| What Is Fencing?
The sport of fencing is fast
and athletic, a far cry from the choreographed bouts you see on
film or on the stage. Instead of swinging from a chandelier or
leaping from balconies, you will see two fencers performing an
intense dance on a six-feet-by-40-feet strip. The movement is so
fast the touches are scored electrically - more like Star Wars
than Errol Flynn.
The Weapons
Foil, épée and sabre are the
three weapons used in the sport of fencing. While it is not
unusual for fencers to compete in all three events, they
generally choose to develop their skills in one weapon. Until
recently, women were permitted to compete only in foil, but now
the USFA & FIE offer national competitions for women in épée and
sabre. Women's épée was added to the World Championships in 1989
and was held for the first time at the Olympic Games in 1996.
Foil and épée are
point-thrusting weapons. Sabre is a point-thrusting as well as a
cutting weapon. The target areas differ for the three weapons,
though all three are scored electrically.
Object
The main object of a fencing
bout (what an individual "game" is called) is to effectively
score 15 points (in direct elimination play) or five points (in
preliminary pool play) on your opponent before he scores that
number on you. Each time a fencer scores a touch, she receives a
point. Direct elimination matches consist of three three-minute
periods.
Foil
The foil has a flexible
rectangular blade, approximately 35 inches in length, weighing
less than one pound. Points are scored with the tip of the blade
and must land within the torso of the body.
The valid target area in foil
is the torso, from the shoulders to the groin, front and back.
It does not include the arms, neck, head and legs. The foil
fencer's uniform includes a metallic vest (called a lamé) which
covers the valid target area, so that a valid touch will
register on the scoring machine. A small, spring-loaded tip is
attached to the point of the foil and is connected to a wire
inside the blade. The fencer wears a body cord inside his
uniform which connects the foil to a reel wire, connected to the
scoring machine.
There are two scoring lights
on the machine. One shows a green light when a fencer is hit,
and one shows a red light when her opponent is hit. A touch
landing outside the valid target area (that which is not covered
by the lamé) is indicated by a white light. These "off target"
hits do not count in the scoring, but they do stop the fencing
action temporarily.
Épée
The épée (pronounced "EPP-pay"),
the descendant of the dueling sword, is similar in length to the
foil, but is heavier, weighing approximately 27 ounces, with a
larger guard (to protect the hand from a valid hit) and a much
stiffer blade. Touches are scored only with the point of the
blade. The entire body is the valid target area.
The blade is wired with a
spring-loaded tip at the end that completes an electrical
circuit when it is depressed beyond a pressure of 750 grams.
This causes the colored bulb on the scoring machine to light.
Because the entire body is a valid target area, the épée
fencer's uniform does not include a lamé. Off-target hits do not
register on the machine.
Sabre
The sabre is the modern
version of the slashing cavalry sword, and is similar in length
and weight to the foil. The major difference is that the sabre
is a thrusting weapon as well as a cutting weapon (use of the
blade). The target area is from the bend of the hips (both front
and back), to the top of the head, simulating the cavalry rider
on a horse. The sabre fencer's uniform includes a metallic
jacket (lamé), which covers the target area to register a valid
touch on the scoring machine. The mask is different from foil
and épée, with a metallic covering since the head is valid
target area.
Just as in foil, there are two
scoring lights on the machine. One shows a green light when a
fencer is hit, and one shows a red light when the opponent his
hit. Off-target hits do not register on the machine.
Right-Of-Way
One of the most difficult
concepts to visualize in foil and sabre fencing is the rule of
right-of-way. This rule was established to eliminate apparently
simultaneous attacks by two fencers.
In essence, right-of-way is
the differentiation of offense and defense, made by the referee.
The difference is important only when both the red and green
lights go on at the same time in foil and sabre. When this
happens, the winner of the point is the one who the referee
determined was on offense at the time the lights went on.
Épée does not use the
right-of-way in keeping with its dueling origin - he who first
gains the touch earns the point. Or, if both fencers hit within
1/25th of a second of each other, both earn a point. However, it
is equally important to have a sound defense for épée, since the
entire body must be protected from a touch.
How to Follow the Action
For those new to fencing, it
is difficult to follow the lightning speed of the fencers'
actions. To become more comfortable in watching a fencing bout,
focus on one fencer. The fencer being attacked defends himself
by use of a parry, a motion used to deflect the
opponent's blade, after which the defender can make a
riposte, an answering attack. Thus, the two adversaries
keep changing between offense and defense. Whenever a hit is
made, the referee will stop the bout, describe the actions, and
decide whether or not to award a touch.
Fencers seek to maintain a
safe distance from each other, that is, out of range of the
other's attack. Then, one will try to break this distance to
gain the advantage for an attack. At times, a fencer will make a
false attack to gauge the types of reactions by the opponent
that can be deceived in the real attack.
As you become accustomed to
the speed of the game, the tactics and strategies become more
apparent, and you will gain a better understanding for the
finesse and fascination of fencing!
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