Fencing is one of only five sports in every modern Olympic game. It is an athletic and tactical sport based on the era of chivalry. Click the Fencing Charlotte NC to learn more.
The three weapons are foil, epee, and saber. They are all point-thrusting weapons, and points are scored electronically.
Fencers wear full protective equipment and plug a body wire (called an electric cord) into their lame jackets connecting to the electronic scoring apparatus. They test their equipment before each about to ensure it works.
History
Fencing is a sport, an art, a science, and a method of education. It has a rich history dating back to antiquity when swordsmanship was used for training in duels and warfare. From the 16th century onward, fencing became popular in Europe, where masters drew up basic conventions that are still the basis of today’s fencing. Competitive fencing was one of the first sports to be featured in the modern Olympic Games and has been part of every Olympics since.
The most decorated fencer of all time is Italy’s Edoardo Mangiarotti who won six golds, five silver and two bronze medals in five Olympics. He made his debut at Berlin 1936 aged 17 and won team epee gold, and followed with silvers in Helsinki 1948 and Melbourne 1956. Fencing has always been a highly skilled sport with fast footwork and balance essential to attacking and defending. Foil, épée and sabre are the three main fencing disciplines with foil being the most familiar. Each discipline takes place on a piste that is 14m long and 1.5m-2m wide. Retreating off the piste results in a point to your opponent, so quick footwork is critical.
In the modern era, safety has become paramount in the sport. Fouls are a major risk and can result in serious injury including head injuries if the blade penetrates a mask, bib or other piece of equipment. Muscle injury is also a risk as the rapid twisting and turning movements involved can severely stress muscles. In addition, a good deal of the sport’s equipment is designed with safety in mind as the actions required to score a touch involve rapid twisting and deflection of the weapon.
Equipment
Fencing is a sport that requires specialized equipment. The essentials include a mask, an underplastron (for men), and a chest protector for women. A pair of weapon gloves, a jacket, and breeches complete the uniform. The uniform must be white because, in the pre-electric days of fencing, touch detection was made by observing an ink mark left on the uniform by the weapons point or the blade.
A fencer’s weapon is electrically connected to the scoring system by a cable known as a body cord. When the blade makes contact with the target area, it completes an electric circuit and triggers a red or green light. A grounded conductive piste is also used for foil and sabre competitions. The piste is 14 metres long and 1.5m-2m wide, with a two-metre warning line at each end.
All fencing equipment must be of a robust material able to withstand a pressure of 800 Newtons. In addition, the fabric cannot have a smooth surface that could allow points or touches to glance off it. A mask must be constructed of metal wire mesh that covers the front and sides, with a bib attached to protect the throat and neck.
At the beginning of a bout, a fencer must make sure that his or her equipment is working properly. This includes the weapon, which must be in good condition, as well as the uniform and protective equipment. The fencer must also be certain that the piste and its surroundings are in good condition.
There are a number of online retailers that specialize in fencing gear. These include The Fencing Post, Absolute Fencing, and Need a Blade. These sites offer starter kits that cost between $120 – $160 for beginner fencing gear, which includes the jacket, mask, glove, underplastron, and weapon.
Rules
Fencing is a sport that takes a lot of care and attention to rules, traditions, and good sportsmanship. As with any sport that involves a sword, it can be dangerous if people don’t take proper safety precautions. This includes wearing face masks, gloves and fencing uniform, as well as being mindful of the distance between you and a person who is wielding a weapon.
Like many other sports, a referee is in charge of the bout and judges any violations of rules that occur. These refs are called directors and, with the help of a scoring machine that “dings” when a valid touch is scored, determine whether fencers win or lose. The bouts are held in a large area known as the piste and are fenced over three periods of three minutes each. A one-minute break occurs between each period. In epee and foil matches, the bout is over when one fencer wins five points; in sabre, it is over when either fencer reaches 15 points.
A touch is scored when the tip of your weapon touches a valid target area on your opponent’s body. The targets are different for each weapon, but all three include the neck, torso and groin. In foil and epee, the valid target is the head and arms, while sabre targets only the torso above the waist.
When a fencer scores, they must salute their opponent and the referee. This is done by facing their opponent with the mask off, raising their weapon to its guard and pointing it upward. In addition, fencers must tap their back foot and wave it in order to signal to the referee that they need a re-start to their bout.
Bouts
A fencing bout (a match, in competition parlance) is fought between two fencers on a piste or playing strip. The aim is to score a number of touches in your opponent’s target area before they do the same, or until time runs out. If you reach 15 points first, you win the bout. The number of touches is recorded on the referee’s score sheet.
Bouts start with the two unmasked fencers saluting each other and then the referee and standing at opposite ends of the piste. They then assume the en garde position and wait for the referee to say, “Pret? Allez!” (Ready? Go!).
Fencers are then given a three minute time allowance, and must hit at least one part of their opponent’s body for a point to be scored. A touch must be registered by depressing a small push-button at the end of your weapon – this sets off coloured lights indicating whether your weapon is on or off-target.
Fencing is a sport that has a high level of etiquette and respect for opponents and officials. The fencers are accompanied on the piste by two or four line-judges who help with scoring and watching for illegal actions such as grabbing the arm of an opponent, using their hand in lieu of the blade, or breaching the piste boundary. The fencers may ask for a jury of side-judges to watch their actions, but these are not always available in international competitions.
At higher levels, the jury (known as the director) may also be polled at each stage of a bout to determine whether they saw a touch, and whether it was valid or not. Each judge has one vote, and if two judges disagree or the president abstains, the president’s opinion wins.
Team competition
Fencing is often portrayed as a very individual sport, and while it is true that most fencers do compete in individual events, there are also merits to team competition. During team competition, fencers work together to support and push each other towards their best performances. This can create a sense of camaraderie and unity on the strip that isn’t always visible to those not directly involved in the sport.
During team competition, fencers form teams of three or four. They compete in pools and then move on to a direct elimination round. During this time, team members can be substituted out between bouts if necessary. However, once a team member is subbed in, they cannot leave the piste until their next scheduled bout.
Before each bout, the two unmasked fencers salute each other and then assume the en garde position. The referee then gives the command, “Pret? Allez!” and the first fencers to touch each other are awarded points. In addition to the referee, a jury of two or four side-judges watches for hits scored. Fencers may ask for additional side-judges if they think the referee is missing an infringement of the rules (for example, using the unarmed hand or substitution of the valid target area).
Once all fencers have fenced eight bouts, the table is reset and the two top teams move on to the final rounds. This is a special moment in any fencing event, with the last four fencers competing on a large final strip in front of a captivated audience. The winning team will receive two bronze medals and one silver. In a very rare occurrence, the winners of the final will be crowned the World Champion.