What is the history behind the sport of fencing?
Modern fencing was “born” in Spain. The first books on fencing were published by Sierge deValera in 1471, and two fencing masters, Pons from Perpignan and Pedro de Torre, in 1474
Fencing used to be a combat sport played with a rapier. However, more people died from dueling than from fighting in war.
During the mid-seventeenth century, the colichemard replaced the rapier. Its thin, light blade favored actions with the point.
In 1650, the fioretta, meaning flower in Italian, became the training weapon for dueling. The fioretta is now known as the fleuret in French and the foil in English.
Fencing was one of the sports played in the 1896 Olympic games. These games only featured foil and sabre fencing for men Epee was introduced in 1900. Epee was electrified in the 1936 games, foil in the 1956, and sabre in 1988. Women’s foil was first contested in the 1924 Olympic games, and Women’s epee was contested for the first time in 1996, but has been part of the World Championships since 1989. Although Women’s sabre is still very new, as it was accepted into the United States Fencing Association in 1999, the Junior Women’s sabre team won the 2001 World Championship, and sixteen-year-old Mariel Zagunis won the gold medal in Cadet (Under 17) and Junior (Under 20) categories.
Modern fencing is one of the safest sports around. Though weapons are used, they have blunt tips, and the sides of the blade are dull. Fencers wear masks, gloves, plastrons (underarm protectors), chest protectors, jackets, and knickers for full protection.