Birgitta Hejrskov is our camp leader and a Swedish national-level fencing referee with experience at domestic and Nordic competitions. With her calm presence, strong organisational skills and detailed understanding of the sport, Birgitta helps create a welcoming and well-run camp for everyone. She keeps the programme moving smoothly and ensures that participants, coaches and families feel supported throughout their stay.

Chimed Mfoungouo Abdou is an experienced foil fencing master and former international competitor. A holder of France’s advanced DEJEPS coaching qualification in sports development, he has coached at clubs in Paris, Aubervilliers, Belfort and Aix-en-Provence, where he has worked since 2022. Chimed brings strong technical knowledge, broad experience developing competitive fencers and the insight gained from his own international fencing career.

Dong-Ying Pai is an experienced American fencing coach and active competitor with Twin Cities Fencing Club in Minnesota. He teaches foil and sabre at the University of Minnesota and has introduced young beginners to the sport through dedicated fencing camps. On the piste, Dong-Ying became the 2024 U.S. Vet-40 men’s foil national champion and won the 2025 veteran team title. His technical versatility, competitive experience and engaging teaching style make him a valuable addition to the camp.

Hannes Jetz is the head coach of Germany’s women’s foil programme, responsible for the discipline nationally and for performance training at the federal training centre. His extensive experience spans youth development, U23 and senior international fencing, as well as the education of Germany’s advanced-level coaches. Hannes brings deep technical expertise, a long-term approach to athlete development and experience preparing fencers for major European and World Championships.

Jérémy Keryhuel is a French-Ivorian Olympic foil fencer, coach and founder of JFK Fencing Academy. After winning the African qualification tournament, he became the first male fencer from Côte d’Ivoire to qualify for the Olympic Games, competing at Paris 2024. A two-time African Championship bronze medallist, Jérémy brings elite international experience, technical expertise and a strong commitment to helping every fencer develop both on and off the piste.

João Gomes is a Portuguese foil coach, two-time Olympian and four-time European Championship medallist. He represented Portugal at the 2000 and 2004 Olympic Games, achieved 12th place in Sydney and became European team champion in 2000. As founder of the João Gomes Fencing Academy, he now applies his extensive international experience to developing young talent and preparing ambitious fencers for high-level competition.

Laurence Cassøe Halsted is a two-time British Olympic foil fencer, European Championship medallist and performance coach. After competing at London 2012 and Rio 2016, he spent five years as Performance Director of the Danish Fencing Federation. Now an accredited senior coach and mentor, Laurence combines elite fencing experience with expertise in performance psychology, mindfulness and athlete development, helping participants build the confidence, self-awareness and mindset needed to perform at their best.

Mads Hejrskov is a highly experienced Danish foil coach and international FIE referee. A former head coach at Hellerup Fencing Club and Swedish women’s foil national-team coach, he has worked with fencers from developing youth athletes to senior internationals. His extensive refereeing experience at European and World Championships gives Mads an exceptional understanding of foil’s rules, tactics and conventions, which he brings directly into his coaching.

Malte Trier Mørch is a highly experienced Danish foil coach, qualified diploma coach and physical-education teacher. He has worked extensively with children, developing talents and senior international fencers, serving as a Danish national-team coach at European and World Championships. A key figure in Jonas Winterberg-Poulsen’s development—including his historic Youth Olympic bronze medal—Malte combines technical expertise with a deep understanding of long-term athlete development.

Nico Russ is a German foil coach and state performance coach at the official fencing performance centre in Halle, Saxony-Anhalt. He works with everyone from young beginners to national youth-squad athletes, focusing on technical and tactical development, coordination and competition preparation. A successful former competitive foil fencer himself, Nico combines first-hand experience with a structured, supportive approach that helps developing athletes progress towards national and international competition.

Oscar Manuel Garcia Perez is a two-time Olympic medallist and two-time world champion in foil. A member of the Cuban national team from 1985 to 2002, he won Olympic team silver in 1992 and bronze in 1996 and reached number two in the world rankings. Oscar later coached Belgium’s men’s national foil team for twelve years, bringing exceptional competitive insight and extensive international coaching experience to the piste.

Sarah Schremmer Larsen is a Danish international épée fencer and 2024 national champion. She has represented Denmark at junior and senior European Championships, World Cup events and the European Olympic qualification tournament. Also qualified as a national referee, Sarah brings up-to-date competitive experience and a detailed understanding of épée to the camp, offering participants practical insight into training, tactics and performing under pressure.

Scott Rostal is an American épée coach and accomplished competitor from Twin Cities Fencing Club in Minnesota. A former member of the U.S. junior national team and Junior World Championships competitor, he continues to compete successfully at national level. As a coach, Scott has helped athletes achieve national results, progress into collegiate fencing and qualify for the Cadet World Championships. He brings decades of experience and a wealth of technical and competitive insight to the camp.

Theis Andersen Samsig is a Danish sabre coach, active competitive fencer and president of Trekanten Fencing. A driving force behind the development of sabre fencing in Denmark, he co-founded the Danish Sabre Initiative and was named Volunteer of the Year by the Danish Fencing Federation for his contribution to the weapon’s growth and community. Theis brings enthusiasm, practical experience and a strong sense of community to every training session.

Tom Möller is a German sabre coach and former national-squad fencer who competed at the U23 European Championships. An A-licensed coach with a bachelor’s degree in psychology, he now develops Germany’s U17 men’s sabre fencers at the national training centre in Dormagen. Tom combines elite competitive experience, modern coaching expertise and an understanding of athlete development to help young fencers progress towards the international level.

Tommaso Marchi is an Italian fencing master and high-performance coach with the highest coaching certification recognised by the Italian Olympic Committee. A former head coach of Sweden’s women’s foil team, he helped deliver the programme’s first European Championship medal and led athletes to numerous Nordic and Swedish titles. With additional training in sports psychology, Tommaso combines technical precision, performance expertise and a thoughtful, athlete-centred approach to development.

Viktor Gaardsted is a Danish épée coach and former international competitor who represented Denmark at Junior European and World Championships as well as senior Grand Prix events. He has coached fencers ranging from young beginners to national-squad athletes and has completed advanced coaching education through the Danish Sports Confederation. Viktor combines first-hand competitive experience with a supportive, development-focused approach to training.

Wojtek van Barneveld is an internationally experienced foil and épée coach who has worked in the Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, the United Kingdom, Belgium and China. A former competitive fencer in both weapons, Wojtek has coached athletes from beginner level through to national titles and appearances at Cadet and Junior European and World Championships. He brings extensive international experience, technical expertise and a passion for developing fencers of all ages.

Ziemowit “Ziemek” Wojciechowski is an Olympian, World Championship silver medallist and one of Britain’s most accomplished foil coaches. A former national coach for Great Britain and a veteran of ten Olympic Games as fencer and coach, he has guided athletes to Olympic finals, world number-one rankings and medals at World and European Championships. Ziemek is also a Level 5 foil coach, fencing master and respected author on advanced foil training.