Essential Info: sessions and venues
West Devon Swords has a range of classes for the following activities:
Sports Fencing – Juniors • Historical Swordplay
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Essential Info: sessions and venues Read More »
Posts about modern sports fencing
West Devon Swords has a range of classes for the following activities:
Sports Fencing – Juniors • Historical Swordplay
…
Essential Info: sessions and venues Read More »
Congratulations to Todd Rook and Brendan Miles (pictured) who passed their British Fencing Grade One Foil assessment this week.
We’re already striding ahead with the Grade Two syllabus having covered some of the material on our way through free fencing in the last term and a half. …
OCRA junior fencers make the grade Read More »
Our latest half term block for junior’s fencing commences Tuesday 17 April, 5pm at Parkland Leisure Centre, all ages and abilities, including beginners, welcome. Classes continue weekly. You can now pay online through OCRA’s online shopping cart. …
OCRA Juniors Fencing Apr-May 2018 Read More »
As a result of the recent FIE Congress decisions please note there have been two rule changes in relation to minimum ages for Senior and Junior Events. …
FIE Rule Changes – Juniors Read More »
by Robin Catling:
The foil is a descendant of the light court sword formerly used by nobility to train for duels – there is an extended sequence in Le Bossu where the Regent, Philippe Duke of Orléans visits a fencing school of the period. Foil is the weapon most people picture whenever modern sports fencing is mentioned – light, fast and mobile. …
Foil: The Sport of Kings Read More »
by Victoria Pritchard:
Pick the answers that apply to you and add up the points in the brackets next to them to find out whether you’re a noble knight or a scourge of the fencing salle.
1. Do you always shake hands with the referee and fencers at the end of a poule?
Always (0) Sometimes (1) Never (2)
2. Have you ever tampered with your opponent’s kit before a bout?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
3. Have you ever said ‘Sorry!’ when you’ve (accidentally!) injured someone, and secretly thought ‘Yes! Now it will be easier to win’?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
4. Do you always salute your opponent and referee before you fight?
Always (0) Sometimes (1) Never (2)
5. Do you wash your kit regularly? (We know who you are.)
Yes (0) No (2)
6. Do you cover your target area with your hand in foil or epee to annul a hit?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
7. Have you ever lied about a hit that you know is rightfully your opponent’s?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
8. Have you ever hit someone in the back after they’ve run past you?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
9. Do you laugh if your opponent falls over?
Always (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
10. Have you ever thrown your kit/weapons on the floor in temper when you’ve lost a bout?
Yes (2) Never (0)
11. Have you ever thrown other people’s kit/weapons on the floor when you’ve lost a bout?
Yes (2) Never (0)
12. Have you ever boasted about how amazing you are at fencing, even if you’re not very good, to impress someone? (Shame on you.)
Yes (2) Never (0)
13. Have you ever deliberately hit the floor in epée to make the referee call halt?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
14. Do you tap opponents who have just beaten you on the shoulder and say ‘Right, you. Outside now’?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
15. Have you ever deliberately worn a lamé in competition, which you know is faulty, hoping that some of your opponent’s hits won’t register?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
16. Are you encouraging to beginner fencers?
Often (0) Sometimes (1) Never (2)
17. When you and your opponent have hit at the same time in foil and sabre and the referee is deciding who has right of way, do you jump up and down, shouting ‘Me! Me!’, or some variation of this, to influence them?
Often (2) Sometimes (1) Never (0)
18. Have you ever pulled out of a competition because you know you can’t win?
Sometimes (2) Never (0)
0-5 points: Congratulations. Assuming you’ve answered honestly, you are a fencing saint – the noble knight in shining armour; the duellist who believes in fair play; the most respected of all fencers. Are you human? But be careful people don’t take advantage of you. There are plenty of back-stabbers out there who won’t bat an eyelid at striking when you least expect it.
6-24 points: Well, not everyone’s perfect…
25-36 points: You are the ignoble knight on the black horse; the duellist who draws his sword after his opponent has called game over. Yes, you are a fencing sinner, and you think nothing of cheating to win. Take some tranquillisers and CALM DOWN. Where’s all this aggression coming from? Bad manners may be as old as the hills (and some of the fencers you’ve come across), but that’s no reason to be nasty. Being the baddie might look glamorous in films, but then again, no screen villain was at risk of getting a black card. If I were you, I’d pull your fencing socks up and buy an etiquette book, before someone sends you a restraining order.
Fencing Quiz: Saint or Sinner? Read More »
By Robin Catling:
Although the use of heavy metal armour during the Middle Ages made swordsmanship virtually obsolete, the development of firearms in the 15th century then made armour obsolete. As the weapon of last resort, close quarters combat and the means for settling disputes among gentlemen, skill with the sword resumed its importance. …
The evolution of sporting weapons Read More »
New for January 2018
Juniors’ fencing returns to Parklands Leisure centre:
Juniors and Adults Fencing for 2018 Read More »
Youth fencing is usually divided up by age bands. The age of a fencer is normally taken as at Jan 1st in the current year, so if a fencer has not reached their 14th birthday on Jan 1st they are considered Under 14 for the whole of that year.
Some schools’ competitions use a similar system, but based on September 1st, in keeping with the school calendar.
Children under the age of 8 are not normally allowed to compete.
Fencers under 17 are referred to as Cadets and those under 20 are called Juniors. Lots
of competitions also use other age-groups, like under 11 or under 13, but these don’t have specific names.
Fencers over 40 may qualify for veterans competitions. There is no upper age limit.
Fencing age groups Read More »