-class. This normally is done over years of competition.  Thibodeau, who had his best day ever, started the tournament as an E-fencer and finished as a C-fencer. Along the way, he defeated several fencers of higher ranking, including eliminating both of the B-class fencers in the tournament.

Fred Thibodeau, a sophomore at Chisago Lakes High School, has steadily been moving up in the ranks of Minnesota USFA and high school fencers over the past years.  In 2015, Thibodeau earned his first USFA classification.  In 2016, he was selected Minnesota High School First Team All-State.  Winning a C-classification and competing at the U.S. Nationals this summer in Dallas, Texas are two huge steps forward in his development. Thibodeau will fence in both the Division II and Division III senior national championship tournaments.  Winning his C-classification prior to Nationals greatly improves his national seeding for the tournaments.  And Thibodeau hopes to still be fencing late in the day in Dallas.

The U.S. Fencing Nationals is being held June 29 – July 8 at the Dallas Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center.  The venue is hosting a multi-sport festival that week including USA Fencing, Boxing, and Volleyball. The festival provides an opportunity for spectators to become more familiar with all three of these Olympic sports and see top competitors in action. 

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