The Korea-USA Elite Fencing Invitational (KUEFI), hosted in Busan, Korea from August 4 through August 7, 2011 attracted top athletes from both the United States and Korea. The event was organized by Jimi Jung, CEO of Lourus and Stanford alum, the Stanford Fencing Association, and sponsored by the Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Fencing Federation, and several Korean companies. The first tournament of its kind, the organizers of the event received clearance from the NCAA to hold this unique international athletic event.
The 8 American universities included Stanford University, Yale University, Princeton University, Brown University, the University of Pennsylvania, Notre Dame University, Columbia University, and Northwestern University. 10 Korean Universities participated, including the host, Dong-Eui University, as well as Daegu University, Daejeon University, Pusan University of Foreign Studies, Konyang University, Honam University, International University of Korea, Korea National Sport University, Cheongju University, and Woosuk University. The tables and results may be found on the KUEFI Results Page.
Chief organizer of the event was the Stanford Fencing Association's International President, Mr. Jimi Jung. Mr. Jung is CEO and founder of Lourus Co. Ltd., Lourus Sports Management Company, Ltd. and Lourus Fencing Club in the Republic of Korea, and is an alumnus of Stanford Graduate School of Engineering. In a letter sent out to all participants, Mr. Jung expressed his admiration for the sport of fencing and his hope that events such as KUEFI would boost both the sport and international athletics in general. "Truth to be told," wrote Mr. Jung, "I started following fencing just three years ago. I had a chance to watch Stanford fencers' bouts, and I was fascinated by great skills and strong passion. The experience made me a fan, and I regretted not knowing fencing sooner. What made me more regretful was that, including Stanford, many fencing programs and clubs had been underfunded in Korea and United States. Since then, I have been truly motivated to support fencing." Mr. Jung's letter can be read in full here. Other organizers of the event included Young Ho Kim, Head Coach of Lourus Fencing Club and 2000 Olympics Foil Gold Medalist, Hyo Keun Lee of Dong-Eui University and 1999 Korea Women's national team coach, and Melody Lowman and Rita Comes-Whitney, officers of the Stanford Fencing Association.
The event was a great success, and many fencers expressed their excitement upon their arrival. "I think this is a really awesome opportunity," said Suraya Omar, '12 Sabre, "and a little bit more special to me because this opportunity is one that came out of a lot of adversity, so to have this on top of all the other victories that Stanford has gotten as a fencing team is really special." The feeling of 'something special' was palpable. "This tournament was much more interested in promoting the sport and being something special rather than just another competition," said Jake Harbour, '14 Epee, after competing on the first day.
"I really like it," commented Ashley Titan, '12 Epee, the captain of the Stanford fencing team. For her, one of the major draws was the building of international community. "There are only 2 Americans per strip. We fence each other first, and then we're like, 'Okay, it's us against them,' but it really isn't at all. Once you get off the strip with them they become your friend and then the Koreans will start to talk to you. Before they were giving us stern looks . . . it's a lot more fun to fence internationally, I think."
The fencers were impressed by how smoothly the tournament was run and how well the venue was set up, comparing it to other international events. Alex Mills, '12 Foil, of Princeton, said, "In the sense that it's people coming from different countries competing, it's similar, but it's better run, I'd say. I mean if you look behind me you'll see this beautiful . . . I mean, just look at the venue, it's really nice. There aren't that many strips, which is one thing, it's kind of more like a spectator friendly environment where everyone watches the bouts rather than having many bouts at the same time." Mills went on to compete in the final Korea vs. USA round on the third day of the tournament, placing 11th overall.
On the final day of the tournament, the 12 athletes from each country who placed highest in the competition were pitted against one another for a Korea-USA team competition to 60 points, starting with women's foil, epee, and then saber and progressing to the men's events. Korea won 60-52, which reflected the high caliber of competition that had won the Koreans the top spots in all events over the preceding two days. "The stamina of some of these fencers--I wasn't expecting to be caught this off guard. Very impressive people here," said Samantha Perlman, '11 Foil.
The Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, one of the sponsors of KUEFI, provided a demonstration of traditional Korean sword fighting, as well as traditional Korean music, at the closing of the event on Saturday. Other activities included a charity run in support of North Korean refugees, Run for Loves, which any participant was invited to join, and a cultural tour of Beomeosa Temple Complex and United Nations Memorial Cemetery.
When interviewed, the American fencers admired the Korean fencers for their athleticism, particularly their speed. "I've never fenced Koreans before, and they're super good!" commented Grace Hartman, '13 Foil at Notre Dame. "It's so nice, because it gives you an opportunity to see a different culture and fence." Coaches and fencers alike commented on the feeling of international community generated by KUEFI, and many expressed hope that this tournament would be held in the future. Alex Mills commented, "I'm really excited to be here, and I really hope we have it in future years." Sam Perlman concurred, "Hopefully they'll do this every year and we can come back. This has been great."
Original article: http://www.stanfordfencingassociation.com/art17.html
