London HEMA Open draws huge international field, Lahtela and Olbrychski win

London HEMA Open turned Wembley into a measuring stick for elite international form, with 143 fighters and fields deep enough to make every podium feel earned. More than a third of the registrations came from clubs outside the UK, and that cross-border turnout gave the weekend real weight before a blade was even drawn.

The event ran May 2-4 at Lycée International de Londres Winston Churchill, with the main competition on May 2-3 and an open sparring day on May 4 at the London Historical Fencing Club’s hall in central London. Organizers billed it as an international-level tournament built around quality judging and fencing, and the scale backed that up: open longsword drew 89 fighters, open saber 68, and open rapier and dagger 44.

The biggest names delivered on the biggest stage. Miro Lahtela won open longsword, finishing ahead of Antoni Olbrychski, Eetu Sipilä and Mark Wilkie in a bracket that had enough depth to reward clean execution over three days. Olbrychski then flipped the script in open saber, taking first over Henric Jansen, Pedro San Miguel and Massimiliano Cappello. In open rapier and dagger, Patrick Rance claimed the title over Ville Välimäki, with Sipilä again in the mix in third and Henric Hintze fourth.

The women’s+ divisions added another layer of competitive range. Marcjanna Jelinska won women’s+ longsword and later repeated in women’s+ rapier and dagger, while Minna Vasarainen took women’s+ saber. The women’s fields were smaller but still substantial, with 21 in longsword, 14 in saber and 5 in rapier and dagger, which made those titles matter in a different way: fewer names, same pressure, and no easy rounds.

London’s schedule reflected the event’s breadth. Saturday opened with kit check at 08:00, open saber at 09:00, women’s+ longsword at 13:30 and open rapier and dagger finals at 16:00. Sunday began with another 08:00 kit check, followed by women’s+ saber at 09:00, women’s+ rapier and dagger at 10:30, open longsword at 13:30, finals at 18:00 and awards at 19:00. All eight pistes were streamed on the London Historical Fencing Club YouTube channel, with finals on piste two, and Monday’s sparring session plus pub social extended the weekend into a full circuit stop. For Lahtela, Olbrychski and Rance, London was not just another tournament. It was proof that a crowded, international field can still produce season-defining results.