Local fencers excel at championship tourney

Two local high school seniors qualified and competed in the Junior (under 20) men's and women's Epee events Feb. 18-21 at the Junior Olympic fencing Championships in Arlington, Texas.

Kimberlee Montoya, 17, of Cheyenne High School, placed 18th in the field of 159 competitors which was won by Courtney Hurley of Texas. Dale Hargis, 17, of Bonanza High School, finished 28th in the field of 212 competitors in which Nicholas Chinman of Colorado placed first.

Montoya and Hargis are coached by fencing master Yves Auriol at the Fencing Academy of Nevada located at the Las Vegas Sports Park, 1400 N. Rampart Blvd.

Auriol, a native of France, graduated from Lycee de Toulouse before earning his fencing master's degree from the Institute national du Sport in Paris. Auriol was named the Fencing Coach of the Year in 2002 by the U.S. Fencing Coaches Association and helped Notre Dame win six national championships while coaching at the university from 1975-1985. Auriol, who moved to Las Vegas in 2003, also is a four-time Olympic coach, holding that role in the world games in 1980, 1984, 1988 and 1992.

Montoya, a triple-gold medalist in the Pacific Coast Championship in 2004 in Women's Epee, also was the 2003 and 2004 Nevada Divisional Women's Epee champion. Hargis was a bronze medalist in the North American Cup Division II Men's Epee. Montoya and Hargis qualified for the 2005 Summer Nationals to be held July 1-10 in Sacramento. Calif.

For information on the Fencing Academy, call 838-3320 or visit www.fencingacademy.com.