
Ilya Lobanenkov
Head Coach and Founder
Ilya has worked with internationally competitive programs for over 28 years. Some notable results from his students include:
-
2023 Region 6 Y12 Point Standings Champion
-
2022 Cadet World Cup Mens Epee top 16 Individual finish and two medals in Team Event
-
2021 Scholarship to Notre Dame
-
#4 FIE World Rank in Junior Women's epee 2022
-
2020 and 2021 World Championship Team member in both Cadet and Junior Women's epee.
-
#1 USA 17 and Under Women's Epee points standing finish in 2019.
-
Divison 1 Womens Epee Silver.
-
Back to back Gold Medals in Youth 14 Nationals and Capitol Clash SYCs.
-
Gold at the 2019 Grenoble Cadet Team European Cup.
-
Silver at the 2019 Junior Olympics,
-
Gold in Vet-40 ME Team and Bronze in Vet-40 National Championships.
-
Other podium appearances Nationally and Internationally across USA Fencing Epee events.
Ilya has served as the USA Team coach at multiple World Cups. Every champion starts as a beginner and Ilya works with each fencer at their pace while always shooting for the stars.

Alex Rachtchinine
Coach
Alex is a three-time US National 40+ Champion and an A-rated fencer. He started fencing back in Russia and after a break returned to the sport as a coach and Veteran competitor. He brings a solid technical foundation to his group and individual lessons while maintaining a fun classroom environment.

Jose Olivares
Coach
José began his fencing career almost three quarters of a century ago, well before the
electrification of fencing weapons He has studied with some of the most successful fencing
coaches in the United States, including the legendary Hugo Costello who won ten National
Intercollegiate Championships as coach of the New York University Fencing Team in the 1950s
and 1960s and former Hungarian Olympic Team Coach, Istvan Danosi, who won seven
National Intercollegiate Championships as coach of the Wayne State University Fencing Team
in the 1970s and 1980s. Before retiring from fencing, José was nationally ranked in the top ten
in the Veteran Men’s Epee 60+ Division for three consecutive years. He is returning to fencing
(¨Retirement is boring.¨) and will be sharing his fencing knowledge and experience as part of our
CFA Team as well as returning to national competition in the Veteran’s Men’s Epee 70+
Division.

Doug Tableman
Coach
Doug Tableman has worked with fencers at all levels, from high school leagues to international world cups. His personalized approach allows him to tailor his coaching for every student, meeting their specific needs. Coach Doug still competes locally and Nationally and some notable results from his students include:
-
2023 Gold Division 3 Summer Nationals
-
Multiple USA Fencing ratings and top 16 Regional finishes.
​
As an athlete, Doug competed on the Div 1 National Circuit while finishing his MBA at St. Johns. He understands the variety of demands that his students face, and is committed to helping them reach their goals in sports and academics.

Kostantin Tikhonov
Coach
Coach Konstantin grew up in Kazakhstan and was an accomplished athlete and Master of Sport in Modern Pentathlon and Olympic Epee Fencing. He earned multiple Gold medals and podium appearances in various USSR Championships. At the same time he studied at the Kazakh College of Sport and Physical Education and served as a trainer in the armed forces preparing enlisted and officers for high performance. After finishing military service he graduated from the Al-Farabi National University Of Kazakhstan Law School.
In 1998, upon immigrating to Israel he passed the bar exam and practiced law while heavily involved in the Israeli fencing scene. He earned a Silver and a Bronze at the World Veteran (40+) Masters Games and worked as coach and organizer for the Israeli Championships and international World Cups.
After arriving in the USA in 2015 he helped establish and support the Victoria Fencing club in Charlotte, North Carolina. While leading multiple athletes to compete at a high Regional level, Coach Konstantin led two of his students, 14 and Under fencers Ilia and Daniel Tikhonov to first and sixth rank in Region Six: 1/6th of the US that includes our Northern Virginia area.
Coach Konstantin starts this Tuesday, March 14th.
His opening statement to CFA is: “I believe that the elevated spirit of athletes and coaches during practice and competition is a key to success!”