St. Louis to Host 2018 USA Fencing National Championships

Wednesday April 19, 2017

By Explore St. Louis Guest

St. Louis to Host 2018 USA Fencing National Championships

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – USA Fencing is pleased to announce that the 2018 National Championships and July Challenge will be held from June 28 – July 7 in St. Louis, Mo.

The 10-day event will bring more than 4,000 competitors from throughout the nation to St. Louis where the best fencers in the United States will vie for gold at the America’s Center.

National Champions will be crowned in age groups from Y10 to Veteran +70 with 60 titles on the line and all three fencing disciplines (epee, foil and saber) contested for both men and women.

The tournament also will feature 2020 and 2024 Olympic hopefuls competing in the July Challenge. A tournament open to athletes around the world, the July Challenge will be the final competition held in the United States before Team USA leaves to compete in the 2018 Senior World Championships in Wuxi, China. The July Challenge will include Division I, Junior, Cadet and Senior Team events.

“USA Fencing is excited to partner with Explore St. Louis to bring the largest fencing tournament in the world to the great state of Missouri,” said USA Fencing Director of Operations Christine Strong-Simmons (Colorado Springs, Colo.) “Our athletes, families, coaches and officials will find so much to do downtown within walking distance from the hotels and convention center.”

Located in the heart of downtown St. Louis, the America’s Center is within walking distance of the Gateway Arch and Busch Stadium which is home to the St. Louis Cardinals. The city also is home to one of the best zoos in the nation – the St. Louis Zoo – and Six Flags St. Louis.

"St. Louis, and the fencing community across the region, look forward to making the 2018 Summer Nationals the most exciting and entertaining tournament venue you and the USA Fencing family has ever experienced," said Ron Daugherty (St. Louis, Mo.), Chairman of the USA Fencing National Championships Local Organizing Committee. "Meet me in St Louis in 2018 for the best time ever!"

The host city for the first Olympic Games to be held in the United States in 1904, St. Louis has been the host of numerous Olympic qualifying events, including the 2016 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Men’s Gymnastics, the 2006 U.S. Figure Skating National Championships and the 2004 U.S. Olympic Team Trials for Diving and the Women’s Marathon.

Earlier this year, both the NCAA Wrestling Championships and the Women’s Frozen Four took place in St. Louis and the NCAA Women’s Gymnastics Championships are being held in The Gateway City this weekend.

"It has been a pleasure to work with USA Fencing and the local fencing community and successfully host three USA Fencing North American Cup events in 2008, 2012 and 2016 in St. Louis' America's Center Convention Complex," stated Kitty Ratcliffe, president of Explore St. Louis.  "We look forward to welcoming these extraordinary athletes back to St. Louis next year for this premier event."

Additional information regarding the event will be posted in the coming months.

Discounted hotel rates are available through GroupHousing, USA Fencing’s official housing provider, at https://groups.reservetravel.com/group.aspx?id=22674