Staff

CHRIS BERNARD
OWNER / COACH

Chris Bernard is the owner of T3 Fencing Academy and a Safe Sport certified coach. He’s also a recreational fencer and dedicated fencing parent. Chris enjoys working with students and takes pride in creating a club environment that fosters teamwork and respect.

BORIS KHURGIN
SABRE COACH

Sabre Coach Boris Khurgin was a US National Men’s Coach at the 2008 Junior & Cadet World Championships. He is a Master of Sports in Fencing, the highest coaching classification. His coaching career began at the Fencing School of Olympic Reserve in Kharkov, Ukraine. He has also coached at New York Fencers Club and Manhattan Fencing Center, the base of the US Men’s Sabre Olympic Team. From 2008 to 2021 Boris was coaching at Island Fencing Academy in Long Island, NY.

MAESTRO OLEKSII IVANOV
EPEE, SABRE & FOIL COACH

Maestro Oleksii Ivanov coaches saber, epee, and foil and currently leads the T3 epee program. He is a Merited and National Coach of Ukraine and an FIE International Referee. In Ukraine and in the United States, Maestro Oleksii has had multiple National Champions and top fencers including in the World Cup, National Championships, Junior Olympics, and NCAA. Maestro Oleksii has been instrumental in placing his fencers at many prestigious colleges and universities.

MURAT YORUKOGLU
MENTOR

Murat Yorukoglu has been fencing for over 40 years. He fences foil and epee and was a Jr. US national champion and a Jr US World Team member. Murat fenced at Penn State University where he was a first team All-American. He was also an assistant coach for Penn State under Emanuil Kaidanov.

PETER COX
MENTOR

Peter Cox has fenced throughout the United States and the world—including the Olympics in Atlanta.  A repeated member of the United States Saber Team, Peter has medaled in National Championships and World Games including First Position on the US Olympic Saber Team; Highest US Finish in the World University Games 1995 US Olympic Festival Team Silver; NCAA All American (Penn State University); US Olympic Festival Gold Medalist, and many more. Using his experience fencing at the highest levels and working with world-renowned coaches, Peter focuses on developing strategy in T3 fencers.  Fencing is a psychological game and the key is developing your mental plan.

ROB PENTON
MENTOR

Rob Penton has been fencing for more than 40 years and has represented Great Britain (GBR) in World Cup and FIE satellite events at saber (sabre). He continues to be an active competitor on the US Veterans North American Cup Circuit and represented GBR at the 2018 World Veterans Championships in Livorno, Italy. Rob won the GBR Veterans National Championships in 2012 and the GBR V50 title in 2018. He also competed at the Commonwealth Veterans Fencing Championship 2009 in St Helier, Jersey, representing Wales; winning 3 golds (Overall, V40 and Team) and at the 2012 event in Singapore where he won 2 golds (Overall and V40). Rob moved to the US in 2015 where he worked with Oleksii Ivanov in the DC area before moving to the Charlotte metro area and joining Triple Threat. He is currently coached by Boris Khurgin. Rob enjoys working with the developing sabreurs to build good fundamentals and tactical awareness.

ANJALI PAL
MENTOR

Anjali Pal is a rising sophomore on the women’s saber squad of UNC-Chapel Hill’s Division I NCAA fencing team. She began fencing competitively at age 11. During her time as a T3 fencer, Anjali was a nationally-ranked youth fencer and placed first in Region 6 for 3 consecutive seasons. She made USA Fencing’s All-American and All-Academic Teams. Anjali has enjoyed assisting with the beginners classes since 2019. She began working with Boris Khurgin at age 15, and he has been pivotal in her success. Anjali is excited to share her collegiate experience with developing fencers and recently completed her referee certification. 

MIKE RABINOWITZ
MENTOR

Mike Rabinowitz started fencing after watching his kids fence for years in Charlotte and later Budapest, Hungary.  Being a shallow and maniacally competitive individual, Mike thought, “Why do my kids get to have all the fun?”.  He soon fell in with a rough cadre of Vet fencers in Budapest. He progressed quickly as he totally bought into the 3 most important aspects of Sabre fencing.  Footwork, footwork and footwork. Upon returning to the US he started preaching the gospel of Hungarian Sabre technique to any who would listen. Turned out, those who listened were usually young kids or those of questionable mental acuity, he then, obviously, focused his passion towards working with kids.  Mike is a big fan of Boris Khurgin’s and always enjoys it when he coaches his students on how best to beat him.  (Which will never happen…..Boo Ha HA HA!)