And the Americans take 3 gold medals in the GP Finals, with Japan taking the fourth.  The Japanese ladies just took a couple of stumbles, allowing Alysa Liu to snag gold for the ladies.  Japan ends up on top for the season overall.     Check out Post 2 for complete medal tables from the season...see you all in Milano!

Italian hopes for LA 2028 done and dusted...   Local prosecutor in  Trapani requested a 10-year sentence against Antonino Pizzolato (and 3 friends of him) because of a supposed rape against a  tourist, down in Sicily   (and it looks he'll be almost certainly convicted, there's no sign he can be named not guilty by the evidence)   https://www.oasport.it/2025/12/nino-pizzolato-chiesti-dieci-anni-di-reclusione-le-motivazioni-della-procura-di-trapani/   I know he's quite an idiot, but I never thought he was so disgustingly an asshole 

it's Christmas time! miracles happen!     2 Italian girls in the semifinals of a women's sabre world cup tournament    and since they're going to face each other, one is guaranteed to make the gold medal assault 

men's Foil ( Fukuoka)   Gold:  Ryan Choi Chun Yin Silver:  () Kirill Borodachev Bronze:  Giulio Lombardi &  Alexander Massialas   Full Rankings & Results https://www.fencingtimelive.com/events/results/08BC4919254145BAABBFC4F7529C274E

women's Foil ( Busan)   Gold:  Martina Batini Silver:  Yuka Ueno Bronze:  Martina Favaretto &  Lauren Scruggs   Full Rankings & Results https://fie.org/competitions/2026/125

great fencing weekend, with all the 6 weapons on stage    nice!    but also a nightmare for the fans...how can you follow all of them?   

finally the alpine snowboard is back!    and it's immediately  all the way!    basically, with this 1st race of the season alpine snowboard has already given us more wins and medals than any other wineter sport, which is beautiful, but not so good for us 

13th day 

Jess Diggins give all the  young 'uns a lesson.  

And Malinin bounced back.  He earned a WR 238.24 in the FP...and of note that in this Grand Prix Finals event, the 6th place competitor earned 242.19 combined (not even 4 points higher).   Dang.