From a fencing parent:
South Orange Middle School foil fencer Zander Rhodes won the gold medal at the American Challenge Regional Circuit (ROC) Region 3, held in Metuchen, New Jersey. Thirty-six regional fencers competed in this C2 Senior Women’s Foil event.
Thirteen year old Rhodes also placed 24th in the Division 1A Senior Women’s Foil event with an A2 classification and fifty-nine competitors. Rhodes has been fencing since the age of seven, under the tutelage of former Ukrainian international fencer, Serge Vashkevich. She trains with Maplewood’s international foil fencing champion Jack Woods, at the new V Fencing Club in Livingston.
Coach Vashkevich says, “Zander trains hard, and is now fencing at a much higher level. We saw this at the summer national fencing championships when she convincingly defeated seniors who are successful fencers on the national stage.”
Given the recent success of saber fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad at the Olympics, the Maplewood/ South Orange area will continue to be in the national spotlight for fencers of all different ages.
