The Forge Fencing travel team wrapped up its Region 6 season with an action-packed weekend at the Fairfax Challenge in Fredericksburg, VA, on May 10–11. Our team of 25 club members - ranging from youth fencers to Veterans (age 40+) - competed in 48 events across all three weapons. We were proud to be supported by Coaches Jeff, Chad, Cathleen, and Stephen, who not only coached but also stepped up on the strip to compete alongside our athletes.
Day 1 – Men’s Foil & Women’s Épée Shine
Our Veteran Men’s Foil squad delivered a standout performance, with all three Forge athletes reaching the podium!
In Veteran Women’s Épée, Lauren Dunseath delivered a commanding performance. With sharp tactical adjustments, she captured Gold and became the first Forge fencer of the weekend to reach the finals stage.
Coach Chad Beaty kicked off Forge’s saber efforts with a strong Bronze medal finish in Division I-A Men's Saber, setting the tone for the rest of the weekend.
Day 2 – Women’s Saber & Youth Foil Step Up
The Forge youth women lit up the strip on Day 2!
In Division II Men’s Épée, Griffin Dilda took on a challenging field of 80 fencers. His 25th place finish secured qualification for the 2025 USA Fencing National Championships - a major milestone!
Day 3 – The Silver Streak
Despite the long weekend, Forge came out swinging on Sunday with five fencers reaching gold medal bouts - setting a club record for most finals appearances in a single regional event!
All five athletes fought hard and brought home silver medals, cementing Forge’s reputation as a rising powerhouse across all three weapons.
Neila Huang, Tyson Deck, Chad Beaty, Cathleen Randall, and Jeff Kallio each stood on the finals stage representing Forge.
Rounding out the day, Tristan Shim blazed through his pool round as the #1 seed in his event. He finished just outside the medal round in 9th place, showcasing incredible footwork, creativity, and grit. Katya Wilfret struck big with a podium finish in Cadet Women’s saber and earning her E25 rating!
This weekend was an awesome way to wrap up our Region 6 season. From our youngest fencers to our veterans, everyone brought their best and showed what Forge is all about - hard work, great energy, and strong support for each other. It was exciting to see so many of our athletes on the podium, and even more exciting to see the growth and fight in every bout, win or lose.
Huge thanks to our coaches, families, and teammates for making the weekend a success. Next stop: USA Fencing Summer Nationals 2025—let’s go, Forge! 💪🤺🔥
Podium Finishes by Athlete:
Chad A. Beaty
Div I-A Men's Saber – 3T of 23, earned points
Div II Men's Saber – 2 of 33, earned points
Lauren M. Dunseath
Veteran Women's Épée – 1 of 15, earned C25, earned points, qualified for VETWE
William Karnavas
Veteran Men's Foil – 8 of 27, earned D25, earned points, qualified for VETMF
Michael A. Nicholson II
Veteran Men's Foil – 3T of 27, earned C25, earned points, qualified for VETMF
Stephen N. Pashby
Veteran Men's Foil – 7 of 27, earned points, qualified for VETMF
Katerina Wilfret
Div I-A Women's Saber – 6 of 6
Cadet Women's Saber – 8 of 23, earned E25, earned points
Neila Huang
Junior Women's Saber – 7 of 23, earned points
Div II Women's Saber – 5 of 17, earned points
Cadet Women's Saber – 2 of 23, earned D25, earned points
Emma Ming
Y-14 Women's Saber – 6 of 27, earned E25, earned points
Jacqueline Halley
Y-10 Women's Foil – 6 of 13, earned points
Tyson Deck
Junior Men's Saber – 2 of 40, earned points
Cathleen Coyle Randall
Veteran Women's Saber – 2 of 6, earned points, qualified for VETWS
Jeffrey E. Kallio
Veteran Men's Saber – 2 of 11, earned points, qualified for VETMS