I’m going to start this post with a confession.
Officially, we’ve been absent for ages because we’ve been crazy busy with club stuff and migrating the blog to a new host. But that’s not the real reason I didn’t post anything from the Seoul Grand Prix.
When Junghwan Kim, the last Korean standing by the round of 8, got his second red card for crossing feet and was then knocked out of the tournament on a dirty counterattack from Rousset, I may have thrown something at the television and stormed off like the partisan fangirl I am. I saw the final was Rousset v Limbach and made numerous rude remarks about how I’d rather watch paint dry.
Turns out I’m an idiot, and the final was fantastic. And not just because of the exuberant French and German cheer squads in the stands, displaying the kind of spectator engagement fencing could generally do with more of.
It was a bravura display of ballsy and flamboyant defense from Limbach, who was showing a flair I’d never previously associated with him. He’s still not exactly the most graceful fencer I’ve ever seen, but the combination of precision footwork, hilarious range and exuberant creativity is spectacular.
In that vein, ladies and gentlemen, I present to you our first installment in the new Epic Sabre series:
Epic Sabre Seoul Edition: Nicolas Limbach Parries Things
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To quote Andrew Fischl: “Yeah, let’s start like that.”
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Lovely bit of countertime. Won Wooyoung would approve.
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“Was that a prime? That was totally a prime.” Yes, yes it was. Off a feint seconde. Anyway, we know who won that sword fight.
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Neat. Effective.
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Who does prime twice in one match? Limbach, that’s who. Very nearly very awesome, but unfortunately off the strip.
Anyway, then he got sick of prime and decided to go even further down the list of 1% moves.
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That, kids, is a classy way to win a grand prix. I suspect point-in-line is easier when you have the kind of wingspan typically associated with exotic Soviet-era cargo aircraft, but still.
Here’s the full match, also featuring a truly vicious counterattack from Rousset, an enthusiastic audience and typically wry commentary from Mr Fischl.
I promise we’ll be back with more in less than 3 months.
Tomorrow in fact.