Fencing at the 1908 Summer Olympics – Men's épée

Men's épée
at the Games of the IV Olympiad

Venue

Franco-British Exhibition fencing grounds

Dates

July 17–24

Competitors

85 from 12 nations

Medalists

	Gaston Alibert	France
	Alexandre Lippmann	France
	Eugene Olivier	France

Fencing at the 1908 Summer Olympics
Épée	men
Team épée	men
Sabre	men
Team sabre	men

The men's épée was one of four fencing events on the Fencing at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. The medals were swept by the French fencers, who also took the gold medal in the team épée event.

Results

First round

The first round was conducted in round-robin format, to one touch. Pool sizes ranged from 5 to 8 fencers. Double-touches counted against both fencers. The three contestants who had been struck the fewest times advanced.

Pool A

Fildes and von Rosen had a double-touch, as did Stöhr and Fildes.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Lauritz Østrup	Denmark	5	1
2	Bernard Gravier	France	4	2
2	Jaroslav Šourek-Tucek	Bohemia	4	2
4	Eric Carlberg	Sweden	3	3
5	Pontus von Rosen	Sweden	3	4^[1]
6	Georg Stöhr	Germany	2	5
7	Luke Fildes	Great Britain	2	6

Pool B

Double-touches were between Gates and van Schreven, Jack and Gates, and Collignon and van Schreven.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Vlastimil Lada-Sázavský	Bohemia	5	1
2	Charles Colignon	France	5	2
3	Pietro Speciale	Italy	3	3
4	Herbert Sander	Denmark	2	4
4	Johan van Schreven	Netherlands	4	4
6	Walter Gates	South Africa	3	5
6	Fritz Jack	Germany	2	5

Pool C

Blake and Dwinger had the only double-touch in this six-man pool.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Joseph Marais	France	5	0
2	Ejnar Levison	Denmark	3	2
2	Gaston Renard	Belgium	3	2
4	Johannes Adam	Germany	1	4
	John Blake	Great Britain	2	4
	Max Dwinger	Netherlands	2	4

Pool D

The fourth pool had 8 fencers. Berger was clearly the best of the crowd, going untouched in his seven bouts. When five different fencers tied for second place at 4 touches against apiece, a playoff round-robin was held. The first playoff eliminated only one fencer, with the remaining four again tying and forcing a second playoff. That round resulted in Holt and Tvrzský tying at 1 touch apiece, eliminating the other two fencers.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Henri-Georges Berger	France	7	0
2	Otto Becker	Denmark	4	4
	Hans Bergsland	Norway	4	4
	Dino Diana	Italy	4	4
	Martin Holt	Great Britain	3	4
	Vilém Tvrzský	Bohemia	4	4
7	André Sarens	Belgium	3	6
7	George van Rossem	Netherlands	2	6

Bergsland was hit three times, finishing sixth overall in the pool while the other four fencers in the playoff each received two hits to advance to a second playoff.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
2	Otto Becker	Denmark	3	2
	Dino Diana	Italy	3	2
	Martin Holt	Great Britain	2	2
	Vilém Tvrzský	Bohemia	2	2
6	Hans Bergsland	Norway	1	3

Holt and Tvrzský tied for an overall second-place finish in the pool with one touch against apiece (Tvrzský won the bout between the two, but was himself hit by Diana). Becker and Diana placed fourth.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
2	Martin Holt	Great Britain	2	1
2	Vilém Tvrzský	Bohemia	2	1
4	Otto Becker	Denmark	1	2
4	Dino Diana	Italy	1	2

Pool E

The fifth pool also included 8 fencers, but did not require a playoff. The only touch against Alibert came in a double-touch with van Löben Sels.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Gaston Alibert	France	7	1
2	Fernand de Montigny	Belgium	5	3
2	Ivan Osiier	Denmark	5	3
4	Percival Davson	Great Britain	3	4
4	Sante Ceccherini	Italy	4	4
6	Otakar Lada	Bohemia	3	5
7	Robert Krünert	Germany	2	6
7	Maurits Jacob van Löben Sels	Netherlands	3	6

Pool F

The sixth competition pool was smaller, with only 6 fencers.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	François Rom	Belgium	4	1
2	Giulio Cagiati	Italy	4	2
2	Sydney Martineau	Great Britain	3	2
4	Henry Peyron	Sweden	3	3
5	Albert Naumann	Germany	1	4
5	Bedrich Schejbal	Bohemia	1	4

Pool G

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Leaf Daniell	Great Britain	5	1
2	Vilém Goppold von Lobsdorf	Bohemia	4	2
3	Fernand Bosmans	Belgium	4	3
	Frédéric Dubordieu	France	4	3
	Emil Schön	Germany	4	3
6	Dezső Földes	Hungary	1	5
7	Willem Hubert van Blijenburgh	Netherlands	1	6

The Official Report says only that Bosmans defeated Dubordieu and Schön in the playoff, without giving further detail.

Place	Fencer	Nation
3	Fernand Bosmans	Belgium
4	Frédéric Dubordieu	France
4	Emil Schön	Germany

Pool H

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Alfred Labouchere	Netherlands	5	1
2	Paul Anspach	Belgium	5	2
3	Ralph Chalmers	Great Britain	3	3
3	Jacques Rodocanachi	France	3	3
5	Jacob Erkrath de Bary	Germany	4	4
5	Alessandro Pirzio Biroli	Italy	3	4
7	František Šourek-Tuček^[2]	Bohemia	0	6

The single bout between Rodocanachi and Chalmers to break the tie for third resulted in a win for the Frenchman.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
3	Jacques Rodocanachi	France	1	0
4	Ralph Chalmers	Great Britain	0	1

Pool I

The ninth pool was the first of the second day of competition, 18 July.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Robert Montgomerie	Great Britain	6	1
2	Gustaf Lindblom	Sweden	5	3
	Giuseppe Mangiarotti	Italy	5	3
	René Quenessen	France	3	3
5	Frantz Jørgensen	Denmark	3	4
6	Percy Nobbs	Canada	2	6
6	August Petri	Germany	2	6

Mangiarotti was defeated in the three-way playoff for the two remaining advancement spots.

Place	Fencer	Nation
2	Gustaf Lindblom	Sweden
2	René Quenessen	France
4	Giuseppe Mangiarotti	Italy

Pool J

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Edgar Amphlett	Great Britain	4	1
1	Jetze Doorman	Netherlands	4	1
3	Eugène Olivier	France	3	2
4	Zulavszky Béla	Hungary	2	4
	Ernst Moldenhauer	Germany	1	4
	Pietro Sarzano	Italy	2	4

Pool K

The eleventh pool was the smallest, with only 5 fencers.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Marcelo Bertinetti	Italy	3	1
2	Cecil Haig	Great Britain	2	2
	Pierre le Blon	Belgium	3	2
	Simon Okker	Netherlands	3	2
5	Georg Branting	Sweden	0	4

In the playoff for the second and third spots, le Blon won with Haig taking the final spot. Okker was eliminated.

Place	Fencer	Nation
2	Pierre le Blon	Belgium
3	Cecil Haig	Great Britain
4	Simon Okker	Netherlands

Pool L

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Alexandre Lippmann	France	4	1
1	François Stuyck	Belgium	5	1
3	Riccardo Nowak	Italy	3	2
4	Birger Cnattingius	Sweden	1	4
4	Edgar Seligman	Great Britain	2	4
6	Gösta Olson	Sweden	1	5

Pool M

The final pool also had only 5 fencers.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Jean Stern	France	4	1
2	Henry Davids	Great Britain	2	2
2	Marcel van Langenhove	Belgium	2	2
4	Julius Lichtenfels	Germany	2	3
4	Tóth Péter	Hungary	1	3

Second round

Seven of the eight second round pools had 5 fencers, with the eighth having only 4. 2 advanced to the semifinals from each pool.

Pool 1

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Pierre le Blon	Belgium	4	1
2	Jetze Doorman	Netherlands	2	2
2	Jean Stern	France	4	2
4	François Stuyck	Belgium	1	3
5	Ejnar Levison	Denmark	1	4

Doorman again lost to Stern in the playoff bout.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
2	Jean Stern	France	1	0
3	Jetze Doorman	Netherlands	0	1

Pool 2

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Lauritz Østrup	Denmark	3	1
2	Ivan Osiier	Denmark	2	2
	Gaston Renard	Belgium	2	2
	Jacques Rodocanachi	France	2	2
5	Edgar Amphlett	Great Britain	1	3

Renard won the playoff pool, with no further details given in the Official Report.

Place	Fencer	Nation
2	Gaston Renard	Belgium
3	Ivan Osiier	Denmark
3	Jacques Rodocanachi	France

Pool 3

Alibert continued on his perfect streak, winning four more bouts untouched.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Gaston Alibert	France	4	0
2	Henri-Georges Berger	France	3	2
2	Vilém Goppold von Lobsdorf	Bohemia	2	2
4	Pietro Speciale	Italy	1	3
5	Henry Davids	Great Britain	1	4

Berger won the playoff, defeating von Lobsdorf again.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
2	Henri-Georges Berger	France	1	0
3	Vilém Goppold von Lobsdorf	Bohemia	0	1

Pool 4

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Martin Holt	Great Britain	3	1
2	Bernard Gravier	France	2	2
	Robert Montgomerie	Great Britain	2	2
	Vilém Tvrzský	Bohemia	2	2
5	Joseph Marais	France	1	3

Montgomerie won against Gravier and Tvrzský in the three-way playoff for the second semifinal spot.

Place	Fencer	Nation
2	Robert Montgomerie	Great Britain
3	Bernard Gravier	France
3	Vilém Tvrzský	Bohemia

Pool 5

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Gustaf Lindblom	Sweden	3	1
1	Alexandre Lippmann	France	4	1
3	Leaf Daniell	Great Britain	3	2
4	Marcelo Bertinetti	Italy	1	3
5	Vlastimil Lada-Sázavský	Bohemia	0	4

Pool 6

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	François Rom	Belgium	3	1
2	Fernand Bosmans	Belgium	4	2
3	Charles Colignon	France	1	3
	Marcel van Langenhove	Belgium	2	3
	Riccardo Nowak	Italy	2	3

Pool 7

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Paul Anspach	Belgium	3	1
2	Alfred Labouchere	Netherlands	2	2
	Sydney Martineau	Great Britain	2	2
	Fernand de Montigny	Belgium	2	2
5	Jaroslav Šourek-Tucek	Bohemia	1	3

Labouchere won the three-way playoff for second place and a semifinal spot.

Place	Fencer	Nation
2	Alfred Labouchere	Netherlands
3	Sydney Martineau	Great Britain
3	Fernand de Montigny	Belgium

Pool 8

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Cecil Haig	Great Britain	2	1
1	Eugène Olivier	France	2	1
3	Giulio Cagiati	Italy	1	2
3	René Quenessen	France	1	2

Semifinals

There were two semifinals, each of 8 fencers. The top 4 in each advanced to the final.

Semifinal 1

Alibert was hit twice, both in double-touches.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Gaston Alibert	France	7	2
2	Cecil Haig	Great Britain	4	3
2	Alfred Labouchere	Netherlands	4	3
4	Robert Montgomerie	Great Britain	3	4
5	Henri-Georges Berger	France	4	5
	Gaston Renard	Belgium	3	5
	François Rom	Belgium	5	5
8	Fernand Bosmans	Belgium	4	7

Semifinal 2

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Paul Anspach	Belgium	5	2
2	Martin Holt	Great Britain	4	3
3	Alexandre Lippmann	France	5	4
	Eugène Olivier	France	5	4
	Jean Stern	France	3	4
6	Gustaf Lindblom	Sweden	4	5
6	Lauritz Østrup	Denmark	5	5
8	Pierre le Blon	Belgium	2	6

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
3	Alexandre Lippmann	France	2	0
4	Eugène Olivier	France	1	1
5	Jean Stern	France	0	2

Final

The final resulted in Alibert taking the championship after again hitting all opponents, though he suffered another pair of double-touches. There was a three-way tie for second place between two Frenchman and Montgomerie of the British team.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
1	Gaston Alibert	France	7	2
2	Alexandre Lippmann	France	5	3
	Robert Montgomerie	Great Britain	6	3
	Eugène Olivier	France	4	3
5	Paul Anspach	Belgium	2	5
	Cecil Haig	Great Britain	2	5
	Alfred Labouchere	Netherlands	2	5
8	Martin Holt	Great Britain	2	6

The playoff pool for second and third resulted in wins for the two French fencers, completing France's medal sweep in the event.

Place	Fencer	Nation	For	Against
2	Alexandre Lippmann	France	2	0
3	Eugène Olivier	France	1	1
4	Robert Montgomerie	Great Britain	0	2

Notes

↑ The Official Report lists von Rosen's hits against as "3", but shows him being hit by Carlberg, Gravier, and Østrup as well as scoring a double-touch against Fildes for a total of 4 hits against.
↑ comdat.w.interia.pl

Sources

Cook, Theodore Andrea (1908). The Fourth Olympiad, Being the Official Report. London: British Olympic Association.
De Wael, Herman. Herman's Full Olympians: "Fencing 1908". Accessed 29 April 2006. Available electronically at .

Olympic Fencing Champions in Men's Individual Épée

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