The new team formats are part of a trial by World Para Fencing as it continues to experiment and evolve the sport.

Teams must be formed of two men and two women and only four rounds are fenced to 20 points, meaning matches are faster and even more dynamic. Fencers must compete against athletes from within their own category.

This format had previously been tested in sabre and is now being rolled out to epee and foil.

Ukraine had the advantage of going in fresh to the final in the epee having received a one-way ticket as the top ranked team in Pisa.

There they face Hong Kong, China, who had overcome hosts Italy in the semi-final.

Mariia Ivanchyk was first up against Yu Chui Yee, the bronze medallist from the women’s individual category A competition earlier in the week. The fencing legend proved just too much for Ivanchyk, securing a two-point advantage.

But Tatiana Pozniak went on to land seven hits to Nga Ting Tong’s five to bring the scores level for Ukraine in the second round.

Next up were the men. Oleksii Zakusylov had made it onto the podium in the individual category A in Pisa and proved too hot for Yuen Hing Kwong to handle.

With a four-point advantage to protect, the last round saw individual category B silver medallist Anton Datsko hold his nerve to reach 20 points against Sean Glass. With a fist pump and a huge smile on his face, Datsko secured his team a historic gold as the first World Cup medallists in this format.

Emanuele Lambertini, Michele Massa, Rebecca D’Agostino and Julia Anna Markowksa took the bronze.

World champion Lambertini went onto give his team a great start in the final of the mixed foil, landing four hits without reply. His opponent Andrii Demchuk was then handed a red card for lifting to bring the opening match to a conclusion.

He handed the baton to Michele Massa who doubled Italy’s score against Oleg Naumenko.

But Ukraine still had a lot to say. World and European bronze medallist Nataliia Morkvych in particular.

Morkvych was relentless against Loredana Trigilia using all her characteristic energy to land an impressive 10 hits and turn the match on its head. Her stunning performance gave Ukraine a five-point lead going into the final round.

This was a quieter affair but all Olga Yesina had to do was hold on against Alessia Biagini. The Italian nearly matched her opponent’s score but in the end, it was Yesina who reached 20 points to confirm the gold for her country leaving Italy with silver.

Hong Kong’s Sean Glass, Yuen Hing Kwong, Yuen Ping Chung and Yu Chui Yee were the bronze medallists.

In the sabre Dmytro Serozhenko gave Ukraine the lead once more in the opening round against Gianmarco Paolucci, but only by one point.

The second tie saw a clash between Artem Manko, the Ukrainian world champion, and Italy’s Edoardo Giordan who had got past Manko in the semi-final of the individual event in Pisa. Giordan went on to win gold but was not able to repeat that against Manko on Sunday in his hunt for redemption.

Nadiia Doloh further improved her team’s position against Julia Markowska, adding five points before handing over to Morkvych who showed no mercy against Trigilia once again.

Manko said: “It’s always great to win all competitions in one day and hear three anthems in one day. It is always great for us and we are happy with that. We hope to continue that in next competitions.”

“I feel like it was kind of revenge [against Giordan], not emotional, just to prove I could be worth it. I hope to make it again, to confirm it in Hungary [the next World Cup],” Manko continued.

He also described the strength of his team across weapons and judged the new formats: “We tried to give each other a chance because this is a new event for everybody and it’s really a great opportunity to give everyone a chance.  There was a kind of competition in the team about who would take part. It’s great to have this in a team when you have enough people to compete.”

Hong Kong’s Glass, Kwon, Ka Man Lam and Tong secured the bronze medal.

The Pisa 2025 Para Fencing World Cup was the second of the circuit to take place so far this year. It followed an edition in Sao Paulo, Brazil. Fencers will next gather in Eger, Hungary, from 15-18 May.

The 2025 Para Fencing World Championships will take place in Iksan, South Korea, from 2-7 September.