Bye bye Gothenburg

The first official European Military Fencing Championship has come to an end. Instead of high level fencing, the last day’s schedule was dedicated to cultural events.

Turkish Chief of Mission, Lt Col. Necip Yilmaz receiving the Fair Play Trophy from Col. Lennart Klevensparr. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten
East Indiaman Götheborg.
East Indiaman Götheborg. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten
Fun at Aeroseum.
Fun at Aeroseum. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten
Barbeque at the banquet.
Barbeque at the banquet. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten
East Indiaman Götheborg. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten
Fun at Aeroseum. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten
Barbeque at the banquet. Photo: Johnny Edqvist/Försvarsmakten

But let’s start off with the closing ceremony. The medals were presented by chief of competition, Col. Klevensparr and the official CISM representative LtCol. Cerit. The Canadian delegation received an honorary prize and Turkey won the Fair Play Trophy. Swedish fencer Lars Scharpff was one of seven Swedish athletes who received CISM medals, a double gold star.

"Actually we lost count of how many CISM world championships he has participated in" CISM Representative Anette Nygren admitted. "But it is more than 20."
Lars Scharpff himself, 60 years of age, believes it is 27.
"He started fencing before many of you were born" Nygren established.

Cultural events

The day started off with a visit at Aeroseum, a museum in a closed underground air force hangar from the fifties, and the East Indiaman Götheborg. A replica of cargo ship which was shipwrecked only a mile away from her final destination, Gothenburg, after her third journey to China in 1754.

Closing banquet was held at Känsö Island in the Gothenburg archipelago.
"It’s beautiful! It looks just like Thousand Islands in Ontario" exclaimed the Canadians while looking out of the windows of the boat.

Mingling, barbecue and social gathering fulfilled the Gothenburg event.

In two weeks, at the CISM general assembly, it will be decided to who the next CISM fencing championship will be passed on to.