Publication Date: Wednesday Jul 14, 1999

FENCING: Palo Alto's Jacobson wins gold at nationals

Raelyn Jacobson is off traveling again, but finally as a tourist on vacation instead of a competitor at another national fencing competition.

That's how Jacobson has spent a lot of her time in 1999, traveling to meets and bringing home medals. That's what she did last week, winning two individual gold and one silver medal, plus a team silver in women's epee at the National Fencing Championships in Charlotte, N.C.

Jacobson, a Palo Alto resident who'll be a sophomore at Castilleja this fall, won golds in the Under-16 epee and Division II epee, adding a silver in the Under-19 epee competition. On the last day of the meet, Jacobson overcame a five-point deficit in the semifinal bout of the Under-19 team event to help give her club, The Fencing Center, a victory and second place.

Jacobson's efforts at the national championships brings her individual medal count in national events this season to five gold, two silver and one bronze. She earned her previous gold medals by winning all 43 of her Under-15 epee bouts in her sweep of the three North American cup tournaments during the 1998-99 season.

Now ranked No. 1 in the nation in Under-15 and Under-16 competition, Jacobson maintained her No. 1 Under-15 status by amassing 1,322 points this season compared to 971 points by the runnerup.

For this accomplishment, Jacobson received the "First Place Point Holder" award for Youth 14 Women's Epee from the U.S. Fencing Association.

Earlier this season, she won gold medals in Under-15, Under-17 and Under-19 divisions at the Junior Pacific Coast Championships in Sacramento, earning first-alternate status on the USA women's world epee team. Jacobson also was selected as the USFA's "Woman Epeeist of the Month" in January.

Jacobson, who just turned 15, will move out of the Under-15 category for the 1999-2000 competitive season, where she will begin ranked No. 2 in Under-17 epee, No. 11 in Under-19 epee and No. 27 in Senior epee.

Jacobson, who hopes someday to compete in the Olympics, is coached by Connie Yu at the Albert J. Schultz Jewish Community Center in Palo Alto, and competes for The Fencing Center in San Jose.

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