Fledgling fencer faces tough times as cuts start to hit home

Posted: Tuesday 30th December 2008 | 14:24

IT'S less than a month since UK Sport announced funding cuts for the unlucky nine Olympic sports but already the cracks are beginning to show.

The British Fencing Association are the only governing body in the country to have autonomously declared that fencers in full-time education will no longer receive funding.

As a result, Britain's No.1 under-20 female epée specialist Corinna Lawrence, who is currently studying at the University of London, will soon find herself out in the cold.

For unless British Fencing make a U-turn when they convene in February, the 18-year-old European Junior bronze medallist admits she will not be able to compete at the senior tournaments in 2009.

"I've got an A Grade competition coming up Hungary early in the 2009 - the hardest of the year," she said. "But at the moment, that's the only one I'll be able to afford to take part in.

"I've got one more season in the juniors next year and so, hopefully, if the funding issue changes I'll be able to do seniors combined with juniors.

"Then I can edge onto the senior circuit gradually in 2010 which was my plan this year. But as things stand, I simply won't be able to afford to.

"My ambition is to compete at the Olympics and, to be honest, if the Games were next year and not 2012, then I would be a strong contender for the GB epée squad.

"In my category and in my weapon (epée) I'm at the top - I can't learn any more - I'm in the classic Catch-22 situation. But it's important as I need to keep up my training and fencing to a high standard.

"I've had to turn down other A Grade competitions because of the funding issue and just concentrate on the junior events.

"So, I really need to go to these foreign A Grades for the seniors - but it's basically finding the funding to be able to go."

Lawrence has already underlined her potential as Britain's No.1 junior epéeist and has accrued enough ranking points already to qualify for next April's World Championships in Belfast.

And the Plymouth-based ace is now hoping that her plea for funding will not fall on deaf ears in the private sector.

"Having private sponsorship will not affect my funding," she added. "I've got sponsorship with a fencing equipment company who give me free kit, for which I'm very grateful, as kits are very expensive.

"But it's at the top competitions where I need help, as I can't move forward unless I can go to them."

GERARD MEAGHER