Please find below full details of the Executive Board of Welsh Fencing. To send any of us a message, please email using the email addresses listed.
Marc Burkhalter
Chair
Marc has been fencing since the age of 11, starting at Plymouth Fencing Club with Andy Hill, then moving to Bath Swords while at university and then at various clubs since. Marc has competed at all levels both nationally and internationally and has represented Wales at 6 Commonwealth Championships where he won individual Gold in 2010 and has won 6 medals in total.
A regular on the circuit until quite recently Marc is now keen to give back to the Welsh fencing community with the aim to ensure there are the same opportunities he has had in representing Wales through the years and to help the next generation (both young and old!) flourish in our amazing sport.
Rhian Martin
Honorary Secretary
Rhian has a huge breadth of experience from being an ex-professional athlete and World No.1 to successful career in investment banking. She currently runs a fitness company and has founded a Charitable Sports Trust. Rhian has represented Wales in Triathlon, Duathlon, Swimming, and Cross-country, as well as being on the Welsh Golf Development squad.
She is former World No.1 in swim and has represented Great Britain at triathlon. She is passionate about promoting health and well-being at the grassroots level and across a wide spectrum of ages, abilities, genders, and races. She was introduced to fencing via her son and is keen help others in to the sport.
Mike Evans-Jones
Vice Chair
mike.evans-jones@fencing.cymru
Mike has been involved with fencing from a young age, after being inspired by his first coach Mike Norfolk at Wrexham. Having followed the fencing pyramid to compete nationally and internationally he took a break from the sport to follow another passion, in rugby, before returning to fencing during university. Returning to coaching in 2015 he has worked with athletes competing at a national and international level individually and as part of national squads.
Having worked across sport, and latterly as a physical education teacher and coach he is passionate about the benefits of sport in general and in promoting and developing fencing within Wales. With a particular focus on athlete development, performance pathways and the competitive landscape he is keen to continue to elevate fencing’s place in the Welsh sporting landscape.
Julian Nash
Director, Welfare Lead
07967 389 085
Currently working in Pharma as a medical affairs specialist in immunology and innovative medicine and previously a NHS consultant Rheumatologist for over 20 years.
My daughter has fenced foil for GB and wales for 7 years and I joined the board as Chief Welfare Officer so I could give something back to fencing and where my background as a physician would prove very useful.
My daughter has gained so many positives from fencing such as confidence, fitness, travel and ability and coping mechanisms to handle stress and disappointment and effective time management. All of which will serve her well at University and for life in general
Mark Ridsdale
Director
I have never actually fenced, but I've spent an awful lot of time in sports halls across the world watching my kids fence.
I was appointed to the Board back in 2009, when it was still the Welsh Fencing Union. I worked with the Board and Sport Wales to move the organisation to becoming 'A Company Limited by Guarantee and Not having a Share Capital' in 2011. I remained on the Board as Director until I was elected as the Chair 2016. This continued through to the end of my tenure in 2020. I remained on the Board as Director until 2022, at which point I resigned my position.
Having had a few quiet years, I am now ready to offer my support once more, and I look forward to helping however I can. I know my kids loved fencing and got a great deal from it; I would like to see that continue with the generations coming through now.