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
electronically -- a lot more like Star Wars
than Errol Flynn.
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The Weapons
Foil, epee 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 and FIE offer national competitions
for women in epee and sabre. Women's epee was
added to the World Championships in 1989 and
was held for the first time at the Olympic
Games in 1996.
Foil and epee are thrusting weapons. Sabre is a
thrusting and cutting weapon. The target areas
differ for the three weapons, though all three
are scored electronically.
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 lam) 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 lam) is
indicated by a white light. These "off target"
hits do not count in the scoring, but they do
stop the fencing action temporarily.
Epee
The epee (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 epee fencer's uniform does not include a
lam. 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
(lam), which covers the target area to register
a valid touch on the scoring machine. The mask
is different from foil and epee, with a
metallic covering since the head is valid
target area. A colored light goes off when a
fencer scores a valid hit. Off-target hits do
not register on the machine.
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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.
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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.
Epee 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 epee,
since the entire body must be protected from a
touch.