SAINT-PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept 30, 2007 (AFP) - Germany's Peter Joppich won his second consecutive world foil title at the world fencing championships here on Sunday when he beat Italy's Andrea Baldini 15-9 in the final.

It is the third world title in total for the 24-year-old army officer from Koblenz, the first German to achieve the feat, who also won gold in 2003.

Baldini had earlier eliminated compatriot and Olympic silver medallist Salvatore Sanzo 15-12 in the quarter-finals.

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept 30, 2007 (AFP) - World fencing championship results here on Sunday:

Men's foil

Last 16

Benjamin Kleibrink (German) bt Virgil Saliscan (ROM) 15-11

Liangliang Zhang (China) bt Yuki Ota (Japan) 15-13

Simone Vanni (Italy) bt Andrea Cassara (Italy) 15-8

Peter Joppich (German) bt Tomer Or (ISR) 9-8

Erwann Le Pechoux (France) bt Joao Gomes (Portugal) 15-5

Sheng Lei (China) bt Jun Zhu (China) 15-14

SAINT-PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept 30, 2007 (AFP) - German Peter Joppich won his second consecutive world foil title at the world fencing championships here on Sunday when he beat Italy's Andrea Baldini 15-9.

Baldini had earlier eliminated compatriot and Olympic silver medallist Salvatore Sanzo 15-12 in the quarter-finals.

Sanzo, 31, is a star in his native Italy after winning the world title in 2001 and 2005.

SAINT PETERSBURG, Russia, Sept 29, 2007 (AFP) - Russia's Elena Netchaeva claimed her first world sabre title when she beat Olympic silver medallist Xue Tan of China 15-12 at the world fencing championships here on Saturday.

There was disappointment however for the three American competitors who took all the podium places last year with 17-year-old defending champion Rebecca Ward being eliminated in the second round by Poland's Aleksandra Socha (15-14).

Ward arrived in Russia with high hopes after winning three World Cup events and the PanAmerican title.