Madlinger wins Kings Cup Rapier & Dagger title, Mid-Atlantic clubs shine

BD Madlinger of Scuffletown won the Kings Cup Series Rapier & Dagger open steel division, emerging from a 27-fighter field that turned the Mid-Atlantic bracket into a clear measuring stick for the region. Brandon Ransbury of Two Ravens Fencing finished second, Kevin Rezac of Round Table Historical Fencing took third, and Jessie Tatum of Capital Kunst Des Fechtens placed fourth.

The rest of the visible top nine kept the same regional feel. Zachary Lee of Charlottesville HEMA was fifth, Mike Gilding of Maryland Kuns des Fechten took sixth, Michael Riga of Capital Kunst Des Fechtens finished seventh, Beatrice Ferraiuolo of Metropolitan Historical Fencing Academy was eighth, and Matthew Pham of Fairfax appeared in the ninth-place slot before the results snippet cut off. That spread put Virginia, Maryland and the Washington-area clubs directly into the competitive core of the event rather than just the entry list.

Rapier and dagger rewards more than clean point fighting, and the results reflected that tactical demand. The added weapon changes line control, tempo and initiative, which makes sustained discipline as important as aggression in long bracket days. In a division this size, the fencers who advanced had to keep distance work, off-hand management and exchange selection sharp across the full field, and the podium showed that several clubs were producing athletes capable of doing that.

The tournament also carried extra weight because Kings Cup is no longer a single standalone stop. Metropolitan Historical Fencing Academy made the series decision for 2026, with the season beginning in April and awarding points and prizes across multiple events and weapon sets. That structure gives every placement broader consequences, and it helps explain why a strong result in rapier and dagger can matter well beyond one weekend.

The academy also said an inaugural Kings Cup event drew fencers from more than twenty different clubs, a sign that the series is pulling from a wide regional network rather than a narrow local pool. HEMA Ratings has Kings Cup Rapier & Dagger 2026 on its active 2026 events list, keeping the result in the live competitive record as the season continues.