FENCING: Absolute Fencing Gear Signs on as Title Sponsor for the Long Beach Foil Grand Prix

USA Fencing is pleased to announce that Absolute Fencing Gear® will be the title sponsor for the FIE Grand Prix Long Beach, to be held from March 17-18 in California.

With only three Grand Prix tournaments held for each weapon annually, the Absolute Fencing Gear® FIE Grand Prix Long Beach will be the first Grand Prix for foil fencers held in the United States in more than a decade.

The official tournament equipment supplier for USA Fencing, Absolute Fencing Gear® has supported bringing international tournaments to the United States since 2012 when Absolute first served as title sponsor for the Chicago Sabre World Cup in 2013.

Absolute also stepped forward as the title sponsor for the last two Grand Prix tournaments held in the United States in 2014 in New York and 2015 in Boston for saber fencers.

Owned and operated by former four-time NCAA All-American foil fencer Gary Lu (Bridgewater, N.J.) and his mother, fencing coach Amanda Ronning (Bridgewater, N.J.), Absolute Fencing Gear® was founded by the family more than 10 years ago and has provided equipment for major events, including the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, 2015 Pan Am Games, 2014 Youth Olympic Games, as well as many other international fencing competitions. Absolute Fencing Gear® also has been the official tournament equipment supplier for USA Fencing since 2012 and provided tournament equipment for all eight of USA Fencing's annual national events.

"Absolute Fencing Gear® has been an outstanding partner to USA Fencing over the last quadrennium and we're looking forward to working with Gary and Amanda again as we prepare to welcome the world to Long Beach," said USA Fencing Executive Director Kris Ekeren (Littleton, Colo.)

The Absolute Fencing Gear® FIE Grand Prix Long Beach will feature more than 300 of the world's best foil fencers with athletes from more than 30 nations expected to attend the second foil Grand Prix of the season. Competition will be held at the Long Beach Convention and Entertainment Center.

For more information, please contact:

Nicole Jomantas

Tel: 719.761.7909

Email: N.Jomantas@usfencing.org

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