Combined 1 Touch Youth Epee

We successfully tested the format of fencing different age groups in a single event with a 1 Touch Epee for Youth 10 and Youth 12 at Salle Green on 18 December. With 8 fencers (3 Youth 12 and 5 Youth 8) we were able to have a large enough pool unique that, when fenced twice through, gave everyone enough bouts. We did 56 bouts in 50 minutes - the key was to use two strips with a coordinator managing the bout order, calling the fencers for each strip, and recording results with a single scoresheet.

Updates to the Rules

We have added new rules to the rule book:

t 110 describes the targets as being substantially the smae as those for electric fencing, with the exception of the bib in foil, and with a description of border of the target on the hand. We decided not to include the bib target area for electric foil to make it easier for beginning fencers to fence with the typical beginner's mask supplied by most vendors.

b 120 provides a table of bout orders for pools in competitions for 2 to 14 fencers, and establishes a seeding order for the positions in the pool. This bout order differs from that of the USA Fencing and FIE rules, and is based on the standard rotating bout order used in competitions in many other sports. We chose that format because it allows you to compute bout order easily, even without a table, for any size pool. Fencers should be aware that this bout order changes the flow of the pool, with higher seeded fencers fencing the bottom half of the seeding first.

Modern Pentathlon Format and Lancet Rules Updated

We have published new rules for dry bouts using the format of Modern Pentathlon competition. These include use of the Modern Pentathlon scoring system to familiarize fencers with how this scoring works.

We have also updated the Lancet rules to clarify the judging process based on our experience in holding dry Lancet events.

Rankings Updated

The individual fencer rankings on the website have been updated to reflect results of the Lancet competition on 14 April.

Lancet Epee Test Successful

The first registered Lancet Epee tournament at Salle Green provided a useful test of the Lancet Epee rules. There were some interesting challenges - how do you call a hit in the back hand when the opponent is trying to grab the weapon? The answer was non-priority hit and learn not to grab the tip...

Because of the mobility of the fencers, judges ended up watching both fencers, or one or the other, depending on angles. We need to codify how voting works under these conditions. But, in general, judging worked well, with judges able to make consistent choices as to which contacts were hits in the sense of penetration and which were too light.

For the directors, there was a tendency to try to describe actions in right of way terms, just to have a way to capture the timing. We need to develop a clear way to describe the hit sequence - "left hit right then right hit left within one tempo" does not work because the fencers may be perpindicular to the director's line of sight, and, with fencers moving around each other, the traditional left is on the refree's left side just confuses people when left is on the right side.

Calling based on tempo is difficult, especially when calling hits into compound actions. Tempo tended to be defined as much by body movement as by the parts of the blade action, and this worked to everyone's satisfaction.

All in all a success - with the participants wanting more.

Registered Competition Test For Lancet Rules

Our new Lancet rules will receive their first test on 14 April at Salle Green's Dry Lancet Epee Tournament. This will be fenced as a pool unique, with one set (best 2 of 3 touches) as the pool bout. We expect enough fencers to have a full jury of director and 4 judges, so we will have an opportunity to address judging issues.

New Rules for Lancet Epee

New rules for Lancet Epee have been posted on the website at http://fencedry.org/rulesLancet.html. This is a test edition, and after they are used for several competitions, we will roll them into our standard rulebook. We need feedback as to how well they work.

Lancet Epee was developed at RedStar Fencing in Chicago, and our rules generally follow the Chicago rules, modified for dry fencing. Lancet has a different field of play (large and rectangular), a different approach to touches (with priority based on the target and the sequence of hits), and a different format (best 2 out of 3 sets).