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 [email protected] or
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[email protected], 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
27
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.
28
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.
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