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Corporate pilot's son's head also in clouds
September 2007
 Nathan Soren-sen, son of Apache pilot Shaun Sorensen |
Sorensen and his three teammates from Alliance Fencing Academy in Houston delivered an unexpectedly strong finish in the July championships held in Miami, topping their academy’s previous silver in the same event last year.
Epee is one of three fencing weapons that differs from Foil and Saber by the type of blade, body area target, and fencing technique. All three fencing weapons are electronically wired to both the fencer and the narrow fencing strip underfoot in order to record successful touches in the designated target zone (sorry folks, no more blood in this event). Oftentimes the touches are lightning fast, so a series of red and green
score lights help the novice keep up.
The team Epee event differs from the individual event by rotating three fencers (one alternate) from each team against each fencer from the opposing side through a series of nine, three-minute bouts with up to 45 points (touches).
 Fencing champion Nathan Sorensen, on left, helps his team bring home the national title in the Under 20 Men’s Team Epee competition. |
Nathan began fencing when he was 11 years old and is a student of Andrey Geva (Russia, Israel), head coach and owner of Alliance and United States Fencing Association’s (USFA) Developmental Coach of the Year, 2006.
Nathan has spent the last several years as an A-rated, nationally ranked fencer, and in addition to his several individual medals earned selection to the 12-man USA Cadet (Under 17) Delegation to International Junior World Cup Fencing held in Montreal, Canada, in January 2007.
Nathan’s goals are to continue competitive fencing to the level of top 16-32 on Junior and Division 1 National Point Standings, and to qualify for additional International World Cup Fencing, including World Championships.
He maintains a rigorous academic course load in hopes, upon graduating from high school in 2009, of pursuing admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy or attending a highly ranked fencing university.