Season’s Best Recognised
The 2025/2026 EFC U23 Circuit season has come to an end, celebrating six athletes whose consistency and performances throughout the year earned them the overall circuit titles. Designed as an important step between junior and senior fencing, the EFC U23 Circuit continues to provide Europe’s rising talents with valuable international experience and opportunities to test themselves against the continent’s best competitors.
This season’s overall winners were Oliver Laasik (EST) in men’s épée, Sofija Prosina (LAT) in women’s épée, Hunor Kosztolanyi (HUN) in men’s foil, Aurora Grandis (ITA) in women’s foil, Edoardo Cantini (ITA) in men’s sabre and Amelia Giovannelli (ITA) in women’s sabre.
While interviews were available from four of the six champions, every overall winner demonstrated remarkable consistency throughout the season to secure the top position in the final rankings.
Oliver Laasik – Men’s Épée
For Estonia’s Oliver Laasik, winning the overall EFC U23 Circuit ranking is the reward for a season built on consistency.
“Winning the overall season means a lot to me. It shows that I was able to fence consistently at a high level throughout the year. It is a reward for all the work, training and dedication and gives me confidence for the future.”
Looking back, Laasik believes the biggest factor behind his success was his ability to stay focused on continuous improvement. Throughout the season he approached every training session and competition as an opportunity to learn, taking lessons from both victories and defeats. He also highlights the support of his coaches, club and family as an essential part of his journey.
The defining moment of his season came in Thessaloniki, where he won an EFC U23 Circuit event and gained the confidence that he could challenge for top results on the international stage.
“That victory showed me that I am capable of fighting for the highest places internationally.”
Over the course of the season, Laasik feels he became a more tactically mature and confident athlete. He learned to remain calm in difficult situations and make better decisions during high-pressure bouts, although he believes there is still plenty of room for further development.
His greatest challenge was maintaining a consistently high level throughout a demanding year while balancing international competitions, training and studies.
Looking ahead, his objective is clear: to make a successful transition to senior fencing and represent Estonia as successfully as possible at major international events.
Sofija Prosina – Women’s Épée
For Latvia’s Sofija Prosina, winning the overall EFC U23 Circuit title is the reward for a season defined by consistency.
“It means a lot to me because it shows that all the hard work throughout the season paid off. Winning the overall circuit is about being consistent from start to finish, not just having one good competition.”
Prosina believes consistency was the key factor behind her success. Even when certain competitions did not go exactly as planned, she remained focused on her goals and continued collecting important results. Compared to previous seasons, she also felt more confident and experienced, qualities that helped her perform at a high level throughout the year.
While every competition contributed to the final outcome, Prosina points to the final events of the season as the most decisive. With the overall ranking still on the line, every bout carried extra significance and brought additional pressure.
“The last competitions were probably the most crucial because they had a big impact on the final ranking. Every bout mattered.”
Throughout the season, she noticed important changes in her fencing. Her decision-making on the piste improved, she became more comfortable in difficult situations and developed greater confidence in her actions. Above all, she feels she became a more consistent athlete.
The biggest challenge was maintaining that consistency over a long and demanding season.
“Not every competition went exactly the way I wanted, but I kept working and stayed focused on my goals.”
Learning how to deal with pressure became an important part of her development and helped prepare her for future challenges.
Looking ahead, Prosina’s ambition is to continue progressing at the highest international level.
“My goal is to keep improving, gain experience at the highest level and achieve strong results in major international competitions. At the same time, I want to keep pushing myself and see how far I can go.”
Aurora Grandis – Women’s Foil
For Aurora Grandis, the overall EFC U23 Circuit title represents far more than a ranking victory. It is a reflection of the work she has done together with the people around her and a confirmation that she is moving in the right direction.
“The overall EFC U23 victory is the representation on paper of all the work done with my staff. It gives me the confidence and strength to believe that I can reach the highest level.”
One of the most important lessons she learned this season was patience. Grandis believes that athletes must accept that everyone develops at their own pace and that success does not always arrive immediately.
“I realised that everyone has their own timing. Even if you do not win today, you cannot give up. You have to keep improving and continue working towards your goals.”
The most significant competition of the season was the U23 European Championships. Competing in her final year as an U23 athlete, she was determined to leave the category with a special memory.
“It was my last dance in the U23 category and I wanted to finish with a beautiful memory.”
Grandis is particularly satisfied with how her fencing evolved throughout the year. At the start of the season she sometimes hesitated to take risks because she feared making mistakes. As the months passed, she learned to enjoy competing more, trust herself and fully express her own style on the piste.
Off the piste, the season also brought a major personal challenge. To be closer to the training centres where she works daily, Grandis made the difficult decision to move away from her hometown.
“Leaving my friends and parents was very difficult. I had to learn how to manage everything by myself.”
The experience helped her grow not only as a person but also as an athlete, teaching her independence and resilience.
Like many young fencers, her ultimate dream remains the Olympic Games.
“My goal is to reach the Olympics and win medals. But this season taught me not to chase results. Fencing is unpredictable, and it is important to trust the journey.”
Edoardo Cantini – Men’s Sabre
Edoardo Cantini’s overall victory in the men’s sabre circuit was built on careful preparation and consistency throughout a long season.
“Winning the European U23 Circuit was a great satisfaction and the result of all the work done at home.”
Cantini believes the key difference this year was his ability to arrive at each competition in the best possible physical condition. With commitments split between U23 and senior events, managing training loads and recovery became an essential part of his preparation.
The first event of the season proved particularly important. A silver medal in Foggia provided both confidence and momentum.
“That competition was very important because I fenced well and the season started on the right foot.”
Although he continually works on technical and tactical aspects of his fencing, Cantini considers physical preparation the foundation of his performances, especially during a season filled with competitions.
His ambition now is to establish himself even more strongly within the senior category.
“My primary objective is to continue progressing and reach the top level among the seniors.”
Amelia Giovannelli – Women’s Sabre
For Amelia Giovannelli, winning the overall EFC U23 Circuit title is the culmination of a season that required perseverance, determination and belief.
“Winning the EFC U23 Circuit is a source of great pride. This success rewards all the sacrifices made and represents the culmination of a season spent performing at a high level.”
The turning point arrived halfway through the season when she changed her approach to competition.
“I learned to focus on the pleasure of fencing and enjoying myself, while still maintaining maximum concentration and commitment.”
That new mindset helped unlock her performances and allowed her to compete with greater freedom. A particularly important moment came in Belgrade, where a strong result gave her the confidence and awareness she needed before the U23 European Championships.
Throughout the season, Giovannelli feels she became both tactically more mature and more courageous.
“I found the courage to apply during competitions the work that I do every day in training.”
The road to success was not always straightforward. During the first half of the season she experienced a difficult period when the expected results did not arrive.
“It was not easy to regain confidence when the results were not coming. Determination and my passion for fencing pushed me to react and work even harder.”
“The main objective is to establish myself on the senior World Cup circuit and compete consistently at the highest level alongside my training partners.”
The Future of European Fencing
The stories behind this season’s champions reveal different paths to success. Some balanced studies and elite sport, others moved away from home to pursue their ambitions, while others overcame difficult moments and rebuilt their confidence. Yet all shared the same determination to improve, learn and perform consistently throughout the season.
As Oliver Laasik, Sofija Prosina, Hunor Kosztolanyi, Aurora Grandis, Edoardo Cantini and Amelia Giovannelli prepare for the next stage of their careers, their achievements underline the importance of the EFC U23 Circuit as a pathway towards senior international fencing and highlight the bright future of European fencing.
