Zonal Championships Queretaro Mexico and Wedding

Sunday before I left for Mexico Paige and I went to a gorgeous wedding down in Sunriver OR. The ceremony was outside underneath a small arbor made by the brides brother from branches. The weather was perfectly warm and we enjoyed a perfect view of the cascade range. The reception in the Great Hall was fantastic.

The Great Hall is log built and just beautiful. Adorned with white christmas tree lights and the tables set I knew thing were going to be good. After open bar we were served a blueberry and green salad. I got a pork chop that had been cooked to perfection. Perfectly tender and lightly glazed with a raisan or apricot glaze. I was really fantastic. The bride looked as happy as could be.
The band was good playing a lot of old school stuff. The highlight though is watching an older lady break it down to SuperFreak while the lead singer doned dreads to make it all work.

After a long drive back and a couple hours of sleep I headed out to Mexico. Despite my bag not arriving the flight was fine. I did get my bags though a hour before I went to bed two nights ago.

The competition venue is very nice at the technical university here in Queretaro. A very modern gym with great bathrooms that include toilet seats and toilet paper (i have been many places and toilet seats and paper are real luxuries, just try Qatar were all you get is a toilet and a hose, i mean really what am I supposed to do with a hose).

There are 4 strips and then a finals podium. I went 5-1 losing only to Fransisco Limardo by one touch. In the DE's Cody and I had a bye to 16. Eric Hansen and John Yergler had to fence each other to make the 8. Cody beat Tigram (who he had lost to 5-0 in the pool) to make the 8 by one touch. I beat Saurez from Colombia. It was a close bout in begining and then Gago pointed out that Saurez couldnt defend my advance lunge.

To make the 4 Cody beat one of the Argentinians. I had to beat Meijas from Venezuela. I fenced a low scoring bout with Meijias. In the final period tied at 6 we both wanted to fence one touch. Passivity was called and we got to fence for one minute who ever led (or meijas won the flip so if the score was tied he won) won. Meijas got the first one. Busting out the drill that Cody and I have been practicing I got to quick touches off short to the hand and then exploding to the arm and body. Meijas came after my but I was able to pull distance and hit him. Meijas ran again and we came together. At this point there was only one second left and I knew i had won.

Eric lost to Tikhomirov in the 8. After being close in the beggining Eric wasnt able to change as Tikhomirov did. I fenced Cody in the four and won.

For the final I had to fence Rueben Limardo. I have never beaten him but today I wanted it badly. Both of us know each other well and the score stayed low. He lead then I lead and then it was tied. Cody coached me in each period always the same plan. Get in his face and force him to do something. So in overtime thats what I did. I didnt have priority so I got in his face with tons of preperation intending to see how crazy his parries would get. While I knew that I had to attack I was ready for somethiing else. With 28 seconds left Limardo cracked and fleched. I was ready for disengage counter attach. I couldnt have worked any better. Winning Zonals I have now earned more fie points in a single competition then any other americna epee fencing in history.

The team event will be this saturday.