Verona fencer medals in Sudbury

Jeff Green | Aug 19, 2010

Photo: Madi with coaches David & Patti Howes

Madi Van Camp didn't know what to expect at the Ontario Summer Games last week. The 14-year-old épée specialist had never participated in such a large event, since the fencing community in Ontario is rather small and there were over 3,000 participants in the games.

But when she came to the fencing venue she found familiar company. “I've seen all the girls who were in the fencing tournament before,” she said.

It started for Madi when she went with her grade 6 class at Prince Charles to Royal Military College (RMC) on a class trip. A fencing demonstration caught her attention, and she signed up.

One of the reasons that Madi was so familiar with her fencing opponents at the games is that through her fencing club, Cutting Edge Fencing at RMC in Kingston, she participates in as many as 10 tournaments across Southern Ontario throughout the fall and winter months. Combined with three evenings of training sessions during the week, fencing is a commitment for the Van Camp family that rivals that of even the most committed hockey family.

At the summer games, Madi participated in the 14 and under division, the 17 and under category, and the team competition. She won the silver medal in the 14 and under competition, placed 5th in the 17 and under competition and in the team competition she was one of the gold medal winners.

The gold medal winner for 14 and under girls was a familiar opponent of Madi's. Andrea Marciano fences for the Kingston Country Club team, major rivals of the Cutting Edge.

“I fence against Andrea often. She wins some; I win some. It's a good rivalry,” Madi said.

In the team competition at the Summer Games, the teams are assigned based on results in the individual competition. As it happened, Madi and Andrea were assigned to the same team, so the rivals found themselves cheering each other on as they went for gold.

The next Ontario Summer Games are scheduled for 2012 in Toronto, and Madi, who will be attending Sydenham High School this fall after spending two years in the Challenge program at Loughborough PS, fully expects to be one of the fencing participants again. So three evenings a week, and on a number of weekends for the foreseeable future, the Van Camps will be hitting the road.