Fish young fencer with a big future
Waimate’s Peter Fish is pretty handy when it comes to fencing.
The 13-year-old has been selected as part of the New Zealand team for the Oceania Cadet Fencing Championships.
Fish’s weapon of choice is the foil, and he started in the sport a couple of years ago.
He heads to New Caledonia in a team of six but will give away both age and experience as fencers in his age group are 17 and under.
That, however, won’t worry the confident young fencer.
Fish’s selection came after he finished third at the nationals and collected other ranking points to meet the qualification criteria. He said it was a sport which he loved. The keys were to be fast on your feet and have quick reactions, he said.
‘‘It is really satisfying when you get a good hit on the other person.’’
Fish said he was looking forward to heading to New Caledonia next weekend.
‘‘I am really nervous and excited, it will be a great experience.’’
Fish’s other sporting loves are track and road cycling.
His father, Steve, got him into fencing after reconnecting with the sport through the Timaru Swords Club.
‘‘I started about the same age as Peter but I am not terribly accomplished.’’ Fish said the sport took a lot of thinking. ‘‘You try and work out how to get your opponent to do what you want them to do. It is an awesome sport and extremely fast.’’
Steve Fish, who is a doctor in Waimate, started up the club as an offshoot of the Timaru Swords Club.
He has attracted half a dozen keen youngsters who have already tasted some success.
At the Waimate-Timaru invitational foil challenge, Fish jnr won the under-15 grade, beating opponents from Christchurch and Dunedin.
The competition was strong, with four of Fencing New Zealand’s top 10, under-15 boys competing.
Olivia Frogley won the under-15 novice grade while Maxwell Sail and William Frogley tied for the bronze medal, with Jelia Mooney fifth.
The Waimate club practises on a Thursday night at the Waimate Art Gallery rooms.