TUNISI (TUNISIA) (ITALPRESS) – Favaretto in gold, Errigo in silver. The season of the Italian women’s foil at the World Cup began with a resounding double win, in the stage that kicked off the new Olympic quadrennium for coach Stefano Cerioni’s group. In Tunis, the Hymn of Mameli sounded for the success of Martina Favaretto, winner in the final in the Italian derby against her captain Arianna Errigo. The 23-year-old Venetian of the Fiamme Oro thus wins her fifth career victory in the rainbow circuit, while for the Lombard Carabiniera it is podium number 59 in her career. Extraordinary numbers, which give further significance to the second place of the flag-bearer of Italy at the last Olympic Games and to the affirmation of the young policewoman sanctioned by the 15-5 verdict in her favor in the assault between teammates of the silver medal team in Paris 2024. In the men’s event, however, Tommaso Martini (7th place) finished one step away from the podium. Errigo and Favaretto’s competition started with victories in the first round against Poland’s Zurawska 15-9 and over Poland’s Lachman 15-4, respectively. In the round of 32 derby azzurro for Errigo who overcame Erica Cipressa 15-9 while Favaretto got the better of French Recher with a score of 15-3. Double all-Italian challenge in the round of 16 with the Lombardy-born Carabiniera beating Martina Sinigalia 15-8 and the Fiamme Oro’s Venetian winning a comeback over Francesca Palumbo 15-13. Cerioni’s foil girls continued their ride in the quarters with victories for Errigo over Japan’s Ueno 15-8 and for Favaretto over Spain’s Marino 15-5, assaults that gave both the certainty of the podium. In the semifinals, the two azzurre continued their run with two very clear victories: Errigo won 15-10 over Poland’s Wolczyk-Klimaszyk while Favaretto beat Canada’s Harvey (bronze medalist at the Paris 2024 Games) 15-8. So it came down to the all-Italian final in Tunis, which saw success, the fifth in her World Cup career, for Favaretto, who got the better of Errigo (on her 59th career podium in the circuit) 15-5. As for the other azzurre, Elena Tangherlini (11th), Francesca Palumbo (12th) and Martina Sinigalia (15th) also finished among the “top 16”; followed by 17th place for Martina Batini, 22nd Anna Cristino, 30th Erica Cipressa, 51st Camila Mancini and 62nd Aurora Grandis. In the men’s competition, Tommaso Martini’s performance stopped one step short of the podium. The Tuscan foilist began his test with a success in the first match of the day against France’s Ediri 15-8. In the 32’s scoreboard, the Carabiniere class of 2002 made his own the Italian derby against Paris 2024 silver medalist Filippo Macchi in a great match resolved at the last hit, with a score of 15-14. Martini’s run then continued with a 15-8 win over transalpine Pauty that allowed him to enter the “top 8.” In the quarters the stop for the Italian, stopped on 15-7 by the Egyptian Hamza. However, the 7th place finish for Tommaso Martini represents the best result in his career in the Absolute World Cup circuit. Four in all were the Italian foil fencers who entered the top 16 in the first stage of the season in Tunis: 10th Guillaume Bianchi, 11th Alessio Foconi, 13th Davide Filippi, and 15th Giulio Lombardi (who had defeated two-time Olympic champion Cheung 15-7 in the 32’s draw). Next: 18th Filippo Macchi, 34th Edoardo Luperi, 35th Damiano Di Veroli, 40th Giuseppe Franzoni. Tomorrow is the fourth and final day of the 2024/2025 World Cup debut event for foil with the two team competitions. In the women’s competition, Italy of coach Cerioni will be on the piste with the quartet composed of Arianna Errigo, Martina Favaretto, Anna Cristino and Elena Tangherlini. The men’s blue team will instead line up with Guillaume Bianchi, Alessio Foconi, Filippo Macchi and Giulio Lombardi.- Photo Federscherma Press Office -(ITALPRESS).
