Italian
Fourth consecutive European triumph for the azure fencers who beat France in extra time. Silver instead for the male saber team
GENOA – The fourth thrilling day of the 2025 European Fencing Championships in Genoa ended with two stunning medals. The Dream Team of the women’s foil, composed of Arianna Errigo, Martina Batini, Anna Cristino, and Alice Volpi, struck again, albeit with a nail-biting finish, beating France 38-37. Instead, the team of saber fencers made up of Luca Curatoli, Michele Gallo, Matteo Neri, and Pietro Torre, climbed to the second step of the podium but lost 45-35 to Hungary, the World Champions.
The count of medals for the Azzurri rises to nine, with two golds, two silvers, and five bronzes still with two days of team competitions to go. This morning in the competition, there is men’s foil with Davide Di Veroli, Matteo Galassi, Andrea Santarelli, and Gianpaolo Buzzacchino who defeated Estonia 45-21, and women’s sabre with Michela Battiston, Chiara Mormile, Manuela Spica, and Mariella Viale who beat the selection of Neutral Athletes 45-38.
The finals, first for the bronze and then for the gold, will be broadcasted live at 3:30 pm on RAI Sport and Sky Sport.
Dream Team always golden
Antalya 2022, Krakow 2023, and Basel 2024. The interpreters change but not the result. After the withdrawal of the number 1 in the Ranking Martina Favaretto due to injury and the entry into the four of the World champion Alice Volpi (well behind in preparation), the debutant Anna Cristino and the certainties Arianna Errigo and Martina Batini capture their fourth consecutive European title.
A journey that started from afar with the first gold in Bolzano 1999 and ended with the sixteenth in Genoa 2025. With the race of races, the clash with France, a historic rival, resolved in the last thrust of the extra minute. The morning had started with a very close match with Germany, beaten 45-42. Spain was instead dominated in the semifinals 45-29.
The final sees the Azzurre starting off well, only to suffer the comeback of the French team who manage to overtake just a few seconds before the end. It’s captain Arianna Errigo who brings the score back to 37-37 and plays the extra minute. The winning touch is Italian and starts another celebration for the Azzurre fencers.
Silver Saber
It’s not a day for weak hearts, and just after celebrating for the Azzurre, it’s the turn of the sabre fencers. As with the foil fencers, the first tough match is against Germany, defeated in a comeback 45-38. Next up is France, beaten 45-42. In the final, the most feared opponent: Hungary, the reigning World Champion.
A hard-fought competition, with the Azzurri keeping up with the Hungarians before eventually succumbing 45-35. Nonetheless, they secure a great silver medal that puts the saber fencers back on the international podium two years after their second place at the 2023 European Championships in Krakow.
Photo Credits: Federscherma.it
