FIE Grand Prix Series Brings Foil Champions to Anaheim

USA Fencing is pleased to announce that the Federation Internationale d'Escrime has selected the United States to host a Grand Prix for the fourth straight season.

From March 16-18, 2018, Southern California will be the home to the FIE Grand Prix Anaheim where more than 300 of the world's best foil fencers will vie for gold.

The Grand Prix series features a total of nine events per season across three regions - Europe, Asia and the Americas. A Grand Prix for each weapon - epee, foil and saber - will be held in each of the three regions and Anaheim joins cities such as Shanghai, Budapest and Cancun in welcoming past and future Olympic Champions.

"Hosting the FIE Grand Prix in Anaheim is an absolute honor," said Roy Edmondson (Anaheim, Calif.), vice president, sports development, Visit Anaheim. "As a destination, our mission is to grow amateur sports in our county, supporting the next generation of superstar athletes. Welcoming the Grand Prix to Anaheim is a prime opportunity to showcase the amazing competitive infrastructure we have put in place so that the World's best fencers can compete at this elite level."

Competition will be held at the Anaheim Convention Center - the site of the 2012 USA Fencing National Championships as well as the 2017 USA Fencing October North American Cup. In addition to an outstanding location in the heart of Southern California, the Anaheim Convention Center is within walking distance of Disneyland®.

Anaheim has hosted numerous major sporting events in the past, including the 2006 World Gymnastics Championships, 2005 World Badminton Championships, 2016 NCAA Men's Basketball Western Regional Finals and, most recently, the 2017 P&G Gymnastics Championships.

"USA Fencing is delighted to host one of the most prestigious events on U.S. soil in Anaheim," said USA Fencing Senior Director of Operations

Christine Strong-Simmons (Colorado Springs, Colo.) "Our indispensable partnership with Visit Anaheim was instrumental in placing this event in Southern California and we know that the athletes, delegation members and fans will enjoy their experience in this outstanding city."

The 2018 FIE Grand Prix Anaheim will mark the second time a Grand Prix event has been held in California and follows two saber Grand Prix events on the East Coast with the 2014 FIE Grand Prix held in New York and the 2015 edition held in Boston.

Athletes from more than 30 nations are expected to compete in Anaheim. Team USA will field a strong contingent of Olympic and World medalists with the following athletes expected to vie for gold:

Alexander Massialas (San Francisco, Calif.), two-time Olympic and three-time Senior World medalist

Miles Chamley-Watson (New York City, N.Y.), 2016 Olympic team bronze medalist and 2013 Senior World Champion

Gerek Meinhardt (San Francisco, Calif.), 2016 Olympic team bronze medalist and four-time Senior World medalist

Race Imboden (Brooklyn, N.Y.), 2016 Olympic team bronze medalist and two-time Senior World team medalist

Lee Kiefer (Lexington, Ky.), two-time Olympian and two-time Senior World medalist

Nzingha Prescod (Brooklyn, N.Y.), two-time Olympian and two-time Senior World medalist

Nicole Ross (New York City, N.Y.), 2012 Olympian and 2017 Senior World team silver medalist

Margaret Lu (Greenwich, Conn.), 2017 Senior World team silver medalist

Tickets and VIP packages will go on sale in the coming months at http://r20.rs6.net/tn.jsp?f=001zzkt2T-UK_ShFVQcnjJqyONn4AAtxkl2qxWUp64AepHT_ZlNCBipQps2Q3CQMYbt9jXo7S40u2h1lKYizcn_QQ5h_3l6WWkJ-OCrTA5vPbjPBs4qZw32EIapmd7s0J87C7q9B92jm0WYi2KwUf6UBEIMj5NwmlX5pTjjN14PAWU=&c=mHl0ME-zN_ijVRqTp5bijiHWuUktlQCNQ0BMdgck_Xon25oKV2m6FA==&ch=KbNcnTNACy_8iioTanxXalLa758apovGX9vj_9Cisyt59b-1AT19lw==.

For more information, please contact:

Nicole Jomantas

Tel: 719.761.7909

Email: N.Jomantas@usfencing.org

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