Huntsville Fencing Club Newsletter

 

 

La Maupin Open

 

Professional Photographs of The La Maupin Tournament available through this Link:

 

http://www.imagequix.com/photog.php?id=P9RLJ98&ec=lamaupin72410

 

 

Ben's Letter to the Editor

Ben is one of several fencers to have a strongly worded letter to the editor published in the summer edition of Amercan Fencing magazine, in regard to Jeff Bukantz's article in the previous edition which appeared to promote what many of us would consider to be cheating or dishonorable behavior during fencing bouts. (Mr. Bukantz writes the Rules and Referees column, and was a member of the FIE Rules Commission.) All of the responses to the article were in a similar vein, damning Mr. Bukantz's apparent position. Ben wants to point out that the last paragraph in his letter is not his own, but belongs with one of the other letters, and is an editorial error. Regarding Mr. Bukantz's response to his letter (Bukantz used the dictionary to define combat, apparently not understanding the distinction between warfare and dueling, much less how honor has been variously applied to them), Ben would like to thank him for it--as both a published author and former Navy SEAL, Ben was obviously unaware how combat might be defined (sarcasm intended).

On a historical note in regard to Mr. Bukantz's assertion in a reply to another letter that the remise was rarely used in a duel, the remise was in fact often used in duels, if at times only out of instinct, and in the 17th and 18th centuries was quite common. Indeed, fencers were taught to use unarmed hand to close the line in order to prevent remises.

 

Decals

 

Chad has club logo/arms decals available for sale. The decals are roughly 3 x 3.5 inches. All have a durable UV laminate over the entire decal to protect the colors from fading and weather. They are designed to be placed on glass (preferably on the back window of a vehicle).
 
 

 3 Colors Available:
 

 
 

Original
Red and Black: $4.00

Limited Edition
Cool Blue and Gray: $4.50
Relic Black and Stone: $4.50

 

 

July 2, 2010
 

 
 
La Maupin Epee Tournament
 
We’re holding the La Maupin on July 24 at the Central Church of Christ Gymnasium in Huntsville, the same excellent venue we used for the Joe Dabbs Open. Registration for the Women’s Open event ends at 8:30, and for the Mixed Open at 11:30. This will be a good time to become a USFA member if you are not one already. The new membership will be valid both for the tournament and the 2010-2011 year. Forms will be available at the tournament. (USFA membership is required to participate in the tournament.) USFA 2009-2010 membership remains valid for the tournament.
 
The tournament is named for opera singer Julie d'Aubigny, commonly known today as Mademoiselle de Maupin. She was a superb late 17th century swordswoman who reportedly defeated three men, one after the other, after they challenged her at Versailles.
 
 
Summer Party
 
We’re holding a summer fencing party at Chad’s on July 17, the week before the La Maupin tournament. Details to follow.
 
 
News About Members
 
Jon Mitchell, a former member, passed away recently. Jon was a kind man with an aptitude for fencing, and will be missed.
 
After hundreds of weekly trips­and sometimes twice weekly trips­from Memphis to Huntsville to fence, the Wylies will be leaving us at in early August for Boulder, Colorado. Dorshka, Shola, Anniebee, we’ll miss you all!
 
Craig Kaempfer has joined the US Army and began boot camp in June.
 
Maricarmen Castro has returned to fencing after a month visiting family in Brazil.
 
Mary Crouch departs in late July or early August for Colombia on a Fulbright grant to teach English at the University of Ibagué for ten months.
 
Emily Stewart and Sara Leibold departed in May on their Alaska adventure, and are at present semi-permanently camped in Homer. They’ve visited fencing clubs in Fairbanks and Homer, and Emily has been blogging about their escapades (a link is available via Facebook).
 
 
First Annual Joe Dabbs Open
 
Our first tournament in a while, the Joe Dabbs Open, went off well. Brian Parker won the open event after an excellent la belle bout against Geoffrey Babb. Hugh Davis took third in the one touch, and placed highest among HFC fencers in this event. Our thanks to everyone who turned out to fence or to help. In particular, our special thanks to Kim Story and the Central Church of Christ for providing the excellent venue, and to tournament namesake Joe Dabbs for providing a replica rapier as a rotating trophy.
 
 
MARS Musketeers Open
 
A reminder that we’ll hold the MARS Musketeers tournament, named for the MARS Fencing Club, Huntsville’s first, in September or October. Tentatively, events will include a mixed open epee and a team epee event. Details to follow.
 
 
Nationals
 
Nationals are being held in Atlanta this year, July 4-13 at the Georgia World Congress Center. Several of our fencers are participating, and we wish them well.
 
This is also a great opportunity to purchase new equipment, given that most if not all equipment vendors will be there.
 
 
Demonstrations
 
Our thanks to Jonathan Thrasher, Geoffrey Babb, John Briggs, and Derek Welford for running a fencing demonstration during the Fine Arts Festival at the Academy of Academics and Arts (a K-8 magnet school) in February, and to Dave Young, Hugh Davis, and Andrew Davis for running one at Hearthstone Assisted Living in May.
 
 
Club Uniform Repairs
 
Our many thanks to Kim Story for repairing several of the fencing jackets we use in the beginner classes.
 
 
HFC Email Address Change
 
We’ve changed the club email to huntsvillefencing@knology.net.
 
 
Foil Donation
 
Our thanks to Marjorie Mendenhall for donating a foil used by her son, Robert Mendenhall, at Stanford 1968-1969.  We hope one day to have a case to display Huntsville-associated fencing artifacts, so to speak­an old box and reel, old uniforms, old weapons, and so forth.
 
 
“Back in the Day”­Points d’Arrêt
 
Our thanks to John Jordan, a founding member of both the MARS Fencing Club in 1963 and the Huntsville Fencing Club in 1971 for supplying this bit of epee history regarding the point d’arrêt (a three-pronged epee tip), including how to attach one and how it was used. Points d’arrêt were common well into the 1950s and were still seen in the 1960s, even though electrical epee scoring was first introduced in the 1930s.
 
“If you have a real practice epee it should have a flat point that should be about the diameter and or shape of an 8-10 penny nail. If it has a flat tip then the flat part of the point d'arrêt should fit nicely on the flat part of the tip of the blade.  Then using dental floss tie a slip knot around the blade and with the point d'arrêt in place start snugly-wrapping the dental floss back and forth through the points and down under the flat part of the "tip" evenly distributed until the sharp points just protrude enough to catch on a surface like a fencing jacket made of tough fabric. Using a razor blade shave off any tip of the dental floss. I still have my old vintage jacket with rips and tears and one or two where I took some shots on the back when I didn't duck quite enough to evade the attack.
 
“You know that we used tooth paste and red dye to dab the point d'arrêt in before each of three touches per bout?  The director had to make a judgment after a touch call from one of the two judges, each side, used before electric took over.  The director made the final judgment from looking at the impact point to see if the red spot was just a flick or had an indenture in the material of the jacket, pants, shoe, etc, along with the die mark.”
 
Fencers should note from John’s foregoing explanation that the flick was not allowed­the flick is an artificial touch, not a true “combat” thrust. It would cause little if any damage in real combat, not to mention that real dueling blades were necessarily stiff and could not be made to flick.
 
A loss of technique due to the nature of the flat modern tip is the small “parry” made by using the epee guard as a shield. The point d’arrêt and pineapple tips had the virtue of requiring less angulation to make a wrist or forearm touch, as was the case with a real blade with a sharp point. As such, epeeists often used the guard to defect these flat, direct thrusts to the wrist and forearm, a practice seen much less often today. Modern flat tips require greater angulation, rendering these “shield-parries” useless except occasionally.
 
Three-touch bouts were common in the first six decades of the 20th century because they were considered more realistic. One-touch bouts, the most realistic of all, had been done away with fairly early in the century (except in the modern pentathlon) as being too boring and often not an indicator of the fencer with the best technique. (But then, the victor in a duel was often not the fencer with the best technique overall, but the one who best combine technique, however limited, with courage, calculation, patience, and sangfroid.) Our modern fifteen touch bouts have entirely departed from any semblance of the reality of the duel, in general leaving victory to the fencer with the best technique, as opposed to the best swordsman or swordswoman in a more realistic one or three touch bout. On the other hand, fifteen touch bouts provide greater opportunity to recover from mistakes.
 
Points d’arrêt are available through American Fencers Supply. See Ben if you want to know what one looks like after it has been attached to a “dry” epee.

 

 

June 14, 2010

 

Beginning Class

Our next beginning class starts on June 26, and will run for eight two-hour on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. in the aerobics room at the Huntsville Athletic Club. Please contact us for details.

Please accept my apologies for the delay in setting the course dates, as well as for delays in communication. After sorting out a very busy schedule, I have finally been able to set a date. The class will begin on June 26 and will run for eight two-hour sessions on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. The class fee is $100, but payment is not required until the second class--we want to ensure that students are enjoying the class before they commit to it. Details regarding appropriate clothing are listed on our website, but feel free to contact me with any questions. Please reply if you plan on taking the class. Pre-registration is not required, but we do like to have an idea of approximate class size beforehand. 
 
Best Regards, 
 
Benerson Little 
Instructor and Co-Director, HFC 
 

 

 

 

January 2010

 

Beginning Class

Our next beginning class starts this weekend, January 23, and will run for eight sessions, noon until 2 p.m. on Saturdays. Details are available on the HFC website.


Need Updated Information

We're in the process of updating our email lists and member information, and in particular need to confirm the association of names with email addresses. Please send an email to hfc@hiwaay.net with your name, along with any other information you would like us to have on file, such as your home address, phone number, or additional email address. (We do not disclose email addresses or personal information to any other organization, business, or party.)


Vanderbilt Tournament

A number of our fencers will be attending the Vanderbilt tournament this weekend. If you're interested in possibly carpooling, contact Dave Young or Geoffrey Babb.

see 'Results Page'

Holiday and Summer Parties

Our many thanks to Chad Scales for hosting an excellent annual HFC holiday party. We'll also have a summer party this year, probably in July or early August. Anyone interested in hosting it, or who has suggestions on when to hold it, should contact Mike, Brian, or Ben.


Armorer and Secretary/Treasurer

Our many thanks to Dave Young for the abundant time and effort he puts in as armorer, and to Geoffrey Babb for volunteering to act as treasurer (well, in his words, as treasurer pro tem), with the addition of some associated secretarial duties. Our intention is to continue to keep the logistics and expenses of the club to a minimum in order to make fencing available to as many interested parties as possible, and to maintain the club's focus foremost as a venue for fencing in and around Huntsville.

For anyone interested, the club's stated purpose is to provide a local venue for recreational and competitive fencers of all levels at the lowest reasonable cost and free of unnecessary encumbrances; to promote the sport of Olympic fencing at the recreational and competitive levels; to maintain the traditions of honorable combat with swords; to encourage the study of swordplay, past and present; to provide affordable quality beginning instruction and beginning to advanced individual lessons; to minimize the administrative, logistical, and financial requirements associated with the club; and, especially, to encourage an atmosphere of competitive camaraderie.


Visiting Members

We were glad to see several of our collegiate fencers return to fence with us over the holidays: Kirstin Anderson from Furman University, Daniele Greene from the University of Colorado, Sara Leibold from the University of Alabama Tuscaloosa, and Emily Stewart from Indiana University. Brentwood Reid visited for a while from Alaska, and Roland Vincent was briefly in town from France. Richard Ballard finally returned after an extended business trip to LA.


Facebook

For those interested, the club does have a Facebook page. Administrators are Mary Crouch and Emily Stewart.


Safety Reminders

Fencing is a very safe sport, and our club has an excellent safety record. In keeping with this, here is our annual safety reminders. Underarm protectors are mandatory. Although they are only required by the USFA for competition, we require them of all fencers, given the stiffer, heavier blade of the epee. We strongly urge all fencers to wear fencing breeches or pants, but we stop short of requiring them, although nearly all members do. Breeches are required by the USFA for competition, and nearly all of our fencers wear them. Women are required to wear breast protectors (also required by the USFA for competition), and we strongly recommend that men wear a protective cup. Men who fail to wear one do so at their own risk. We're almost entirely an epee club, remember.

Anytime you are demonstrating a technique with a partner, even in "slow motion," you must each wear your masks in order to prevent possible injury, particularly to the eyes.

Given how busy, and thus how crowded, we have been lately, please pay extra attention both to the fencers on adjacent strips, as well as to fencers and visitors on the sidelines. Also, fencers and visitors who are not fencing should move carefully throughout the room, paying particular attention to the movement of fencers on strip. As ever, the instructor has the final word on safety.


For Sale

Anyone interested in selling some of their equipment should contact Dave, Ben, or Mike, and we'll include the information in the newsletter and on the website.

The club has some posters for sale. They show epee basic positions, and were
designed based on the book Epee Combat Manual by Terrence Kingston.  The price is $5, see Dave Young if you are interested. Kingston's book is the best beginning to intermediate epee book in print, and is available via the Leon Paul website.

The club has a number of old (probably 1960s to early 1980s) masks unsafe for use. We're selling them for $5 apiece as wall hangers, and are considering offering them on eBay. If you're interested in any of them, contact Dave Young.


HFC Tournaments

With a bit of effort and luck, we should be able to run two epee tournaments this year, one in the spring and one in the fall. Tentative plans are to run both as mixed open events, with the addition of a single touch round robin or team event after the open. The spring tournament will the Joe Dabbs Open, in honor of Joe Dabbs, a founding member of both the MARS Fencing Club and the Huntsville Fencing Club. The fall tournament will be the MARS Musketeers Open, in honor of the MARS Fencing Club founded in 1963 by a few "NASA guys," as John Jordan, one of the founding members, put it. At the moment we're looking at two or three possible venues. If you know of any potential venues, please contact Dave or Mike, or send an email to hfc@hiwaay.net.

In 2011 we'll also host the Huntsville Fencing Club 40th Anniversary Open, and we plan to host an associated social event as well. Founding members will be invited as special guests. The HFC was officially chartered by the AFLA (the previous name of the USFA) on September 14, 1971. In 2013 we'll host the Half Century of Huntsville Fencing tournament (or the 50 Years of Huntsville Fencing), and again, founding members will be invited as special guests.


Equipment Update

A few months ago we ordered a wireless scoring system in good faith, but it has unfortunately not entirely lived up to its manufacturer's advertising. Hard hits often do not register, nor do those on bare flesh (the hand, for example), and often those on very sweaty uniforms do not register either. However, the system is still a good backup system when we're busy, and is also good for drills.


Lessons

A reminder that if you want lessons, let Ben know as soon as you walk in, or email him prior to practice. Lessons are rotated among all who want them, in order to ensure that lessons are available to everyone. Advice, by the way, is always free, so don't be afraid to ask questions about your fencing.


Training Program

The serious fencing competitor's training regimen should include not only free fencing, practice competitive bouts to five and fifteen touches, and formal lessons, but also physical training (strength training of the entire body, with preference given to high rep low weight [or body weight] exercises, plus cardio training, emphasizing both aerobic and anaerobic fitness, plus exercises for speed and agility, plus stretching); footwork drills, including speed exercises; reciprocal attack and defense drills with a partner; tempo drills with a partner; free fencing "restricted to certain actions or themes" as Vass puts it; "wall" exercises, alone and with a partner; psychological preparation; and regular competition.


Fencing History

From 17th and 18th century France, said of a gentleman who has neither money nor goods: Il n'a que la cape et l'epée / He has nothing but a cape and a sword. Of a man who carried a sword but had never used it: Son epée est pucelle / His epee is virgin. Of a combative man constantly drawing his sword: Son epée ne tient pas au fourreau / His sword won't stay in its scabbard. (Spelling has been modernized: epée, for example, was often spelled espée.)


Gilbert Rosière

Gilbert Rosière, probably the most noted 19th century New Orleans fencing master, has been voted into the USFA Hall of Fame. A street is named after him in New Orleans, and the New Orleans Fencing Club used to hold an annual team fencing competition in his name. Speaking of New Orleans, the latest American Fencing magazine has a brief article on how Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coast fencing clubs have recovered after Katrina.


Fencing Advice

"In battle let valour and prudence go together, the lyon's courage with the fox's craft."
-le sieur Labat, The Art of Fencing, 1696 (Mahon's translation, 1734).

 

 

 

January 11, 2010

 

Beginning Class

 

The Huntsville Fencing Club's next beginning class will start on January 23, 2010 . The course will consist of eight two-hour sessions on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. at the Huntsville Athletic Club on Leeman Ferry. The course fee is $100, and need not be paid until the second class. We provide all equipment. Clothing recommendations are posted on our website. Pre-registration is not required, but we would appreciate an email letting us know if you intend to take the class, so that we can get an idea in advance of probably class size. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me. 
 
Sincerely, 
 
Benerson Little 
Instructor and Co-Director, HFC 

 

 

 

November 30, 2009

 

Christmas Party

The Christmas party will be held Saturday December 19th.

Contact Chad or Ben for more information.

 

 

October 12, 2009

 

Beginning Class

 

The Huntsville Fencing Club's next beginning class will start on
October 24, 2009. The course will consist of eight two-hour sessions
on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. at the Huntsville Athletic Club
on Leeman Ferry. The course fee is $100, and need not be paid until
the second class. We provide all equipment. Clothing recommendations
are posted on our website.(Information page) Pre-registration is not
required, but we would appreciate an email letting us know if you
intend to take the class, so that we can get an idea in advance of
probably class size. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me.

Benerson Little
Instructor and Co-Director

 

 

 

August 7, 2009
 

Nationals
 
Our congratulations to everyone who fenced at Nationals this year. Fencing at national tournaments, both NACs and Summer Nationals, is a critical part of preparing for success at these tournaments.
 
 
USFA Registration
 
The new fencing year began on August 1st. You can register now or at your first tournament, if you plan on competing this year. As of August 7th the new online registration system was not up. You must register by mail if you intend to register now. The form is available on line at the USFA site.
 
 
Dues Reminder
 
Annual club dues ($30) are due are due this month.


Instruction
 
Our instructor, Ben Little, will be back regularly by mid-August. He's been meeting a deadline (and taking a break).


Beginning Class

The dates of the next beginning class have not yet been determined. Ben is waiting to review the fall high school volleyball schedule, as well as his travel schedule.
 
 
Exchange Student
 
CIEE USA High School Programs is looking to place a fifteen year old student from Spain, Jose Luis, with a local fencing family. Jose Luis is an avid fencer. If you might be interested, please contact Ben ASAP.
 
 
USFA “Stay and Play”
 
If you are a recent member of the USFA, you have probably received an anonymous email regarding the USFA’s decision to require the use of the THS system for all National tournaments. In other words, fencers who live farther away than one hundred miles from NAC and Nationals tournament sites, must use the system, and may not locate their own accommodations outside of the system. This will almost certainly increase the cost of the stay, and prevent fencers from staying with friends or family. The writer, who must remain anonymous because he or she does business with the USFA, opposes the system’s use. Our instructor, Ben Little, has had experience with the THS system via volleyball and opposes it on both practical grounds (he had great difficulty canceling part of a reservation--the system reservation change deadline was several days prior to play, unlike the typical hotel deadline which permits cancellation up to the evening of the reservation) and on the requirement that it will be mandatory. Fencing travel is expensive enough without being required to use a specific hotel booking system which benefits no one but the USFA. In Ben’s opinion, the USFA is already picking our pockets enough (as are most national sports organizations). If you oppose the requirement, please let the USFA know by contacting Kurt Aichele ( mailto:kurt.aichele@usfencing.org) and Kalle Weeks (mailto:kgweeks@gmail.com). If you did not receive the emails and would like to read them, contact Ben.
 

Two days ago, the USFA sent out a link noting that the "Stay and
Play" hotel program was on hold, so no need to email the USFA
regarding it unless they re-institute it. Our thanks to Dave Young
for pointing this out.


Party

Our usual summer party has been delayed due to schedule conflicts which have led to a lack of venue. We'll keep you posted.


Fall Tournament

The HFC will be hosting an epee tournament this fall, the Joe Dabbs Open. Details to follow.
 
 
Old Masks For Sale

The club has several old masks for sale for $5 as wall hangers or decoration. These masks were used for years in beginning classes, most have small bibs, and none are safe for fencing anymore. See Dave Young if you're interested.
 
 
Un-subscribe: If you do not wish to receive this newsletter or other emails from the Huntsville Fencing Club, please contact us at hfc@hiwaay.net and we'll remove you from our mailing list.

Copyright Huntsville Fencing Club 2009
 

 

 

April 17, 2009
 

 
 
Division Election
 
If you are a current USFA member and your membership is dated on or before February 1, 2009, and you are at least 18 years old as of this date, you are eligible to vote for the 2009-2010 proposed slate of officers. The HFC directors recommend a yes vote. We had proposed Mike Greene as division chair; given his fencing and administrative experience, he was in our opinion the most qualified choice. The division has instead proposed a slate with a Birmingham fencing parent as chair. However, Jonathan Thrasher has been nominated as vice-chair, and Mike as 2nd congress representative, so the HFC will have good representation. If you did not receive a ballot and are eligible to vote, contact Ben, Mike, or Dave to forward a ballot and mailing address to you. Ballots must be received by May 31, 2009. You will need your USFA number in order to vote.
NominationofOfficers2009.doc

 
Fencing Lessons
 
Due to other engagements, Ben will not be available for lessons 17-18 and 24-25 April. Lessons will resume 1 May. Priority will be given to those fencers who have not had the most recent lessons. (And yes, for those of you who have asked, club volleyball season should be over this weekend!)
 
 
Next Beginning Class
 
The next beginning class will start on May 16. Details are available on our website on the information page.
 
 
Epee Clinics
 
Ben will run the following clinics in May: Saturday, May 2, noon to 2, Epee Defense and Offense and Infighting and Fencing at Close Distance. Saturday, May 9, noon to 2, Epee Strategy and Tactics, followed by a one touch round robin. The clinics are free to HFC members. Interested non-HFC members must first contact the instructor in order to ensure space availability.

 
 
MTSU Tournament Reminder
 
Don’t forget the MTSU Blue Raider Open on April 25 at Middle Tennessee State University in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. We’re trying to get as many fencers to attend as are available. Right now the tournament is shaping up to be a fairly strong event.
 
 
Pen and Sword
 
“They say the pen is mightier than the sword.” --Lope de Vega, The Knight from Olmeda (El caballero de Olmeda), 1622
 
Or...
 
“Benbu Itchi” (Pen and sword in accord). --Japanese, 17th century or earlier
 
 
Epee Advice
 
“Patience is the first virtue of an épée fencer.” --Luigi Barbasetti, 1936
 
Yet...
 
“Never hesitate!” --Dr. Francis Zold, 1977
 
 
Dave Young’s New Book
 
Dave’s latest book, Computational Drug Design: Things that All Drug Designers Should Know (Wiley, 2009) is now in print.
 
 
Equipment for Sale
 
A former member has a pair of used fencing britches and a used fencing bag for sale, contact Ben for details. Karl Kiesler may have a variety of fencing equipment for sale, contact Karl or Charlene for details.
 
 
Tragedy with Real Swords
 
The Associated Press reported that a seventy-seven year old Indianapolis woman suffered fatal wounds when she tried to break up a sword fight between her grandson and her brother-in-law. One of the swords was described as a WWII era Japanese officer’s sword, while the other was only described as having a “thicker blade.” The woman’s grandson, thirty-nine years old, was arrested on a charge of attempted murder. Her brother-in-law was reported as being in critical condition, with multiple serious “stab wounds.” The grandson, also hospitalized, suffered similar wounds.
 

 

March 30, 2009

Charlene Kiesler

Charlene, our club treasurer, recently had one of her legs amputated below the knee. She wants everyone to know that she is doing well and is in good spirits. We send our best wishes for her recovery.


Emily Stewart

Emily was recently featured, along with two other area students, in a Huntsville Times feature article describing their superior individual choral performances and abilities. Emily was named female Alabama Outstanding Choral Student at the Alabama All-State Festival. If you missed it, the article is available here: http://www.al.com/huntsvilletimes/stories/index.ssf?/base/news/1237194922298360.xml&coll=1


Club Photo

We're looking at dates for both the summer party and a club photo, July or August being the most likely months for both. Please send an email to let us know the best days of the week as well as the best dates over the summer that you're available. We want turnout for the photo to be as complete as possible. Digital copies will be available for free. The photo will be taken on a Friday evening or Saturday afternoon at the club.


Alabama Divisionals

A reminder that Alabama divisionals will be held this Saturday, April 4, at the YMCA in south Huntsville. Those of you who might be interested in volunteering should contact Dave Young ASAP.


Division Election

The proposed slate of division officers for the next term is currently being put together, and must be complete by April 15. Division officers are hoping to have it complete by April 4. We've passed the names of two volunteers (Mike, Jonathan) to the division treasurer (Dave Young). If anyone else is interested, contact Dave ASAP. According to Dave, the election will be held by May 31, probably via email.


MTSU Tournament

Middle Tennessee State University plans on holding an epee tournament on Saturday, April 25. The organizers are hoping for a strong turnout from our club, and we're encouraging our competitors to attend.


Huntsville Epee Tournaments

We have plans to host two epee tournaments per year, starting this year. Ideally, we'll hold one tournament in the spring and the other in the fall. Given our late start this year, we hope to hold the spring tournament this summer. The main event will be an open mixed epee competition, and we'll probably hold a team event or one touch epee round robin as an additional "fun" event. We're also considering "D and under" and youth events, time and venue permitting. The tournaments will be the Joe Dabbs Open and the M.A.R.S. Musketeers Open, the former in honor of M.A.R.S. and HFC founding member Joe Dabbs, and the latter in honor of the original NASA-based M.A.R.S. club and its members from which the HFC developed.


Epee Refereeing Issues

Later this week we'll be posting a pdf file of epee refereeing issues and notes on our website. The document, written from the fencer's point of view, will review significant epee rules and refereeing issues, and hopefully clear up some misconceptions. It will not be a substitute for reading the rule book and learning the rules.

Clinics

Right now Ben has tentative plans for running two to four one-hour epee clinics over the next month on designated Saturdays between noon and 2 p.m. The clinics will be free. Tentative topics include Infighting and Fencing at Close Distance, Epee Defense, Epee Footwork, and Basic Epee Tactics. He might also hold a clinic on late 17th and early 18th century smallsword technique. Dates will be posted on the website during the coming week.


Beginning Class

The next beginning class will start in early May. We'll post the date and send out notices during the coming week.


Mask Designs

For those of you who have asked about designs or graphics on the face of the mask, the following is quoted from the rules book, Appendix A to the Material Rules, at the end of section 2.1 (page 68): "USFA Note: Masks may feature colored designs on condition that they are approved on the sole and absolute discression [sic] of the Head Referee, and is unappealable at that event." In other words, in general avoid them, or risk not being able to wear the mask in competition. If you do paint a design on your mask, have a second mask available in case the design is not approved.


Strength, Technique, and Fortune versus Spirit

From Montaigne's essay Of Cannibals: "We have sufficient advantages over our enemies that are borrowed and not truly our own; it is the quality of a porter, and no effect of virtue, to have stronger arms and legs; it is a dead and corporeal quality to set in array: 'tis a turn of fortune to make our enemy stumble, or to dazzle him with the light of the sun; 'tis a trick of science and art, and that may happen in a mean base fellow, to be a good fencer. The estimate and value of a man consist in the heart and in the will: there his true honour lies. Valour is stability, not of legs and arms, but of the courage and the soul; it does not lie in the goodness of our horse or our arms: but in our own." Similar sentiments are expressed in 17th and 18th century Japanese works on swordplay.

In the same essay, Montaigne also briefly addresses the subject of spirit and surrender, quoting Seneca's famous line: Si succiderit, de genu pugnat--"If his legs fail him, he fights on his knees." (Monty Python and the Holy Grail wasn't very far off, after all.) Dr. Francis Zold, a student of Italo Santelli and a revered fencing master, put it much more simply: "Never give up!" Our thanks to Mary Crouch for pointing out Montaigne's essay.


Swordswomen in History

"There have lived many famous swordswomen in France, conspicuous among whom, at different times, were Madame de Chateau-Gay, who was perfect mistress of the rapier; there was also La Donze, who killed two professionals at Auvergne. La Baupré and La des Nilis were both experts with the sword; while La Maupin, disguised in male attire, at a bal masqué killed three clever Parisian swordsmen in one night. What training may accomplish with women is, perhaps, best shown in Vigéant's account of Jean Louis' daughter--who is, by far, the most excellent and extraordinary swordswoman that ever lived." From Ben C. Truman, The Field of Honor (New York: Fords, Howard, & Hulbert, 1884), 459. Jean Louis, a Frenchman of mixed African and European parentage, was possibly the greatest swordsman and master of the 19th century.


March 9, 2008

Sectionals

Fencers interested in participating in the Southeast Sectionals (May 16-17, Lakeland, FL) should contact Ben or Dave for a copy of the entry form. Registration deadline is May 9.

See www.askFred.net for details and registration for these and other tournaments.


US Fencing URL

The old USFA address ( www.usfencing.org) now points to the new address ( http://fencing.teamusa.org/).


Reclaiming the Blade

The feature length documentary of the sword, Reclaiming the Blade, was unfortunately never released in Huntsville theaters, but will be available on DVD in a two-disk special edition on March 30. See http://galatiafilms.com/store/reclaiming-the-blade-deluxe-edition.html .. The DVD will probably be available through other vendors as well.

 

February 3, 2009

New USFA Link

The USFA website is changing its address from http://www.usfencing.org to http://fencing.teamusa.org/. At present, both sites are up, but the at some point the old address will be closed. The new URL is already posted on our links page.


Divisionals

Another reminder that Alabama divisionals will be held locally on April 4, in all likelihood at the YMCA in south Huntsville. We encourage all of our competitively-inclined members to participate. For those of you who have never competed before, the tournament would be a good time to start. Given that the competition will be held here, we'd like to make a good showing, particularly in the epee events. If all goes well, we'd like to use the YMCA facility for two HFC-sponsored tournaments per year.


Upcoming Tournaments

The following are upcoming tournaments which may be of interest to our competitor members. In general, check http://askfred.net/ for the most up-to-date information on area tournaments and results.

January 31, Birmingham: BFC Open Mixed Epee, D and Under Mixed Epee, Mixed Saber

January 31, Rome, GA: Gladiator Gala, Open Epee, E and Under Epee, Youth Epee

January 31, Knoxville, TN: Szathmary Cup, Open Epee

February 7, Atlanta: Atlanta Fencers Club Grand Prix, Mixed Epee, Mixed Saber

February 14, Atlanta: Atlanta Fencers Club, Youth Epee Events only

March 14, Nashville: Vanderbilt's Dean Richard Memorial Open, Mixed Epee, Mixed Saber


Danielle Green

Danielle is now attending college in Boulder, Colorado, but will still fence with us when she's in town.


Website

Mike Greene has been updating our site ( www.huntsvillefencingclub.org). In particular, he's posted quite a few old photos and articles from the club's earlier years on the "Scrapbook" page, including a short fencing memoir by founding member John Jordan. Some of Chad's artwork and Dave's armory manual are posted on the "Member Stuff" page.


Three Musketeers

The Alabama Shakespeare Festival in Montgomery is presenting a stage version of The Three Musketeers in May and June. Some fencers have expressed interest in attending. Right now there are tentative plans for a few fencers to go down in June. Good tickets are going quickly. If anyone is interested in going as a group, and possibly in arranging a tournament in Montgomery at the same time, contact Ben ASAP.


Spamalot

Spamalot, the Broadway show based on the 1975 film Monty Python and the Holy Grail, will be playing in Huntsville at the VBCC February 17-22. Although there won't be much swordplay, there will scenes that illustrate the virtues of (1) never giving up in a sword fight ("'Tis just a scratch...I've had worse... It's just a flesh wound"), and (2) basic defense ("Run away! Run away!"). The show stars Richard Chamberlain, who played Aramis in The Three Musketeers (1973) and The Four Musketeers (1974), and Louis XIV and his twin brother in a television version of The Man in the Iron Mask (1977).


Fencing Non-Rule

A recent conversation with one of our fencers indicated that some directors (excuse me, some referees) are still requiring epee fencers to hold their masks in front of their faces when testing guards. There is no such rule, and you may not be carded for non-compliance. (See sections t.17 and t.43, for example, and also the Schedule of Offences and Penalties.) In fact, the rule book does not even specify that foil or saber lames (or saber masks) and epee guards must be tested before a bout, although only a fool would fail to make the appropriate test. Neither are there rules requiring that foilists or sabreurs hold their masks in similar fashion when testing lames or (in saber) masks. The act of holding the mask in front of one's face is arguably of dubious value anyway in protecting the throat or face against an inadvertent thrust in such circumstances, which would most likely come from below. If there were truly a safety issue, the rules would require that masks be worn when testing. The best suggestion is simply to be careful when testing guards or lames, although there is nothing to prevent you from holding your mask in front of your face if you want to. Fencing is full of similar "urban myths," many of the them perpetrated by naive referees, of whom there are many. If in doubt, read the rule book. Better yet, read it anyway, and don't be afraid to challenge the misapplication of a rule--or the application of a non-existent rule--in competition.


Equipment Inventory

Dave Young recently completed an inventory of club equipment. We have sufficient equipment to support beginning classes, although we will continue to phase out the older masks. As we do, we'll sell them for $5 apiece in case anyone wants one for wall decoration, with the proceeds going to the club treasury. The masks all have small bibs and not much padding, and this type, common for almost a century, is no longer manufactured. Also, right now we have equipment for five electric strips, but two of the boxes are getting old, and we may replace at least one soon, and place one of the older boxes in reserve as a backup or for the day when we have room to lay out more strips.


Next Beginning Class

Depending on scheduling issues and barring significant conflicts, the next beginning fencing class will start in April or May.
 

January 22, 2009

Paul Pesthy

The HFC mourns the recent passing away of epee fencer, pentathlete, and coach Paul Pesthy. Mr. Pesthy was born in Budapest, Hungary, and competed at the international level for the US in both epee and modern pentathlon, winning team silver in the latter at the 1964 Olympics and team bronze at the 1962 and 1963 world championships. He competed in epee in the 1968 and 1976 Olympics, and was a member of the 1980 team that did not compete due to the US boycott. He won the US national epee championship five times, a record. As a coach, he trained elite US pentathlon and epee athletes, including Olympians. His pentathletes won several world championships, and one of them, Emily Deriel won silver at the 2000 Olympics. Mr. Pesthy was 70 years old. For more information, see the Winter 2008 edition of American Fencing magazine.

January 15, 2009

December Fencing Party

Our thanks to Charlene for hosting what was by all accounts an excellent party, well in keeping with the club's tradition.

Uniform Donation

Our thanks to Joe Rogers for his donation of uniforms to the club.


Louisville NAC

Best of luck to all of our fencers who will be attending the Louisville NAC this weekend! For those of you who aren't fencing at the NAC, those who are could use your support, and attending is also a great way to shop for fencing equipment, as many of the major vendors will be there.


Divisionals Reminder

The HFC is hosting Alabama divisionals this year, probably in April. We encourage all of you to enter the epee events. The division will manage the tournament, and will need volunteers to assist with scorekeeping and other tasks. If you might be interested in volunteering, please contact Dave or Mike.


Beginning Fencing Class

The next beginning foil class begins this weekend, January 17, and will run for eight weeks on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m.


Zorro and John Carter of Mars

For those interested in very high quality reproduction swords of cinema and literature, see http://filmswords.com/.

January 1, 2009

The next beginning class will start on January 17, 2009. Please email us if you plan on attending, so that we'll have a rough idea of class size in advance.

November 29, 2008

Fencing Party

Look for a separate email from Charlene regarding holiday party details. The date is set for Saturday the 20th of December.


Upcoming Tournaments

December 6. Reminder: Alabama Division JO Qualifiers, Montgomery, Alabama.

December 6. Winter Whuppin' at the Augusta Fencers Club, Augusta, Georgia. Mixed open epee, D and under epee.

December 13. Montgomery Fencing Club's first tournament. Open epee registration closes at 10:00 a.m.  Preregistration is available at http://askfred.net. See Dave Young if you want a ride.

December 20 (club party date): Dunwoody Fencing Club Southern Star, Dunwoody, Georgia. Youth 10 and 12 epee, E and under epee, mixed open epee, combined veteran's epee.


Modern Swashbucklers on DVD

For those interested in swashbuckling or historical swordplay fare, the following are some of the best films in the genre, all available on DVD, of the past three decades:

The Three Musketeers, The Four Musketeers. 1973, 1974. Probably the best version of the Dumas classic, ever. Puts later versions to shame. Remains loyal to Dumas' plot and spirit. Outstanding cast, including Michael York, Oliver Reed, Richard Chamberlain, Frank Finlay, Christopher Lee, Charleton Heston, Faye Dunaway, and Raquel Welch. Originally shot as a single film, but was released as two separate films due to length. Directed by Richard Lester (A Hard Day's Night, Help!). Rated PG.

The Duelists. 1977. Based on a Joseph Conrad short story, itself based on actual events. The swordplay in the film is probably the most historically accurate ever filmed. Stars Keith Carradine and Harvey Keitel, who plays his role to the hilt, pun intended. Rated PG.

The Princess Bride. 1987. Outstanding version of the modern fairy tale. Great lines, well-choreographed theatrical swordplay. Stars Robin Wright, Cary Elwes, Mandy Patinkin, Andre the Giant, and Wallace Shawn. Rated PG.

Cyrano. 1990. Outstanding film adaptation of the play. Includes a well-choreographed duel in which Cyrano composes a ballade as he fights. Stars Gerard Depardieu, Anne Brochet, and Vincent Perez. Rated PG.

Revenge of the Musketeers (La Fille de d'Artagnan / D'Artagnan's Daughter). 1994. Well-made, lighthearted swashbuckler about Eloise D'Artagnan, her father, and the Three Musketeers. Plenty of swordplay, much of it tongue-in-cheek, including satire of various secret thrusts. Stars Sophie Marceau and Philippe Noiret. In French with English subtitles. The title was changed for US release. Rated R in the US for mild nudity.

Rob Roy. 1995. Well-made film about the legendary Scottish reiver and swordsman, although the script takes significant liberties with the facts. The swordplay is intense and well-choreographed, although a duel between a broadsword and smallsword or shearing sword would probably have transpired differently. Stars Liam Neeson and Jessica Lange. Rated R for violence and some sexual situations.

The Mask of Zorro. 1998. Well-made, fun version of Zorro, set a generation after the original story. Ignore the gaping holes in the plot and just enjoy the movie. Energetic theatrical swordplay. Stars Antonio Banderas, Anthony Hopkins, and Catherine Zeta-Jones. Rated PG-13 for some indecipherable reason. Don't bother with the sequel, The Legend of Zorro.

On Guard (Le Bossu / The Hunchback). 1998. Based on the 19th century classic by Paul Feval. Much swordplay, even describes an exaggerated version of the actual botte de Nevers, a purported botte secrète or secret thrust, actually nothing more than a thrust between the eyes. (And no, for those who watch the film, the skull does not have a weakness there which would permit a smallsword thrust to penetrate.) Stars Daniel Auteuil, Vincent Perez, and Marie Gillain. In French, with English subtitles. Not rated. Violence, brief mild nudity.

Alatriste. 2006. Based on the five short Alatriste novels by bestselling Spanish author Arturo Perez-Reverte, about Captain Alatriste, a Spanish soldier and sword-for-hire in the early 17th century. Stars Viggo Mortensen, who did his graduate work in Spanish studies. Also stars Ariadna Gil (Belle Epoque, Pan's Labyrinth). The film is a feast for the eyes, although the plot may be difficult to follow if you have not read the books. Plenty of swordplay with the Spanish cuphilt rapier and dagger. In Spanish, with English subtitles. Would probably be rated R in the US for violence and some sexual situations. In Mexico it is recommended for ages 16 and older. Not yet released in the US. Available on ebay in a combination region 1 and 4 DVD.


The UIPM, Under Pressure from the IOC, Alters the Modern Pentathlon

In yet another bid at making sports more appealing to a television audience, pressure from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) has once again diminished the original nature and spirit of a sport. In the case of the Modern Pentathlon (riding, one touch epee fencing, shooting, swimming, and cross country running), the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne  has combined the shooting and running events, primarily in order to sustain the sport at the Olympic level. Recently the IOC has been considering eliminating the event, which has been in every modern Olympics since their inception, and the UIPM's action is doubtless in response. Read the sordid details at http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/27/sports/olympics/27pentathlon.html .

Modern Pentathlon Trivia: George S. Patton, later to become a famous, successful, yet often tactless WWII US Army general and combat commander, competed in the sport as a member of the US Olympic team. (Patton also redesigned the US cavalry saber and wrote a manual on its use. He, like the French cavalry, was an advocate of the thrust over the cut from horseback.)


More Fencing Gripes, Many Also Ultimately Courtesy of the IOC

Over the last three decades we have seen quite a few rule changes, many of them purportedly designed to make the sport of fencing easier to comprehend to audiences--in the Queen's English, to make them "televisual." Most of the following rules changes are directly or in part due to attempts to make the sport more appealing to an ignorant or naive audience. To date, all have failed to make the sport more appealing to the spectator. For example, epee and saber strips have been shortened from eighteen to fourteen meters, making them equal with the foil strip--epee and saber, being dueling weapons, were originally granted more ground to maneuver on. Five touch bouts have been shortened from six minutes to three minutes in an effort to reduce competition time and to force fencers to be more active and aggressive. The double defeat in epee has been eliminated, taking the weapon further away from the duel it was designed to emulate. Non-violent contact in epee now draws a halt (another step away from the emulation of the duel), although thankfully not (yet at least) a yellow card. Pool competitions have been eliminated, primarily due to cheating at the elite level, and have been replaced by a fifteen touch DE table, which can give skewed results. At the Olympic level, the size of the competitor field has been reduced to such a degree that it is no longer a truly broad international field (the US qualified only one epee fencer this past Olympics, for example). The world championships are now the best indicator of a nation's fencing prowess, as they permit a much larger, broader field. The rules changes and rightof-way interpretations in foil and saber deserve their own separate rant, saved for another day.

HFC,  November 12, 2008

Epee Repair Clinic
 
The Huntsville Fencing Club will host an armory clinic on Saturday, November 8 at the Huntsville Athletic Club from 12:00 to 2:00.  Dave Young will demonstrate the troubleshooting and repair of epee body cords and electric epees, and the wiring and assembly of an electric epee. The cost is $10, and will help cover the cost of an epee blade and parts, which in turn will, when assembled, be added to the stock of club weapons. Please contact Dave if you plan on attending, or even if you think you might. An accompanying repair document in pdf format, written by Dave, is available online. All fencers should know how to troubleshoot their weapons, make minor repairs, and re-wire a blade.
Here's a link to the document that accompanies the clinic - epee_troubleshooting.pdf

Halloween
 
Fencing lessons will be unavailable on Halloween. Otherwise, have a Happy All Hallows Eve!
 
 
Upcoming Tournaments
 
The North Georgia Fencing Center in Suwanee, Georgia is holding D and under men’s and women’s epee events on Saturday, November 1, and also a mixed veteran’s epee event.
 
The Vanderbilt Fencing Club is hosting the Cumberland Open 2008 on Sunday, November 2. The tournament will include an open epee event.
 
The Alabama Junior Olympic 2008 Qualifiers will be held on December 6 in Montgomery. Entry deadline is November 29. U17 and U20 (ages under 17 and under 20 events) will be held.
 
See http://www.askfred.net/ for details.
 
 
Next Beginning Fencing Class
 
We should have a date for the next class posted by November 8. We haven’t yet determined whether to hold a class before year’s end, given that the fall holidays often make it difficult to run an uninterrupted class.
 
 
Movie Catalog
 
For fans of swashbuckling movies, the Belle and Blade print video and DVD catalog has an extensive section of “swashbuckling adventure films,” including rare and hard-to-find. The company is owned and managed by Steve Mormando, a fourteen-time US national saber champion and three-time Olympian. The catalog is also available online at http://www.warshows.com/.
 
 
Fencing History: Women’s Competitive Events
 
Although organized women’s fencing had been around for decades, women’s fencing was not added to the Olympics until 1924, and then only as individual foil. Decades passed before women were permitted to compete in epee and saber. Women’s epee events in the US were introduced only in 1984, for example. Women’s epee was not added to the world championships until 1989, and to the Olympics in 1996. The first US women’s saber national championship was not held until 1988, and only 39 women participated. Women’s saber was not added to the world championships until 1999 and to the Olympics until 2004, and even then some male dinosaurs in the US were still complaining about women being permitted to compete in saber. The complainers have had their comeuppance: US women’s saber has produced the best US fencing results, ever.
 
The reason for the long exclusion of women from these weapons was due in large part to sexism: the epee and saber used in modern competitive fencing were originally dueling weapons, but the foil was considered a training or sport weapon. Dueling was considered a male domain and thus inappropriate for women. Epee and saber were even often each referred to by some male fencers and masters as “a man’s weapon” well into the 1980s. Further, some men (and some women as well) wrongly believed that women lacked the physical ability to wield an epee or saber, or were likely to be injured by them. Even many fencing masters, who otherwise might have been willing to teach women the epee or saber, refused to do so, believing that it was a waste of a woman fencer's talent and time to train her to fence a weapon she could not compete in.


Referee Clinic

The Alabama Division of the US Fencing Association is considering sponsoring a referee clinic later this year. It will probably last one and half days and end with certification exams for all three weapons. Having a better understanding of the current fencing rules can be a benefit fencers competing in tournaments. Also, the USFA helps cover some travel expenses to North American Cup tournaments for individuals agreeing to spend at least one full day refereeing, and some local tournaments pay rated referees.  Having a few individuals with referee training would also benefit the Huntsville Fencing Club if we decide to hold any tournaments in Huntsville. There would be a modest fee for the referee clinic. Please let Dave Young know if you are interested in attending a referee clinic. If you think you might be interested in attending the clinic, you should download and begin reviewing the USFA Rule Book, the "2008 USFA Rule Changes" document, and the National Referee Examination Study Guide from the USFA website at www.usfencing.org . Follow the "Forms and Documents" and "Refereeing for the USFA" links.

Club Equipment

We would like to thank Jonathan Thrasher for donating parts to make a club epee. If anyone else would like donate parts (or an entire old epee), please contact Dave Young. Ideally, we try to keep several “club epees” at hand for the purpose of introducing new fencers to epee, and to assist fencers whose epees quit working on a given night.
 

 Website Update

Links and Fencing Books pages are up, and the Results page will be up soon. The Our People page has been changed to Photos. Some photos have been added to the information and news pages. Photos for some of the other pages will be added soon. A club history page should be up within a month. At the moment Mike and Ben are reading through old club documents and memorials, and interviewing fencers who belonged to the MARS and HFC clubs in decades past.

 If you notice any results are missing from the Results page, let Mike or Ben know, and we’ll get them added.

Club Logo

Chad has expanded on the club arms, creating a more formal--and quite impressive--version. Not to worry, the shield and thus the club patch remain the same. The arms are posted on our website, and a larger image is posted on the scrapbook page. The motto Patientia Vincit is derived from “Prevail by Patience” and translates literally as “Patience Conquers,” perfectly suitable to epee fencing and beyond. Its origin as our club motto derives from Luigi Barbasetti’s quote, “Patience is the first virtue of the epee fencer,” and from the motto of writer Rafael Sabatini’s hero Charles de Bernis in The Black Swan. The swashbuckling novel is a tale of deceptive tactics patiently applied, culminating in a duel on a tropical island shore. A word of warning: to be patient does not mean to be passive. A patient fencer can still be, and should be, very aggressive.

Equipment for Sale, Equipment Wanted

If anyone has fencing equipment for sale or is looking for a particular piece of used equipment or uniform, contact Mike or Ben and we’ll post the appropriate “Equipment for Sale” or “Equipment Wanted” notice in the newsletter and on the info page. We won’t post your contact info on the web, only in the newsletter. We’ll forward any web inquiries to you. Also, you might want to contact Dave, our armorer, as he is usually current on equipment needs among many of our members.

 New Foil Mask

Books and posters for sale:

The club has imported copies of "Epee Combat Manual" by Terence Kingston, and
the accompanying "Epee Fencing Basic Positions" poster.  This is an
excellent beginners book and poster which are not sold in this country.  The
club is selling them to club members at cost.

Book $15 (only 2 left)  Sold Out
Poster $10

Leon Paul FIE underarm protector, large, right handed, slightly used, $40

To purchase these items, see Dave Young.

 

Upcoming Tournaments

The Cumberland D'Escrime Open is being held in Nashville on September 13. Several of our fencers are competing.

The Atlanta Fencing Club’s AFC Grand Prix has both an open epee competition on Saturday September 20, and a D and under epee competition on September 21 in East Point, Georgia.

The Third Annual Bruce Fusner Memorial will be held in Dunwoody (a Northeast suburb of Atlanta) on September 27. There will be a D and under mixed epee competition, and an open mixed epee competition.

See askFred.net or Dave Young (who’s usually current on regional tournaments) for details.

 

Fencing Instruction

Fencing lessons from the common housefly: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7586868.stm

 

Results

Kirstin Anderson earned her D rating at a Knights of Siena tournament in North Carolina the last weekend in August.

 

Fencing On Stage

A stage version of The Three Musketeers will be performed at the Alabama Shakespeare Festival from April 24 to June 14, 2009. Othello and The Comedy of Errors will also run at approximately the same time, overlapping with many of the dates of The Three Musketeers. See http://www.asf.net/

Fencing Demonstration on Local TV

Kirstin Anderson and Emily Stewart demonstrated epee fencing with anchor Lisa Washington on Tuesday morning, August 19, on local news Channel 19 (WHNT). The footage will probably be posted on Ms. Washington’s blog on the WHNT website.

 

New Club

The addition of the Montgomery Fencing Club brings the number of active fencing clubs in Alabama to five. Of the major cities in Alabama, only Mobile lacks a club.

 

Division Schedule

10/25-26            Bestimmtag—Birmingham Fencing Club

12/6                 Junior Olympic Qualifiers—Montgomery Fencing Club

1/31-2/1                BFC tournament, approval pending. Weapon and format TBA

3/14-15            Wright Memorial—B'ham

TBD                 Alabama Divisionals (probably in April, venue TBD)

4/11                 Regional Youth Circuit

5/16-17            Vulcan Open—B'ham

6/13-14            Herb Spector Veteran's—B'ham

 

The Montgomery Fencing Club has also indicated a desire to run a tournament once a month. More details to follow.

The HFC hopes to run two mixed open epee tournaments this year, one in the fall, one in the spring, possibly joined with a one touch epee round robin, an epee team event, or a D and under event. Again, details to follow.

 

Website News

We'll have the website’s links page up fairly soon, to be followed by a club history page and a fencing books page. We may also add a results page for archiving club member results, but will probably continue to announce them on the news page as well. An edited version of the announcements in the club email newsletter will also be posted on the website in the News section.

 

Division Notes

For those who may not be aware of it, our armorer and fencer Dave Young is also the secretary/treasurer of the Alabama Division of the USFA. Other division officers are listed on the division site at http://alabamafencingdivision.org/index2.htm.

The division is running well, and there seems to be no fallout from the attempt at dissolving it in 2007. At that time, the former division chair, with the support of some former officers and board members, including the directors of two division clubs, attempted to dissolve the Alabama division and send its clubs to neighboring divisions, claiming this was the only solution to allegations against one member club (not the Huntsville Fencing Club). We, however, vigorously opposed the measure, which had not been brought before the membership and which we viewed not merely as inappropriate, but as entirely out of place, no matter the allegations against any club. Throwing out the baby with the bath water is never a good idea. Because we wanted to keep the division intact, we appealed in writing directly to the USFA national office, asking for its intervention, as did another club. The USFA quashed the attempted dissolution and appointed an interim chairperson to oversee new elections and the revision of division by-laws. Our thanks go out in particular to Michael Massik, former and longtime executive director of the USFA; to Rudy Volkmann, current Georgia division chair and interim Alabama division chair during the transition in 2007; and to Gina Knox, current Alabama division chair.

 

Tournament News:

Hello All, Gary Di Maggio here from the North Georgia Fencing Center. the NGFC September 13 / 14 tournament has been posted on ask fred.
go to http://askfred.net/Events/moreInfo.php?tournament_id=6400 to preregister. Epee events on Saturday and Foil events on Sunday. Out of state fencers get $5 off first entry fee!
 
 
Hope to see you there!
Best, Gary Di Maggio / NGFC

 

_______________________________________________
United States Fencing Association
Official Georgia Division mailing list
Gafencing@gafencing.org
http://gafencing.org/mailman/listinfo/gafencing_gafencing.org

Fencing Class:

The Huntsville Fencing Club will begin its next Beginning Fencing class on September 6. The class will run for eight two-hour sessions on Saturdays from noon until 2 p.m. in the aerobics room of the Huntsville Athletic Club on Leeman Ferry. The cost is $100. We provide all equipment. Students should wear comfortable clothing and some sort of athletic shoe. Court shoes work best, but running or cross trainers will also work. T-shirts and track pants or sweat pants are ideal clothing, but jeans will also work, provided they do not restrict movement. Shorts and short pants are acceptable only during the first class. Pre-registration is not required, but we would appreciate it if those considering the class would let us know in advance so that we have a rough idea of the class size.


Results from the Atlanta Fencers Club August Kick Off on August 23, 2008

The tournament was an A2 event with 57 competitors:

13. Dave Young, 26. Dorshka Wylie, 27. Shola Wylie, 48. Geoffrey Babb (1st tournament), 50. Derek Welford (first tournament).

Vanderbilt's Dean Richard Memorial Open 2008, April 5, 2008

A2 Mixed Epee Event, 43 competitors: 2. Brentwood Reid (FFC), 5. Brian Parker, 7. Barrett Stutts, 8. Jonathan Thrasher, 21. Chad Scales, 24. Dorshka Wylie, 25. Mary Manastyrski (unattached), 29. Danielle Green, 30. Dave Young, 31. Emily Stewart, 32. Shola Wylie.

D1 Mixed Epee Event, 26 competitors: 1. Jonathan Thrasher, 3. Danielle Green, 11. Emily Stewart.

 Website

We’re changing hosts and updating the layout of our website, and Mike Greene is busy working on it. We hope to have the new site up soon. We intend to post club news, announcements, upcoming tournaments, tournament results, and related information, although some announcements will be restricted to email newsletters in order to limit public access. If you have any suggestions regarding the site, email Mike or Ben.

Club Database

 If you haven’t updated your personal information (email, mailing address, and so on) yet, please do so soon. High school and college fencers, please also include your school name. All fencers, please list any other clubs you are a member of or are otherwise affiliated with. Send your info to Charlene at :

 Fencing Strips

 Mike and Dave will be repairing several reels and floor cords for us, so we hope to have another strip or two up and running soon. While club membership hasn’t increased significantly over the past year, the number of fencers fencing two or more times per week has.

 Fencing Party

 Thanks again to Charlene for hosting a great party!

Kirstin Anderson Leaving for FU

 Kirstin leaves this week for her freshman year at Furman University, but will be back to fence with us during summers and holidays. Furman has a fencing club, so we hope her fencing won’t get rusty.

Kristi Chenault--our only foilist--returns to Agnes Scott for the academic year, and Sara Leibold to the University of Alabama (Tuscaloosa). We also have members or former members attending the University of Alabama at Huntsville, Calhoun College, the University of Montevallo, and the University of South Alabama. Jeremy Conner and Bree Little have entered their freshman year at Grissom High School, and Karl Kiesler enters his at Sparkman High School.

Beginning Fencing Class

 We’ll be announcing the date of the next beginning fencing class within the next ten days, and expect the class to begin at the end of August or in early September. If you know anyone who might be interested, please forward their contact info to Ben or Charlene, or have them contact Ben directly at :

USFA Registration

If you intend to compete this season, don’t forget your USFA registration. (The fencing season runs August to July.) Although you can register online, we suggest you do so only if absolutely necessary: the USFA adds a $5 charge online. A stamp is much cheaper, as is registering at your first tournament of the season.

Remember also that when you designate a primary club, that designation will in most cases remain with you throughout the season. Division membership is normally determined by your primary address, and you may qualify for JOs and summer nationals only through the designated division. Collegiate  and high school fencers are permitted to represent their school in intercollegiate or other school fencing events, and may still represent their primary club in USFA events. Otherwise, you may only represent one club in competition. In general, see page 5-3 in the USFA Operations Manual (available online at usfencing.org).

New Club Armorer

 Dave Young is our new club armorer, and is usually stocked with blades and other epee parts.  Brian Parker, our previous armorer, has offered to help out when he can, and may have various parts, including blades, available as well.

Olympic Fencing Results

The IOC limited fencing in the 2008 Olympics to ten events: women’s epee team and men’s foil team were dropped. Additional qualifying limitations also restricted the field significantly in both team and individual events, leaving many viable contenders out of the games. The results below read from 1st to 3rd.

·        Men’s epee individual:  Italy, France, Spain (US fencer Seth Kelsey placed 17th)

·        Men’s epee team: France, Poland, Italy (The US did not qualify a team)

·        Women’s Epee Individual: Germany, Romania, Hungary (US fencer Kelly Hurley placed 20th)

·        Men’s saber individual: China, France, Romania (US fencer Keith Smart placed 6th)

·        Men’s saber team: France, USA, Italy

·        Women’s saber individual: USA sweep

·        Women’s saber team: Ukraine, China, USA

·        Men’s foil individual: Germany, Japan, Italy (US fencer Gerek Meinhardt placed 10th)

·        Women’s foil individual: Italy, Korea, Italy

·        Women’s foil team: Russian, USA, Italy

The US earned six medals overall (one gold, three silver, two bronze), more than the previous US total from all Olympics of the past sixty years. The US is ranked second in the overall 2008 fencing medal count, behind Italy (seven medals) and ahead of France (four), Germany and China (two apiece), and the Ukraine, Poland, Spain, Romania, Hungary, Japan, and Korea (one apiece). Italy, France, and Germany each earned two gold medals. The In 2004 the US earned its first fencing gold in a century (women’s saber individual).

 Team events were limited to eight teams: the top four teams in the world, and the top team from each of the four geographical regions, leading to an imbalance. Germany and Russia, ranked 6th and 7th in men’s epee, were left out, for example, while South Africa, ranked 19th, qualified.

The New York Times has a graphical application showing medal results in each Olympic sport and event geographically: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2008/08/17/sports/olympics/20080817-goldmedals-graphic.html

The French women’s epee coach was black-carded during the gold medal bout:

http://www.fencing.net/olympics/beijing-2008-fencing/french-coach-black-carded-in-epee-event.html

Modern Pentathlon

Men’s modern pentathlon will be held August 20-21 EST, and women’s August 21-22 EST in Beijing. The sport consists of a 200 meter swim, air pistol shooting, one touch epee fencing, horseback riding over a show jumper course, and a three kilometer cross country run. The epee event retains the double defeat, which has unfortunately been otherwise stricken from epee fencing. Originally held over four days, the modern pentathlon has been pared down to a single day event, ostensibly, and under pressure from the IOC, to help hold the audience’s attention. The modern pentathlon is among a number of sports threatened with removal from the Olympics. By a vote of the IOC, it is safe only through 2012, notwithstanding that the sport has been in every modern Olympic games since their inception.

 The US has four athletes competing this year, two in the men’s and two in the women’s. One of the US women, Sheila Taormina, has competed previously in the Olympics in swimming and triathlon, and is will be the first woman to compete in the Olympics in three different sports. The US has won two silver and two bronze Olympic medals in modern pentathlon, but never a gold, although US athletes have won two world championships: one men’s and one women’s. Perhaps the most famous US modern pentathlon Olympic athlete was George S. Patton, later the noted WWII general.

January 2, 2006:  SE Sectionals and Summer Nationals:  SE Sectionals will be held in Birmingham, AL this spring.  Summer Nationals will be held in Atlanta, GA the first week in July 2006.  More information to follow.

February 4, 2006:  The Winter 2006 Beginning Fencing Class starts.   Anyone interested in taking the class, please contact Brian Parker or Ben Little.  You may use the Contact Us form here on the webpage.  Second button from the bottom on the left.  Or call/stop by the Huntsville Athletic Club.  Classes are 8 weeks long.  They begin promptly at 12:00 noon and run until 2;00PM.  All Basic equipment provided for duration of class.  Wear comfortable clothes and preferably flat soled tennis shoes.  Cost is $90.00, payable after the second class.  We hope to see you there.  Contact soon, class size is limited.

March 4-5, 2006:  New Orleans, LA.  The Crescent City Open Tournament (see Fencing Mag for details)  We will post more here as we know who is going and the trip details.  Thanks.