On Sunday July 9th, Maitre d'Armes Adam Crown of Ithaca, New York and Maestro di Scherma John Sullins of Binghamton crossed blades for their third meeting at the New York Wine Country Professional Fencing Championship.

Fierce on the piste, friends off the piste

Mr. Sullins scores on a counter-riposte

Maitre Crown scored well with attacks on the preparation and counterattacks as well as several impeccably timed attacks.

Mr. Crown scores on the preparation

The gentlemen answered touch for touch throughout the match. As always, each master acknowledged touches to give his opponent the benefit of any possible doubt, and declined touches that were in any degree uncertain.

Maitre Crown enjoyed a two-touch lead at the end of round four. At the beginning of the final round Maestro Sullins rallied to score thrice in a row. Finally, with only seconds remaining and the score tied, Maitre Crown once more touched on Maestro Sullins' preparation, extracting a victory of 18 to 17 to remain the undefeated champion.

A very close match

Maitre Crown describes the match as a "moral draw." "I think we could have gone five more rounds and it would still have been one touch either way." Each swordman received a handsome commemorative mug from the studio of Mary Webber Pottery and to the victor went a bottle of Glenora champagne, which he shared with his worthy opponent as has become the tradition.

In the preliminary bouts, Mr. Mark Hurwitz defeated Ms. Michelle Sawyer in a two-round amateur bout by a score of 13 to 6 and Mr. Steve Wilson defeated Mr. Matthew Hayes in a three-round professional match 11 to 10.

Michelle Sawyer vs Mark Hurwitz

Matthew Hayes vs Steve Wilson

The event was sponsored by Watkins Glen International and IFV, Inc and was held at Watkins International Raceway in Watkins Glen, New York.

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