| Carlos
Ablanedo is a distinguished fencing competitor and
master instructor who is passionate about the sport of
fencing. In 1980, while working as a physicist and
computer scientist for NASA, Kennedy Space Center,
Carlos began his fencing study under the tutelage of
Maestro Mario D`Alerta, a NASA scientist and fourth
generation Italian/Cuban Fencing Master. He also studied
with Maitre Gillette from France, former head of the US
Fencing Academy in Ithaca, New York, and Italian masters
Georgio Santelli and Luis Castello. Carlos excelled in
the classical instruction and rigors of competitive
training, and consequently, won many tournaments in
Florida and Georgia. He was Southeast Sectional Champion
in epee (1984) and second in foil, and was a member of
the 1984 US Olympic Epee Squad, which consists of the
top 24 in the US. Carlos continued his training and in
1987 earned a Masters of Fencing (Certification Program
No. CC208486) from Sala de Armas D’Alerta at the
University of Waterloo, Canada. He held various national
director ratings in foil and epee.
Using his expertise to
help young students, Carlos founded the first University
of Central Florida Fencing Club and assisted with the
formation of the Pegasus Fencing Open Tournament. He
taught at Brevard Community College and the Team:
the Knight Blades, was an early founder and teacher at
the Lochaven Community Center in Orlando,
also started classes at All Saints Church of Winter Park,
Azalea Community Center in Winter Park, and Riverside
Park in Oviedo Florida. For the past four
years he has been teaching at the Lake Highland
Preparatory School in Orlando with great success.
As fencing master, he has successfully
taught many students who achieved high placement in National,
Sectional, and Divisional events. Most importantly, Carlos has
a natural gift of inspiring his students to excel to their
fullest potential. In fact, students of all ages, under the
personal tutelage of the maestro, perform beyond their
expectations. Furthermore, they have fun while simultaneously
improving their concentration and physical performance. Carlos
remains committed to the art and sport of fencing, as a
teacher and personal competitor.
In fact, he recently earned the 8th
place medal in the Veterans Epee event at the Miami Beach
National Championships in July 2007, before he won bronze in
Vets 2003 and
just out of the medal round in 2002 at the US National
Championships in Austin Texas, in the Veterans Combined
competition.
Whether he is teaching or competing, Carlos advocates and
practices a wholesome lifestyle for moral and physical health.
Integrity, discipline, hard work, enthusiasm and the
satisfaction of a job well done all this is Carlos, and his
spirit is contagious! The loves of the maestro’s life are his
children, Carina and Daniel, who wholeheartedly support their
Dad’s devotion to fencing.
In 2000 the Maestro acheived his goal to
form a nonprofit organization to support a fencing center in
Central Florida. The maestro founded the Renaissance
Fencing Foundation, an IRS Approved 501-C3 not
for profit corporation registered in state of Florida and
with the IRS.
This center would provide
expert fencing training in a supervised location for
students of all ages. The city of Greater Orlando would
also benefit from this addition to our community because
this sport develops the student’s physical strength and
mental aptitude. Carlos is looking for opportunities to
establish school clubs, coach fencing and promote his
dream of a fencing school. He is available for private
and group lessons, workshops and special events. In
addition, he will give demonstrations and lectures in
any classroom situation and for any grade level. The
lectures will explain the historical and modern aspects
of fencing as it relates to different countries and
cultures.
In his personal life,
Carlos includes many Macrobiotic dishes and remedies
specially prepared to provide the highest quality
organic nutrition and minerals needed to sustain one
through the rigorous training program and
competitions.
Well, not to
scare you off, his classes are thorough and tough you
will know the next day that you have had a true fencing
workout. He also goes out of his way to make this sport
fun for young and old alike at whatever level of
interest you might have.
Fencing is an
organized recreational sport that enables families to
train and play together. All students become part of
the schools fencing family sharing weekend training
camps, mini tournaments, outings and occasional dinners.
Club members are taught the value of good sportsmanship
and the importance of commitment to achieve your best in
school, profession, competitions and life.
To quote the
maestro, "You aim for the star of your dreams, chart
your course, work hard and in time you will be there."
On guard, ready,
yes sir, fence! |
