adelaide swords club

Fencing guide

for new members

2017

V1.0

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Version control

Version Date Description Comment

1.0 01/11/2017 Final For issue

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Contents

About adelaide swords club ................................................................................................................... 4

Club membership ................................................................................................................................... 6

A brief introduction to fencing .............................................................................................................. 7

Aim of the sport ..................................................................................................................................... 8

The weapons and their target ................................................................................................................ 9

Safety .................................................................................................................................................... 11

Equipment ............................................................................................................................................ 11

Basic techniques of fencing .................................................................................................................. 14

Training ................................................................................................................................................. 15

Competing ............................................................................................................................................ 16

ASC development pathways ................................................................................................................ 21

Appendix A – ASC 2017 timetable ....................................................................................................... 22

Appendix B – ASC coaches ................................................................................................................... 23

Appendix C – FSA 2017 timetable ........................................................................................................ 25

Appendix D – Fencing SA competitions requirements ........................................................................ 26

Appendix E - Fencing terms .................................................................................................................. 31

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About adelaide swords club

Adelaide Swords Club (ASC or the Club) would like to welcome you to our community and the world

of fencing.

Originating in 1936, the ASC was the first fencing club in Adelaide. We have around 120 members. Our

members are diverse in age ranging from 8 to 70+, and skillset with some members choosing to

compete informally at club level through to those who compete on an International level. We also

have members on the Australian Fencing Team. So, as you can see we cater for all ages and skill levels.

The Club offers beginner, intermediate and advance classes throughout the year. For more

information on these courses refer to the ASC timetable in Appendix A. We also have several coaches

who are available for one-on-one lessons to accelerate your development.

The Club has eight electric pistes which are set up according to demand. We encourage all fencers to

develop their fencing by getting onto the piste and electric fence as often as they can, it’s the best

way to improve those hard-earned skills and put them into practice. Club and State competitions are

where it counts though and we like to see all our fencers giving it a go! They are great fun and there

is an age group and skill category available for everyone to participate.

The ASC is affiliated with Fencing SA, the Australian Fencing Federation (AFF) and the International

Fencing Federation (FIE). We are an Incorporated body as such we have a constitution which can be

found in the forms section of our website at www.adelaideswordsclub.org.au.

The Club is managed by a committee that meet on a regular basis. Financially we operate on a calendar

year with memberships due for renewal at the beginning of Term 1 each year. We follow the ‘Play by

the Rules’ program and are working towards Star Club accreditation by the end of 2017.

If you have questions or concerns, do not hesitate to talk to a committee member so we can ensure

that you get the most benefit from your membership and fencing experience.

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Committee Members:

President: Steve Howlett

Vice President/

Member Protection: Dannielle Kurbatfinski

Treasurer: Maria Rawson

Secretary: Sonja Scobie

Committee: Ursula Menz

Will Campbell

Dan Cox

Keith Vingelis-Plant

Alex Lovell (Public Officer)

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Club membership

If you have finished a beginner course and you would like to keep fencing, or you are an established fencer new to the club, you need to join the club as a member. Memberships are paid half yearly or annually, ask a committee member or a coach for a membership form. Alternatively, if you don’t think you will be fencing regularly, you can become and associate member and pay a casual fee each time you fence at the club.

Being a member means you can train as often as you like with full access to the club’s facilities along with other benefits such as:

• Use of 350N safety rated club jackets;

• Use of FIE 1600N rated masks and FIE Weapons;

• Use of training weapons, targets, scoring machines and the training space; and

• Insurance cover for Sports Injury.

We also have a limited amount of 800N whites available for competition use.

We offer three types of memberships, junior, senior and associate. We offer a family discount of 20% off the second and subsequent memberships in the same family.

Membership type Full year (Jan-Dec) Half-year (Jan-Jun, Jul-Dec)

Senior $300 $160

Junior/student $190 $100

Associate No fee but must pay casual visit $10 or class fees if fencing.

Member classification

Senior: Any fencer who does not fit any of the below criteria (i.e. most adult fencers)

Junior: Aged under 20 on January 1 (as per competition criteria)

Student: Full-time school or university student

Associate: Family and friends who want to support the club

Payment

ASC accepts payment of fees by cash, cheque or EFT:

Account name: Adelaide Swords Club Inc BSB: 015-311 Account number: 4986 93982

Please ensure you refer to who you are and what you are paying for. If you need to pay for more than one item, please make more than one transaction.

Newsletter

We regularly email a newsletter to keep members informed of upcoming competitions, fencing

courses, competition results, club merchandise, social events etc. Keep a look out for it! Also, if you

are on Facebook, don’t forget to ‘like’ our Facebook page so you can keep in touch as to what is

happening in the club and at competitions.

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A brief introduction to fencing

Fencing is an international and Olympic sport that provides high levels of physical and mental stimuli,

with a great sense of satisfaction from the development of dexterity and the use of tactics to outwit

the opponent.

Since it is predominantly a skill-based sport with little premium on mere strength, it provides equal

access and opportunity for both men and women. Australia is one of 105 nations affiliated with the

international governing body the Federation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE) and competes regularly at

international competitions including annual junior, senior and veteran’s world championships.

Fencing is currently one of 28 sports competing at the Olympic Games, and is one of only four sports

to have been included in every Games since their inception.

In Australia, Fencing is widely practised in clubs, universities and increasingly in schools with strong

participation bases in New South Wales, Victoria, Queensland and South Australia and developing

participation bases in Western Australia, Tasmania and the Australian Capital Territory. With support

from the FIE, Australia is the base for the Oceania Fencing Masters Academy (OFMA) - the

international coaching development centre for the Asia and Oceania region.

The sword is one of the oldest weapons. Fencing evolved from waging war to duelling and finally to

the Olympic Sport. The modern rules and conventions still reflect the aristocratic origins of fencing

and example of this is the salute.

The salute:

• Out of courtesy it is customary for opponents to salute each other before a bout and to shake

hand with the unarmed hands at the end.

• In competition, you salute the President or Referee before saluting your opponent.

• When receiving and individual lesson, you and the coach salute each other at the beginning

and at the end.

• A good salute, given with a smile reflects your confidence and attitude towards the sport.

Fencing is an athletic sport and is not only great for fitness it also develops:

• Concentration

• Self-control

• Confidence

• Respect and loyalty

• Balance

• Spatial awareness

• Coordination

• Precision

• Speed of reaction

• Reflexes

• Judgment

• Decision making

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Aim of the sport

Fencing has been around since the ancient Greek and Roman times. It's a fantastic way to improve

balance, co-ordination and flexibility.

There are three types of fencing - epee, foils and sabre. In all three, weapons are wired electronically

to record when a hit is scored.

In foil and epee, points can only be scored by the point of the weapon hitting. In the case of the foil,

only a hit on the torso counts. In the epee, the whole body is the target. In sabre, points can also be

scored by hitting the arms and head.

Fencing takes place on a specially marked strip called a piste (see below). Two fencers try to score a

set number of hits to win. The validity of a hit will depend on where and how the hit is landed and

varies according to the weapon used. With the foil and the épée hits are made with the point. Whereas

with the sabre hits are scored by cutting with the blade as well as hitting with the point.

A bout is conducted by a referee who awards the hits as they occur following the conventions of that

particular weapon. The first fencer to score the required number of hits wins the bout. There is a time

limit for each bout.

In competitions fencers are grouped in poules (or pool), usually of six but can vary. The fencers in each

poule fight one another and those with the best results are promoted to the next round. The

competition may continue with another poule or by direct elimination (DE). The competitors are then

seeded according to their results in the previous round.

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The weapons and their target

There are three disciplines in modern fencing each has its unique weapon as follows:

• Foil - a thrusting weapon (whereby you only score hits with the point), and the target area is

the torso. This is the weapon that all beginners at ASC learn with;

• Epee - also a thrusting weapon, the target is the whole body. Many of the senior fencers at

ASC fence this weapon; and

• Sabre - a cutting weapon (hits are made with the side of the blade) and the target is

everything above the waist, excluding the hands.

There are several parts to a sword:

• Tip;

• Foible – The most flexible half of the

blade closest to the point ;

• Forte – The stiffest part of the blade

closest to the guard;

• Guard;

• Cushion/pad;

• Handle – Either French grip or pistol

grip; and

• Pommel – On French grip it screws the

weapon together and balances the

weapon.

Foil

Epee

Sabre

Tip

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There are fundamentally two types of grips (handles) for foil and epee swords, a French grip (the

traditional grip) shown on the left, and a pistol grip shown on the right. There many variations similar

to the pistol grip such as a Bavarian grip.

Foil with a French grip Foil with a pistol grip

Foil

The foil is a light, flexible weapon weighing fewer than 500g. The

blade is rectangular or square in section and must not be more than

90 cm long. The overall length of the weapon must not exceed 110 cm.

Of the three weapons foil is the most common for beginners. The foil

developed from the epee and was used in training for duels. In a duel

hits to the torso inflicted the most damage to your opponent, so in foil

the target area is only the torso, excluding arms, legs and head. In

electric foil fencing the valid target area on the fencer is covered by a

metallic jacket (lamé), when the opponent’s weapon makes contact

with it a coloured lamp lights up. A hit on the non-valid area (not

covered by the metallic jacket) causes a white lamp to light.

Generally most beginners start fencing with a traditional French grip

and may choose later to use a weapon with a pistol grip as they become

more experienced.

Epee

The épée is a development of the duelling swords that originated in

the court of Louis XIV of France a replacement of the “small sword”

already a learning weapon.

It is the second most popular weapon for beginners and is used in the

Modern Pentathlon. It is a pointed, with a guard much larger than that

of the foil with a blade mounted eccentrically. The blade is fluted and

roughly triangular in section. With a maximum weight of 770g, it is the

heaviest of the three weapons! Its total maximum length is 110cm.

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Sabre

Sabre developed from the cavalry sword which was used with both

slashing and point attacks. Sabre is the least common weapon for

beginners but is growing in popularity in the UK. Its maximum length is

105cm with a total weight below 500g. The blade is approximately

triangular in section. Its tip is curled over onto itself.

It was considered bad form to hit the horse that the rider was mounted

on so in modern sabre the target area is the whole body from the hips

upwards including head, arms and wrists. In electric fencing the body

from the hips up is covered by a lame and the mask is completely

conductive.

Safety

Fencing is a safe sport provided everyone plays by the rules. It is very important to make sure that

both fencers are wearing the protective equipment, and that they follow the number one rule of

fencing safety: never point a sword at someone not wearing a mask!! All fencers need to be aware of

the people and objects that surround them, and to fence toe-to-toe. Coaches and adults at training

always keep an eye on the younger fencers, but we ask that parents stay to observe as well.

Equipment

ASC provides all the equipment needed for club and low-level competition fencing. It all conforms to

international safety standards. The fencer needs to wear sneakers, a t-shirt, long tracksuit pants (not

leggings) and long socks (no ankles showing).

During bouts fencers wear the following equipment as a minimum:

• Breast plate - this item must be worn by girls and women. It is made of plastic and protects

delicate areas!

• Plastron - a one-sleeved shoulder/underarm protector, it provides an extra layer of protection.

Worn on the fencing arm.

• Jacket - a long-sleeved, form-fitting jacket. Most of the jackets at ASC zip up at the back. The

jacket tapers at the front into a strap which runs between the legs.

• Glove - worn on the fencing hand, it covers the jacket sleeve to prevent blades from contacting

skin.

• Mask - covers the face (but not the back of the head). It has a bib which protects the front of

your neck.

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Chest protector Plastron Jacket Glove

Foil mask Epee mask Sabre mask

When fencing with the electrical scoring equipment, you also need:

• Body wire: a cord that plugs into the sword at one end, runs along the sleeve, and plugs into

the scoring equipment at the other end.

• Mask wire: a cord that connects the lame to the mask. Mark wires are required for foil and

sabre.

• Lamé: a conductive vest that goes over the top of the jacket, it connects with the body wire.

The lamé covers the valid target area, so the scoring equipment can determine whether a hit

is valid or not (non-valid or “off-target” hits do not score a point). Lames are required for foil

and sabre.

Foil/sabre body wire Epee body wire Foil lame Sabre lame

When not fencing with the electric gear, it is referred to as “steam” fencing.

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When the fencer progresses to a more advanced level, breeches and socks are required. Some fencers

choose to wear shoes designed specifically for fencing.

Breeches Socks Fencing shoes

As can be seen, as the fencer progresses lots of equipment is required. Many fencers purchase a

fencing bag with wheels called a roll bag. Fencing bags must be sturdy to endure the rigours of travel.

Roll bag

Purchasing your own equipment

Purchasing equipment is quite expensive so if you’re just starting out, the Club has everything you

need. We don’t recommend you purchase equipment until you are certain fencing is for you.

When you are ready to make a commitment to the awesome sport of fencing, equipment can be

purchased from JG Fencing through Leon Thomas at the Club. JG Fencing stock a range of brands such

as Absolute Fencing and Leon Paul as well as their own brand. The advantage of going through Leon

is that he can help with sizing and technical specification of the weapons which can be quite tricky,

and if the equipment doesn’t fit Leon can organise an exchange on your behalf. Alternatively, there

are a number high quality European providers such as Allstar-Uhlmann, Leon Paul and PBT Fencing

however you may find shipping costs are quite exorbitant.

As a general rule a competitive fencer (fencing in open competitions) will have a minimum of three

weapons (eg three epees) and the corresponding wires in the event something fails while on the piste.

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Basic techniques of fencing

Holding the weapon

The grip is the manner in which the sword is held. The

handle is shaped in such a way so as to fit comfortably in the

hand. It should be placed in the palm of the hand and under

the fleshy part of the thumb. The front part should rest on

the middle of the index finger and the thumb placed FLAT

on top. These are called the manipulators. The remaining

three fingers should be placed along the side of the grip,

with the first part of each finger in contact (the aids). The weapon should be carried in a state of

relaxation in order that the principle of finger play can be carried out. A faulty grip can cause a tired

and contracted hand. CARRY THE WEAPON. DON'T GRIP. It’s like holding a pen, or violin bow.

Bouting etiquette

When two fencers fence, it is called a bout. This word can be used as both a noun (“to have a bout”)

and a verb (“they are bouting)”. Before the bout, you salute your opponent by bringing the guard to

your face, then down. You should also salute the referee. After the bout, you salute again, and shake

hands with your non-fencing hand. It is also good form to concede a hit if it is obvious. You must never

get angry or violent, or refuse to shake hands. In competition, there are penalties against this sort of

behaviour and it’s just rude!

Right of Way/Priority

Right of way is gained by a fencer who threatens the opponent’s target with the view to attacking, or

riposting after a parry. The two opponents cannot score a point at the same time, i.e. you must be

either the first to attack, or if your opponent attacks you first defend yourself with a parry to gain the

right of way for your riposte.

Fencing Lines

The positions in which the sword arm and the weapon may be placed to cover

the target are the fencing lines. Lines are defined by target quadrant and hand

position. The foil target area is divided into four distinct quadrants named as

follows: Sixte (high-outside), Quarte (high-inside), Octave (low-outside), and

Septime (low-inside). Lines and Parries with your hand in supination have the

same name as the quadrant e.g. the parry of Quarte will defend the position

of Quarte on the target.

We can talk about closing, opening or changing the line. Opening the line is

the action of moving the blade away from the line. Closing the line is to move

the blade toward the line, thereby defending the target in that area. To

change the line is to move the blade from one line to another and engage the

opponent's blade in the line. This can be done by passing under or over the

opponent's blade.

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Training

Training for beginners consists of footwork, technical work and sometimes bouting. Good footwork is

essential to enable travel quickly along the piste. The importance of footwork should not be

overlooked. In some European countries beginner fencers practice footwork for one or more years

before they pick up a weapon! During the technical part of the lesson you will learn the technical

aspects of fencing discussed in ‘The techniques of fencing’ section above.

The amount of training you undertake is up to the individual and will depend on how advanced you

are and how fast you want to improve your skills ie the more training you do the faster you will see

results.

The AFF recommends a staged development program. In fencing, as in life, a person must ‘crawl’

before they can ‘walk’ and ‘walk’ before they can ‘run’. It also makes sense that a fencer must develop

along a continuum and that it is best to begin at the easier end of that continuum, gradually developing

skill and experiencing a measure of success along the way until one reaches the élite level if that is

what you choose to do.

As a general guide, ASC recommend beginners participate in one lesson a week and if time permits,

bouting after the lesson with other members of the club. We also recommend you consider one

twenty-minute coaching session per week with a Level 1 coach.

For beginners and intermediate fencers who would like to progress to a more competitive level of

fencing, the following number of sessions and hours of training are recommended as well as club and

State competitions.

Stage 1 - 6 to 7 hours per week

• General fitness (including school sport, other sporting activities, cross training)

o Sessions per week: 2 x 20 minutes

• Fencing

o Sessions per week: 2 x 1.5 hours = 3 hours

o This includes individual lesson(s), bouts – fencing for a total of 60+ hits each session,

simulated competition

• Footwork 1 x 15 minute session.

For information on Club opening times and training sessions refer to Appendix A.

Fencing SA – Junior development camp

FSA typically run a development camp in April each year. The camp is aimed at beginner, intermediate

foil fencers and advanced epee fencers who are wanting to compete in the schools league, State and

National (U13, U15 and U17) competitions. For more information, refer to FSA’s website:

http://www.fencingsa.org.au/Development/Junior-Development-Camp

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Competing

Competing is the best way to improve your fencing skills. There are competitions to suit every age and

ability and therefore we recommend you consider competing at club and State level as soon as you

understand the basics.

Club competitions

ASC run a number of informal competitions throughout the week as follows:

• Saturday Junior Club tournament1 (foil, epee and sabre) 11:30am – 1:00pm

This competition is a fun competition suitable for all fencers. It aims to provide social fencing

in a friendly environment.

• Wednesday Epee open tournament after the footwork session 7:30 – 9:30pm.

This competition is open to all members and it provides an opportunity to fence against the

club’s best fencers. This competition is more suited to older beginners who have some epee

experience.

• Tuesday Epee team comp (generally the Thursday of every month). This is a team

competition which is set up in Term 1 and runs through to Term 4.

We also hold special competitions such as the Festive Fencing and One-touch epee competitions in

December which are lots of fun.

Club competitions are very informal but don’t be fooled they are fiercely competitive!

State competitions

Fencing SA (FSA) run State competitions throughout the year. These competitions generally start

around March and go through to October/November when the State Championships are held. Refer

to Appendix C for FSA’s timetable.

There are competitions to suit all ages and abilities. Beginner competitions are colour coded RED in

the event column. ASC highly recommend you consider entering State competitions according to your

age once you have completed the beginner course. If you are unsure which competition is right for

you, see one of our coaches for advice.

The following section ‘ASC development pathways’ provides a guide as to the level of competition you

can compete in based on your age and ability. It should be noted this a guide only, individual

requirements can vary significantly, in this case it is recommended you speak to a coach or committee

member.

1 If sufficient numbers.

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FSA registration vs license

To fence in state competitions, you must be registered with FSA or hold a licence. A fee is payable to

FSA each calendar year to allow the fencer to compete. Fees vary per annum, for 2017 the registration

fees are as follows:

• Senior Competitive License - 20 years of age or over - $120

o All open state competitions, Australian Fencing Circuit competitions and national

championships that the fencer is eligible for.

• Junior Competitive License - Under 20 years - $105

o All open state competitions, Australian Fencing Circuit competitions and national

championships that the fencer is eligible for.

• Senior Participative Registration - 20 years of age or over - $50

o Limited state competitions (Beginners and Intermediate) and social fencing

• Junior Participative Registration - Under 20 years - $50

o Limited state competitions (Beginners and Junior Intermediate) and social fencing.

Age categories

The age categories for competitions are Under 11, U13, U15, U17 and U20. The age you are on the 1st

of January of that year determines your age for the rest of the year.

e.g. Tom is 12 years old. He turns 13 on the 20th of March. He is still eligible to fence in the

U13 competitions for the remainder of the calendar year.

Novice and intermediate competitions

These competitions are open age but only competitors up to a certain skill level can enter. Novice

competitions are for fencers in their first year of fencing (e.g. if you start in May 2012 you can fence

in novice competitions until May 2013). There are four ways to become over-qualified for an

intermediate competition, refer to Appendix D.

Competition entry

Competition entry is subject to the following fees:

• Individual entry (any age): First event $15

• $30 for each team entry in a team competition.

If multiple competitions are fenced on the same weekend, then the subsequent competitions have a

reduced rate for entry as follows:

• $7.50 for each subsequent event (any age)

To enter a competition all you need to do is write your name on the sign-up sheets on the Club white

board or email your name and chosen event to competitions@fencingsa.org.au or

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secretary@fencingsa.org.au, preferably by 10pm Wednesday in the week leading into the competition.

Late entries will be considered however competitions may not run if there are insufficient numbers,

so it’s best to enter early. If you are unsure speak to a committee member.

Location

All competitions are held at Scotch College. The entrance to the gym carpark is off Blythewood Road

(opposite McLaren St), Torrens Park.

Roll call

Fencers are required to be at the venue 15 minutes before the start time for roll call. This enables the

Directoire Technique (DT) time to organise the poules. However, it is recommended you arrive at least

30 minutes (or earlier) prior to the start time to enable sufficient time to warm up and gear up.

If you are competing in the first or last competition of the day, you may be asked to help set up or

pack up the pistes.

Equipment (gear) requirements

For State competitions, you may borrow protective equipment from ASC. There is a borrowing book

that must be completed by yourself and a committee member. Masks, jackets and lames have a

unique identifying number that must be referenced in the borrowing book.

An ASC committee member or coach will provide weapons and body wire/mask wires at Scotch

College for use during the competition.

Gear requirements (standards) vary for each level of competition, refer to Appendix D for an

equipment checklist.

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Official people at the competitions

Referees: run the poules and the direct eliminations (DE). Referees are not to be argued with!

DT (Directoire Technique): oversee the running of the whole competition.

Format of competitions

There are two rounds to any competition: the round of poules and the round of direct elimination

(DE).

In the poule, each fencer will fence everyone in their poule in bouts of 5 hits. Typically if there are

more than seven entrants in a competition, multiple poules will be run. After the poule(s), the statistics

are calculated (number of victories, number of hits scored, number of hits scored against you), and

the fencers are given a ranking. Then the fencers fence off in rounds of DEs, which are to 15 hits (or

10 in U11, U13 and Veterans). The winner moves on to the next round and the loser is knocked out.

This continues until there is a winner of the whole competition.

National competitions

The AFF run an Australian National Fencing (AFC) competition. There are four open competitions per

year which are held in Brisbane, Adelaide, Sydney and Melbourne. There are also age competitions

U9, U13, U15, Cadet (U17), Juniors (U20) and U23 as well as Veterans (over 40). The AFF timetable in

Appendix D shows the National competition schedule.

With the exception of the Koala Cup (U9), Friendship Cup (U13) and U15 and Cadet competitions, it is

expected that fencers are reasonably competitive at the State level before entering National

competitions. If you are interested in entering a National competition check with one of the coaches

in the first instance.

Koala Cup (U9), Friendship Cup (U13)

The Koala Cup and Friendship Cup are wonderful competitions for young fencers. FSA/ASC coaches

are on hand at the competition to provide support and mentor young fencers. ASC encourage younger

fencers to attend these competitions if feasible.

U15 and Cadet competition

The AFF U15 and cadet competition is usually held in Sydney however this year it is being held in Perth.

Intermediate and advanced fencers are encouraged to attend this highly competitive and beneficial

competition. FSA organise a fully supervised tour meaning parents do not need to attend. More

information about this competition will become available in Term 2.

International competitions

We have a number of advanced/elite fencers who compete at an International level. It is expected

that fencers interested in entering International events, are competitive at National level for their age

category. Many of the International events are restricted to AFT and AFS members.

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Competition equipment requirements

There are minimum equipment requirements for competitions depending on the level of competition

you are competing in. Refer to Appendix D for a comprehensive competition equipment checklist.

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ASC development pathways

Club Designation Juniors Seniors

Age Group 8 - 10yrs 11-13yrs 14-15yrs 15-17yrs 17-21yrs 21-23yrs +23yrs +40yrs

Age Category U11 U13 U15 U17 / U20 U20 U23 Open Veteran

ASC Classes

Junior (Monday / Saturday)

Beginner Beginners Foil Beginners Foil Beginners Foil

Intermediate Int. Foil Int. Foil Int. Foil

Advanced

Adv. Foil Adv. Foil

Individual Lessons

Epee Epee

Sabre Sabre

Adult (Tuesday)

Beginner Beginners Beginners Beginners Beginners Beginners

Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate Intermediate

Individual Lessons (Coach Level Guide)

Beginner Level 1 Level 1 Level 1 Level 1 Level 1 Level 1 Level 1

Intermediate Level 1 Level 1 Level 1 Level 1 - 2 Typically Level 2 to 3 depending on the individual fencer’s coaching

needs, competitiveness and coach availability. Advanced Level 1 Level 1 - 2 Level 2 - 3 Level 2 - 3

State Competitions

Beginner (<12months)

U11 U13 Novice Novice Novice Novice Novice Novice

Intermediate U11 Youth Int.

U13

Youth Int. U15

Intermediate

Youth Int. U17/U20

Intermediate

U20 Intermediate

Open

Intermediate Open

Intermediate Open

Intermediate Open

Veteran

Advanced U11

U13

U13

U15

U15/U17

U20

U17/U20

Open

U20

Open

Open Open Open

Veteran

National Competitions

U11/U13

(Koala cup) U15

U15

Cadet (U17)

Cadet (U17)

U20 / U23

Open

U20 / U23

Open

U23

Open Open

Open

Veteran

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Appendix A – ASC 2017 timetable

Day Club Times Classes Competitions

Monday 6:15pm to 10pm

7:00 to 7:30pm: Warm up / Footwork

and fitness – all welcome

6:30 to 7:30pm: Junior Foil

6:30 to 7:30pm: Junior Beginner

Tuesday 6:30pm to 9pm 6:30pm to 7:30pm: Adult Try Sessions

6:30pm to 7:30pm: Adult Continuers

Club Epee Team

Competition

Wednesday 6:15pm to 10pm 7:00 to 7:30pm: Warm up / Footwork

and fitness – all welcome

Open Club Epee

Tournament

Thursday Closed No classes Schools League Team

Comps – (Term 2 & 3)

Saturday 9am to 1pm

9am to 10am: Junior Beginners

10am to 11:30am:

Junior Intermediate Foil

Junior Advanced Foil

Junior Epee

Junior Sabre

Junior Club Fun Tournament

Fencing SA Age Group

Comps

Sunday Closed No Classes Fencing SA Age Group

Comps

Group class fees vary from $10 to $15 depending on the duration of the class.

If you’re really keen to improve your skills, we can help organise one-on-one lessons with a coach. Coaching fees are set by the individual coach depending on their skill level. Entry level coaching is normally with a Level 1 coach and as the fencer progresses and becomes more competitive the fencer will progress on to the senior coaches (Level 2’s and 3’s). As a guide a level 1 coaches charge between $10 to $20 for a 20-30 minute lesson.

We encourage all fencers to develop their fencing by getting onto the piste and electric fence as often as they can, it’s the best way to improve those hard-earned skills and put them into practice. State and Club Competitions are where it counts though and we like to see all our fencers giving it a go. They are great fun and there is an age group and skill category available for everyone to participate.

23

Appendix B – ASC coaches

Coaching fees are set by the individual coach depending on their skill level. Entry level coaching is

typically with a coach*/Level 0 or 1 coach and as the fencer progresses and becomes more competitive

the fencer may progress on to the senior coaches. (Level 2 and 3). As a guide a level 1 coaches charge

between $10 to $20 per half hour lesson.

Coaches

Kirill Zhdanovich

(Level 3 - Foil, Epee,

Sabre)

Leon Thomas

(Lever 3 Epee, Level 2

Foil and Sabre)

Ursula Menz

(Level 3 Epee, Level 1

Foil, Epee)

Leighlan Doe

(Level 1 Foil, Epee)

Stuart Marshall

(Level 1 Foil)

Henry Hondros

(Level 1 Foil)

Frances Williams

(Sabre)

Matteo Barchiesi

(Foil, Epee)

Adrian Murphy

(Foil)

Coraine Sporu

(Foil, Epee)

Will Campbell

(Foil - Level 0, Sabre)

Georgina Rawson

(Foil - Level 0)

Oliver Pring

(Foil - Level 0)

Connor Bury

(Foil - Level 0)

24

Steve Howlett

(Foil - Level 0, Epee)

Dan Cox

(Foil - Level 0)

Ashleigh Kurbatfinski

(Foil - Level 0)

Ceska Dullona

(Foil - Level 0)

* Level 0 to 3 coaches are qualified coaches. While unclassified coaches are not qualified, these coaches have highly

advanced skillsets, most compete nationally and some also compete Internationally. If you’re unsure as to which coach is

appropriate for you speak to one of the coaches or a committee member.

25

Appendix C – FSA 2017 timetable

26

Appendix D – Fencing SA competitions requirements

COMPETITION CATEGORY

Op

en

Ve

tera

n

Inte

rme

dia

te

Yo

uth

Inte

rme

dia

te

No

vice

Un

de

r 2

0

Un

de

r 1

7

Un

de

r 1

5

Un

de

r 1

3

Un

de

r 1

1

AFFILIATION

Registration

Jnr Licence

Snr Licence

WHITES

Chest protector (female only)

Cloth plastron, jacket, track pants OR cloth breeches and long socks

350N whites + long socks

800N whites + long socks

Fencing glove

Body wire

Lame (foil/sabre only)

Conducting cuff/glove (sabre only)

N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

MASK

Club mask

350N mask

1600N mask

Conductive bib (foil) + mask wire (foil and sabre)

Leon Paul: neck strap for contour mask compulsory?

No No No

WEAPONS

FIE/S2000

Card for fail weight/gauge?

SPECIAL

10 hit DE bouts 2 x 3 minute periods

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Open Competition

Open competitions are the highest level of state competition. They are intended to prepare

competitors for the competition at national or international level.

Membership affiliation:

• All senior competitors must hold a senior Fencing SA competitive license.

• All junior competitors must hold a junior Fencing SA competitive license.

Eligibility:

• Only female fencers are permitted in women’s events.

• Only male fencers are permitted to nominate in men’s events.

• Female fencers will be permitted to fence in men’s events only after the cancellation of an

equivalent women’s event.

Intermediate Competition

Intermediate competition is intended for fencers who have progressed beyond the level of novice

competition but are not yet capable of fencing competitively in open competitions.

Membership affiliation:

• All competitors must hold either a senior or junior Fencing SA competitive license or

participative registration with Fencing SA.

Eligibility:

A fencer is permitted to compete in intermediate competitions in any weapon until they have

completed one of the following requirements:

1. They have won the intermediate state championships in any year in that weapon where there

are at least 8 people competing in that competition.

2. They have reached the Top 8 in any AFF event that has a minimum of 32 competitors.

Note:

The first disqualification trigger only disqualifies a fencer from intermediate competition in the

weapon in which the disqualifying event occurs.

The second disqualifying trigger applies to intermediate competitions in all three weapons, not just

the weapon in which the Top 8 AFF result was achieved.

In all cases, the fencer is allowed to continue fencing intermediate competitions until the end of

the calendar year in which the disqualifying event occurs.

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Youth Intermediate Competition

The Under 17 Intermediate competition is intended for fencers who have progressed beyond the level

of novice competition but are not yet capable of fencing competitively in age restricted competitions.

Membership affiliation:

• All competitors must hold a junior Fencing SA competitive license or a participative

registration with Fencing SA.

Eligibility:

A fencer is eligible for a junior competition provided they are UNDER the age limit of the

competition on the first of January of that year. eg. A fencer may compete in an under 17

Intermediate competition provided they have not had their 17th birthday by the first of January

of the current year.

A fencer is permitted to compete in Under 17 intermediate competitions in any weapon until they

have completed one of the following requirements:

1. They have been nominated for or are a member of the Fencing SA High Performance Squad

2. They have won the Under 17 intermediate State Championships in any year in that weapon

where there are at least 8 people competing in that competition.

3. They have reached the Top 8 in any AFF event that has a minimum of 32 competitors.

4. They have the highest ranking at the end of the year in that weapon where at least 12 people

competed in that competition

Note:

The second and fourth disqualification triggers only disqualifies a fencer from Under 17

intermediate competitions in the weapon in which the disqualifying event occurs.

The second disqualifying trigger applies to intermediate competitions in all three weapons, not

just the weapon in which the Top 8 AFF result was achieved.

In all cases, the fencer is allowed to continue fencing intermediate competitions until the end of

the calendar year in which the disqualifying event occurs.

Novice Competition

Novice competitions are intended to give beginner fencers the chance to experience competitive

fencing against other fencers of similar standard.

Membership affiliation:

• All competitors must hold either a senior or junior Fencing SA competitive license or a

participative registration with Fencing SA.

29

Eligibility:

• A fencer may compete in novice competitions for twelve months after they were first licensed

or registered with Fencing SA (i.e. they are in their first year of taking up fencing).

Veteran Competition

Veteran competitions are intended to allow elder fencers to compete against other fencers of similar

age, fitness and experience.

Membership affiliation:

• All competitors must hold a senior Fencing SA competitive license.

Eligibility:

• A fencer is eligible for veteran competitions from January 1st of the year of their fortieth

birthday.

Special Rules

• All Direct Elimination bouts go to ten points instead of fifteen and consist of two three minute

periods instead of three.

U11, U13 Competition

Junior competitions are intended to allow young people to experience competitive fencing against

fencers of similar age and similar physical development.

Membership affiliation:

• All competitors must hold a junior Fencing SA competitive license or participative registration

with Fencing SA.

Eligibility:

• A fencer is eligible for a junior competition provided they are UNDER the age limit of the

competition on the first of January of that year. eg. A fencer may compete in an under 13

competition provided they have not had their 13th birthday by the first of January of the

current year.

Special Rules:

• All Direct Elimination bouts go to ten points instead of fifteen and consist of two three minute

periods instead of three.

30

U15, U17, U20 Competition

Junior competitions are intended to allow young people to experience competitive fencing against

fencers of similar age and similar physical development. Given the increased age, strength, fitness and

experience of the older fencer some different rules apply.

Membership affiliation:

• All fencers must hold a junior competitive license with Fencing SA.

Eligibility:

• A fencer is eligible for a junior competition provided they are UNDER the age limit of the

competition on the first of January of that year. eg. A fencer may compete in an under 17

competition provided they have not had their 17th birthday by the first of January of the

current year.

31

Appendix E - Fencing terms

Below is a list of common basic fencing terms.

Equipment:

• Breast plate, plastron/half-jacket, jacket, glove, mask, body wire (used in electric fencing),

lamé (metallic jacket used in electric fencing), breeches (special fencing pants)

Different styles of fencing:

• Foil (thrusting, only the torso is valid target)

• Epée (thrusting, whole body is target, and also a common crossword clue)

• Sabre (cutting, target is above the waist (not including hands)

Footwork moves:

• Advance - step forward

• Retreat - step back

• Lunge

• Recovery – moving out of the lunge position back into an en guarde position

Bladework moves:

• Extension - extending the front arm

• Attack - offensive action, made with extension and threatening the opponent’s target

• Parry - defensive action, blocking the opponent’s blade

• Riposte - offensive action following a parry

• Beat - a preparation- a sharp tap on the opponent’s blade to remove it from the line

• Feint - an attack that is not intended to land (a false stack)

• Disengage - deception of the opponent’s parry, usually by going under the blade

• Counter-attack - an attack made against, or into, an attack initiated by the opponent

• Salute - raising the guarde to the face, usually done before and after a bout or lesson

Blade positions:

• Sixte (6) - hand in front of shoulder, point raised.

• Quarte (4) - blade moves across the target, palm up, point raised

• Octave (8) - blade moves in a semi-circle to cover the target and finish under sixte, point is

lower than the hand

• Counter-sixte - the blade makes a complete circle to the inside and finishes in sixte

32

Fencing:

• Bout - the proper fencing term for a “game”, where the score is kept. Usually the first person

to score 5 points wins, or whoever has the most points after 3 minutes of fencing time have

elapsed

• Steam fencing - fencing with no electric equipment

• Covering target - the act of bringing the back arm/hand to cover the valid target. A big no-

no.

• Referee - the mediator of the bout

• Cards (yellow, red, black) - a penalty system. Yellow is a warning. Two yellows = a red (a

point for your opponent). A black card is disqualification

• Strip/piste - the fencing area, usually 14 metres by 2 metres

• Right of way/priority - the rules for awarding the point in the event of a double touch. One

gets priority by being the first to threaten the opponent’s target (ie extending first). Breaking

the extended arm during an attack means relinquishing right-of-way. An opponent can take

right-of-way by parrying the opponent’s blade.

• Off-target- a hit on the opponent that is not on the valid target (in electric fencing, a white

light comes on). The bout is still stopped, but no point is awarded, even if the fencer who

made the hit had right of way.