Towards the European Championships “Genova 2025”: success in Portofino for “Scherma in Piazzetta” with stars Macchi and Bianchi

Great participation in the event “Scherma in Piazzetta,” held in the stunning setting of Portofino’s square, one of Italy’s most beautiful spots, with the presence of foil stars Filippo Macchi and Guillaume Bianchi, medalists at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The afternoon opened with an exhibition by the young athletes of Club Scherma Rapallo, who took turns on the piste just steps from the sea, engaging in spectacular and intense five-touch bouts coordinated by coach Gabriella Bozza, the driving force behind the event. A promotional initiative for fencing and the upcoming European Championships in Genoa, which will take place from June 14 to 19.

“A wonderful evening, we even expected to have a bout on a boat,” Macchi joked. “Jokes aside, Portofino is a special location, and I was happy to represent the National Team alongside Guillaume at an event that certainly served as an important preview for the European Championships in Genoa. Our sport is growing rapidly, and I am sure that the 2025 European Championships will further increase the number of families interested in fencing. Personally, I can’t wait to feel the warmth of the Genoese and Italian crowds.”

There were numerous autograph requests in Portofino. “We hope to see a growing passion among young people, especially after an Olympics where our National Team won many medals,” added Bianchi. “After so many years, we are still in love with fencing, and events like the European Championships in Genoa in June 2025 allow us to experience unique emotions.”

The evening continued with an exhibition of all weapons. The men’s sabre relay opened the show with Giovan Battista Pistacchi and Giorgio Canepa, followed by two épée matches: Luigi Gibelli faced Stefano Damiani, while Benedetta Madrignani competed against Margherita Baratta. Before the grand finale, there was a women’s foil bout between Alessandra Tavola and Lucrezia Canessa. The event concluded with the highly anticipated match between Guillaume Bianchi and Filippo Macchi. The bout, like all the previous ones, was officiated by Marco Pistacchi, an Olympic referee at Rio 2016, and thrilled the audience as the two Italian champions showcased their full range of skills on the piste.

Also present was the 1972 Munich Olympic Champion Michele Maffei, who provided commentary on the anticipated sabre match, explaining the technical details of his “beloved” weapon to the audience.

The evening, part of the extensive program organized by the Genova 2025 Organizing Committee and coordinated by the President of the FIS Liguria Regional Committee, Giovanni Falcini, saw the active involvement of Club Scherma Rapallo, the Yacht Marina of Portofino, and the Municipality of Portofino, represented by Sports Councillor Giulio Pastro, who greeted and thanked the attendees. The Italian Fencing Federation, under the leadership of President Paolo Azzi, is also supporting the Organizing Committee in the long and productive build-up to next year’s European Championships.

After the event in Chiavari, featuring Olympic épée fencer Giulia Rizzi, the Portofino event was enriched by the bouts and testimonies of Paris 2024 medal-winning foilists Filippo Macchi and Guillaume Bianchi. These moments represent a major promotion for fencing and the continental championship, which returns to Italy 13 years after its last edition in Legnano in 2012, marking the start of the new Olympic cycle for international fencing.

The “Genova 2025” European Championships, organized with the support of FIS, are backed by the Liguria Region and the Municipality of Genoa and are sponsored by CONI and Sport e Salute. The official partners of the 2025 European Championships include Costa Edutainment, ERG, Saar Depositi Portuali, Toyota, Gruppo Spinelli, Iveco, Silomar, Riberti, Columbus Informatica, and Convention Bureau Genova.