Home » Watch » 06ITA World Championships in Torino » Torino Blog » Oct 8, 2006
No Joy in Saberville
Fencing Pictures is proud to have Bill Ward on the FP Team! Bill is a television videographer/ editor specializing in high definition programming. His work has appeared on The Discovery Channel, HGTV, The Food Network, PBS and other networks. He is currently at work on a documentary chronicling the events of the 2006 season of Women's Saber team, culminating at the World Championships in Korea. Bill and his two children, Rebecca and William, admit to some familiarity with a saber.
(with apologies to Ernest Lawrence Thayer)
Times were grand in Saberville when the women took the floor;
Because they knew their saber queens had won the Gold before.
Zagunis, famed of Athens Gold, and Silver nights ago;
Jacobson, Bronze and Bronze again, would help to steal the show.
Thompson, so eager to compete, with steely eye and mind
And Ward, the wily fighter prone to come back from behind.
The first rounds started off just fine, with Sada 5 to 4.
Becca took Mary 5 to 2, and helped run up the score,
While Mariel faced Perrus and then beat her 5 to 3.
At 15-9 the women’s team was solid as could be.
But no one told the French to fold, who rallied on the strip,
Sada drops 4 to Mary; is the loss a single blip?
Then Mariel gives three to France and hearts are coming loose
Becca strides upon the piste and loses one to Perrus.
Suddenly the team’s behind by 30 to 28.
The saber squad must rally as the French girls celebrate.
Bukantz and Emmich rile the ref with gestures he eschews
Not one challenge will be upheld by video reviews.
Then Zagunis steps on the strip, for glory evermore
Alas, against Mary, she will lose a crucial four.
Down 6, Sada chips away, and wins out 6 to 5.
With Becca in the anchor seat, the hopes are still alive.
The squad had bounced the French last year and revenge was in play
Touya lost her crown this week and someone now had to pay.
Up and down the strip they raced, first Becca, then Anne-lise.
The victor’s crown would slip from one who errored in the least.
Becca closed the gap to one, then attacked with two more thrusts.
Coaches, quick to challenge before, gave the ref their full trust.
At 41 and 42, they let the actions stand.
Touya gets a point for free, and now matters seem in hand.
But wait, Becca attacks once more and closes back to one.
The crowd waves their flags anew and hopes she isn’t done.
Touya lands an attack in prep, the audience is stilled.
At 44, is this the point our golden hopes are killed?
The two face off across the piste, their sabers raised on high.
“Allez” is called, the two charge off, there’s wildness in their eye.
The lunge is short, riposte is missed, there is a fateful pause:
Becca makes a quick remise to save the Saberville cause.
Oh, somewhere in the land of saber, children lunge and play
Dreaming of the flying flunge that scores and saves the day.
Somewhere kids are laughing and chanting fencing rhyme,
But there is no joy in Saberville; Becca’s remise was not in time.