A Simple Guide to Competitive Fencing
Hello Parents and Fencers,
This guide is to help you learn about the different rules, tips, tricks, deadlines, etc that come with the world of competitive fencing.
First things first… Find your fencer's birthyear in the following categories, Any category in which the birth year falls is a category in which your fencer may compete, though there are a few exceptions.
***This is valid for the 2017-2018 competitive year*** This will be valid for the July Challenge events***
Category
Birth Years
Category
Birth Years
Y10
2007-2010
Senior
2004 or earlier
Y12
2005-2008
Open
2004 or earlier
Y14
2003-2006
Div I
2004 or earlier
Cadet U16
2002-2005
Div II
2004 or earlier
Junior U19
1999-2005
Div III
2004 or earlier
*** Please Note: If the fencer is too young to fence in the category, they may fence in the next category if they are on the National Rolling Points List in their current category… For regular Summer National events the birth years are one year earlier. This applies to Y14, Y12, Y10, Div II, Div III and Open events.
To make sure you get all the email updates and reminders, please email your fencer’s name, birth
Year, and email address to allezfencingstudio@gmail.com to be added to the updates list.
Competitions
Equipment Requirements
If your fencer is competitive then there is a bare minimum of equipment that you must own:
- Fencing Bag
- Mask
- Jacket
- Glove
- Fencing Pants
- Fencing Socks(soccer and baseball socks work just as well, there is no color requirement- Be Creative!)
- Athletic Shoes(fencing shoes are nice, but not necessary. A good running shoe with good support is fine as well.)
- Chest protector(mandatory for girls, optional for boys older than 12 though recommended)
- Fabric Underarm protector aka Plastron
- Body Cords (2)
- Electrical Epees (2)
- Cup for the guys is highly recommended
- Also USFA membership, please sign up for membership online at usfencing.org under the Membership tab for Individuals – Your division is Southern California or Orange Coast and club is Allez Fencing Studio
Now that your fencer has the basics, they should also have extras in their fencing bag, some additional recommended items are:
- Electrical epees(2-4 extras)
- Body Cords(2-4 extras)
- First Aid kit with medicine
- Extra socks
- Water
- Extra T-shirts(2-4)
A reason why fencing is expensive is because of coaching requirements…
Coaching Requirements
We have a set policy on coaching that is different for local, national, and international events. For all events, coaching is only required when 5 or more fencers are in attendance. When less than 5 attend, coaching is optional and then split among those interested. Those who do not take coaching expect no help.
For Local events, the minimum coaching fee is $125 per day per coach to be spilt among the fencers present that day. A gas surcharge may be added to the coaching fee if the tournament requires more than 1.5 hours of driving roundtrip. Notification of coaching must be given to the studio at least one week in advance of a local tournament otherwise additional fees may apply.
For National Events, the minimum coaching fee is $150 per day per coach to be split among the fencers present for that tournament. The fencers will also split the cost of the coaches hotel, airfare, and rental car or Uber for the duration of the trip. Notification of coaching must be given to the studio at least six weeks in advance of a National event otherwise additional fees may apply.
For International Events, the coaching fee changes and will be discussed on a case-by-case basis. Notification of coaching must be given to the studio at least 7 weeks in advance of an International event otherwise additional fees may apply.
The following must also be followed:
- After a breakdown is determined, each fencer/parent attending the tournament will be expected to pay the coach in advance as stated above. If late fencers come into the mix, the breakdown will not be re-calculated- they will pay all additional costs.
- If more than one fencer is in attendance, the fencers/parents will be responsible for the coaching fees that day. Airfare, accommodations, and transportation will be divided equally among all parties.
- Refusal to pay any amount of the breakdown given will result in the coach(es)’s refusal to give service.
- The coach is expected to be at the tournament on time and to stay for the duration that the fencer(s) is/are fencing, but obligation ends there. The coach(es) is/are free to spend any time outside the tournament as they choose as long as all coaching duties are fulfilled to said fencers during those paid events.
- The coach(es) have the right to prioritize certain bouts/fencers as he sees fit especially when there are several fencers that need coaching.
- Last, but not least, Coaching is not a guaranteed win, but it is a helpful advantage and is never mandatory.
Please keep in mind the deadline to let the Studio know that you desire coaching at a specific event.
Also, once the calculations for the coaching fees are provided, please pay before the tournament.
Training Requirements
Once your fencer sets on the path to competition, the level of training is expected to rise. In addition to group classes, your fencer will be expected to train outside the studio, attend advanced classes, training camps, and to take several private lessons a month. If this cannot be done, please reconsider becoming competitive and look at fencing more recreationally. This is not to say that a fencer cannot be competitive without the extra training on the local level, however on the national and international level, the extra training will be necessary or at least expected to see results.
Deadlines
Local tournaments will have different deadlines generally posted on Askfred.net. Even if you miss a deadline, sometimes the organizers will honor it via email, however it is always better to register earlier rather than later. Askfred.net is a great website to lookup upcoming local tournaments and to register online.
National tournaments have their deadlines posted on www.usfencing.org under the Events tab. Email reminders will be sent out on a regular basis, but its always best to check the website for the most up-to-date information. You can also keep up to date and put your club affiliation through the USfencing.org website.
General Competition Guidelines
Here are some good tips to keep in mind when going to a tournament:
- Always check and double check the check-in time and address of the tournament
- Arrive 1 hour before the close of check-in to allow for warming up, stretching, and traffic
- Eat a light breakfast before your event. Food is fuel and you’ll need it to fence, even if you don’t eat a lot, food is still needed as you’ll burn it off during your event.
- Make sure to bring ID, USFA membership card, and passport/birth certificate for age verification for events Y14 and under
- When you first arrive, make sure to check-in and get your equipment checked. Ask the tournament organizers what will be checked. Masks, body cords, and French grip epees can all be required to be checked.
- Bring plenty of snacks and water
- Always stretch and do a light jog to loosen up your body. Once that is done, complete at least 2 practice bouts with fencers you do not know to warm up.
- Stay near the venue to make sure you don’t miss when pools and assignments are announced.
- If a coach is present, make sure to have your coach’s cell number to keep them informed of when you’re about to fence. If there are multiple fencers, the coaches will try to be there for every bout, but may not be able to.
- Huge tip for fencers!!! Before you hook up to the strip, make sure to check your tip to see if it’s either loose or if it’s missing screws, once you hook up, you cannot change your weapon. Also, make sure to keep your extra swords and body cords next to you on the strip.
- Also, don’t forget to shake your opponent’s hand at the end of every bout and to salute your referee before and after each bout!
Summer Nationals and NACs(aka North American Cups)
Uniform Requirements
Summer Nationals is a large event that marks the end of the fencing season for most people running from August to July. For Cadets and Juniors it is considered to be another NAC as their season runs from March to February.
There are some key changes at Summer Nationals and at National events in general that must be remembered. The fencer’s last name must be labeled on the fencer’s jacket or pants in blue lettering usually about two inches high. You can talk to the coach about getting the jacket or pants stenciled, just make sure to have it done before the competition. There are some vendors that are onsite to do this at the competition, but leave plenty of time for this to be done otherwise the fencer will be penalized.
Also, we are requiring that any fencer competing for Allez Fencing Studio at Summer Nationals or National events should have a Allez Warm Up jacket at the very least. The jacket will be available for purchase from me directly or you can purchase them online at the Squad Locker website. Make sure to do this well in advanced of any upcoming tournaments.
July Challenge
USA Fencing July Challenge FAQ
- Why did USA Fencing replace the open NAC at the July Championship with points based qualification paths for the July Challenge?
- During the 2014 July North American Cup in Columbus, several events had more than 350 entrants and many of the competition days extended late into the night, exhausting athletes, coaches, families and officials. In order to provide a better tournament experience for the athletes and create a more competitive field, the National Office and Tournament Improvement group worked together to create the Challenge Tournament, which limits entry to those on the point standings.
- If I compete at the Junior Olympics, can I qualify for the July Challenge?
- I can’t find information on the July Challenge and how to qualify for this new competition.
- Here is a link to the qualifying path information for the July Challenge: http://assets.ngin.com/attachments/document/0129/2345/2017-2018_Qualification_Tables.pdf
Championship
Youth 10 National Championship
- Eligibility (age, representation, classification)
- Qualifying Path
- Be on the Y10 National Point Standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Be on the Y10 Regional Youth Point Standings in your region at the regular fee entry deadlineOR
- Earn at least 60 Y12 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results) OR
- Participate in a SYC or RYC in the current season
- Eligibility (age, representation, classification)
- Qualification
- Qualifying Path
- Be on the Y12 National Point Standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Be in the top 8 of the Y10 National Point Standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- OR
- Earn at least 60 Y12 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results) OR
- Earn at least 150 Y14 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results) OR
- Place in the top 25% of the fencer’s division’s Y14 National Championship qualifying competition
- Eligibility (age, representation, classification)
- Qualifying Path
- Be on the Youth 14 National Point Standings at the regular entry fee deadline OR
- Be in the top 16 of the Y12 National Point Standings at the regular entry fee deadline OR
- Earn at least 150 Y14 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results) OR
- Place in the top 25% (round up) of the fencer’s division’s Y14 National Championship qualifying competition
Division II National Championship
This event is part of the USA Fencing National Championships, held each summer. No points are awarded.
- Eligibility (age, classification, qualification path)
- Qualification
- Place in the top 25% of the current season’s division qualifying competition OR
- Be on the current season’s Div IA ROC Regional Point Standings OR
- Be on the Div II ROC Regional Point Standings OR
- Place in the top 40% of any current season Div II or Div IA NAC, if held
This event is part of the USA Fencing National Championships, held each summer. No points are awarded.
- Eligibility (age, classification, qualification path)
- Qualification
- Place in the top 25% (round up) of the total number of “D”, “E”, or “U” fencers competing in the current season division’s Division II Qualifying competition (when Division II and Division III qualifying competition held together) OR
- If separate Division III qualifying competition held by division, then top 25% of the field will qualify for Division III National Championships OR
- Be on the Division IA or Division II Regional Open Circuit point standings, if classification eligible, at the regular fee entry deadline for these Championships OR
- Place in the top 40% at Div III, Div II or Div1A NAC of the current season, if held
- Qualified for Division II, if classification eligible
This event is part of the USA Fencing National Championships, held each summer. No regional or national points are awarded. For awarding classifications, Division IA tournaments are always at least a Group A3 competition.
- Eligibility (age, classification, qualifying path)
- Qualification
- Be on the current season’s Div IA ROC Regional Point Standings OR
- Be in the top 8 of the Division II Regional Open Circuit point standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Place in the top 40% of any current season Div IA NAC, if held
V40, V50, V60 and V70 events are held at the USA Fencing National Championships; there is no Championship event for Vet Open or Vet Team. Veteran National Championships is the last tournament for selection for the World Veteran Championships at which national points are awarded.
- Eligibility (age, classification, qualifying path)
- Qualification
- Compete in the current season’s division qualifying competition for Division II and/or Division III Championships OR
- Compete in any Regional Open Circuit event during the current season OR
- Compete in any NAC during the current season OR
- Be on the Veteran Age Group national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Be on the Veteran Combine regional point standings at the regular fee entry deadline
July ChallengeCADET
- Fencers must meet eligibility AND
- Be on Cadet NRPS (Age out after JOs) OR
- Be in the top 50% of the Y14 national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Earn at least 65 regional points on their regions Cadet Regional Point Standing OR
- Earn at least 65 regional points on their regions Junior Regional Circuit Points OR
- Foreign athletes who meet the USA Fencing classification standard of “A”, “B” or “C” as defined in the Section 2.2.5.
JUNIOR
- Fencers must meet age eligibility AND
- On Junior NRPS (Age out rankings after JOs) by entry deadline OR
- On Cadet NRPS (Age out rankings after JOs) OR
- Earn at least 65 regional points on your regions Junior Regional Point Standing OR
- Be in the top 25% of the Youth 14 national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Foreign athletes who meet the USA Fencing classification standard of “A”, “B” as defined in theSection 2.2.5
DIVISION I (this is not an NAC)
The July Challenge is held in June/July, in conjunction with the USA Fencing National Championships. This event constitutes the beginning of the Senior/Open season.
- Eligibility for Division I (age, classification and qualification path)
- Qualification
- Be on the current Senior National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- Top 48 of Junior NRPS at the regular fee entry deadline and age eligible OR
- Top 24 of the Cadet NRPS at the regular fee deadline and age eligible OR
- Top 16 from Div IA Regional Points Standings OR
- Be in the top 4 of the Division II regional points at the regular fee entry deadline OR
- 2018 NCAA National Championships Individual Competitors (24) OR
- Foreign athletes who meet the USA Fencing classification standard of an “A”, “B” as defined in the Section 2.2.5.
The Senior & Veteran Team events at the July Challenge Tournament are no longer a Championship event.All non-championship team events held at the national level will have no club or division affiliation requirements. Any three or four fencers that are age and gender for the event may enter a team. They must be competitive USA Fencing members. All registered members of a team must be present on site.
NOTE ***** If a fencer is unable to attend a qualifying tournament, a petition may be made to the USFA for entry into Summer Nationals. Please contact the studio before filing a petition to see if it is worth the effort.
Equipment Requirements
Nationals will require that you have multiple body cords and electrical blades. The general consensus is to have 4 of each. Towels, water, sport drinks, snacks, honey sticks, etc. are all recommended items as well.
Keep in mind that if you’re missing any equipment, there will be multiple vendors onsite for you to purchase from, however, if you’re thinking about switching to new gear just because and not out of necessity, it is usually a better idea to break in new gear after the competition and not during unless you have no choice.
Also, think about picking up an epee testing kit with extra screws, mini screwdriver, springs, tips, etc. to help with repairs and upkeep of your fencer’s weapons.
Coaching Requirements
All those in attendance at Summer Nationals will be expected to ask for coaching. If someone opts out of coaching, it puts the coaches in an awkward position to ignore one of our fencers while helping others because they chose to not be coached. Again, coaching at Summer Nationals is highly recommended because coaching provides fencers with guidance during a large and competitive competition that they would not normally have.
All costs – hotel, airfare, rental car and coaching fees, are expected to be split among the attending fencers. Payment is due two weeks before the competition. Any late additions or late payments will require additional fees to accommodate late requests.
Deadlines
Will Change and be updated for the next year.
FEES
Individual
Registration (Non-Refundable)
Per Event
Regular
$65.00 plus $5 admin fee
$95.00
Triple Late
$195.00 plus $15 admin fee
$285.00
Team
Per Event
Regular
$130.00
Triple Late
$390.00
Registration Opens – March 7th, 2018 Regular Entry Fee – May 16th, 2018
Late Entry Fee – May 30th, 2018
Please make sure to submit your entry well before the deadline to avoid any penalty fees.
General Competition Guidelines
Here is the schedule of events for this year’s Summer Nationals
Date
Events
Thursday
June 28th
Div I Men’s Epee
Junior Women’s Epee
Friday
June 29th
Senior Team Men’s Epee
Div IA Women’s Epee
Saturday
June 30th
Junior Men’s Epee
Div I Women’s Epee
Vet Women’s Epee
Sunday
July 1st
Div IA Men’s Epee
Cadet Women’s Epee
Monday
July 2nd
Cadet Men’s Epee
Vet Men’s Epee
Tuesday
July 3rd
Div II Men’s Epee
Y14 Women’s Epee
Wednesday
July 4th
Y14 Men’s Epee
Div III Women’s Epee
Thursday
July 5th
Div III Men’s Epee
Div II Women’s Epee
Friday
July 6th
Y12 Men’s Epee
Y12 Women’s Epee
Saturday
July 7th
Y10 Men’s Epee
Y10 Women’s Epee
Please take note of all the days your fencer is fencing and let us know for what events you would like coaching.
Here is more information from the USFA directly.
CHECK IN:
Fencers for individual events and team captains for team events must check in each day that they compete, within the indicated hour of check in, or they will be withdrawn from that event. The Venue will open for fencers each competition day at 7:00 am. Fencers should not plan to leave earlier than the day after their last competition as there is no way to predict when any competition will be finished. Fencers who withdraw after starting a competition for other than verified medical reasons will be disqualified from the competition and national points and/or classifications that might have been earned for that competition will not be awarded. Further disciplinary action by the USFA may be taken.
Check the Preliminary Seeding
Preliminary seeding information each day’s events is normally posted the evening before in the venue; preliminary seeding will be made available on or about June 24, 2015 on the tournament page at www.usfencing.org.
When you arrive for your event, please verify the posted seeding information (name, club, division, country, rating, points) before the close of the check‐in for your event. If you see any problems, notify the Bout Committee immediately. Changes will NOT be made after the close of check‐in.
TECHNICAL INFORMATION:
Fencers must wear the required clothing—regulation fencing jacket and pants, underarm protector (plastron), knee socks and a fencing glove that covers half the forearm. Women must wear breast protectors. In epée and foil, a full jacket is required (i.e., a jacket with croissard/groin strap). Any attachment to a weapon’s handle must fix the hand in one position such that the top of the thumb is no more than 2 cm. from the inner surface of the guard. Warm‐up pants are not allowed. Fencing uniforms must not have any rips, tears, holes, etc. USA Fencing allows uniforms of a single pastel color or designs on the rear(unarmed) arm and leg. As the purpose of uniform color or design is for audience interest, such designs should be in good taste.
For safety and insurance purposes, fencers and coaches must wear mask and glove while participating in drills, lessons, warm‐up, camps, or clinics. Failure to comply may result in removal from the venue.
In all three weapons, each fencer’s last name must be printed so that it is legible from a distance of 15 feet, done by hand or machine, in capital letters between 8 and 10 cm high: either(1) on the back of the uniform jacket or lame between the shoulders;(2) on the front or side of the thigh of the “rear” leg; or(3) on a piece of fabric or lame material that is firmly sewn to the uniform in such a way that it will not detach during fencing or catch an opponent’s point.
Fabric attached to the uniform must be the same color as the part of the uniform to which it is attached. Conductive materials must be attached in such a way as to not alter the conductivity of the metallic vest or jacket .NAMES PRINTED ON TAPE ARE NOT ACCEPTABLE.
The use of an FIE certified uniform and mask is not required for USFA competitions. However, the protective plastron must:
1. Have at least two layers;
2. Include a sleeve down to the elbow without opening or seam in the region of the armpit; and
3. Ensure the best possible protection. It may be fixed to the jacket without being entirely sewn in.
4. It does not need to be constructed of 800Newtonmaterial.
In electric saber, the glove, whether a regulation saber glove or a glove used with a regulation manchette must overlap the metallic jacket that, itself, must overlap the cloth jacket.
Blade size for Youth 10 and Youth 12: Y10: #2 blade | Y12: #5 blade. Further details can be found in Chapter 2 in the 2017‐2018 Athlete Handbook.
USA Fencing is not responsible for lost, stolen or damaged items.
DRUGTESTING:
There may be drug testing conducted for athletes who compete in this tournament. Any detection of banned substances would be cause for suspension and loss of national points earned for selection towards any U.S. Fencing team. There are over‐the‐counter medications that may contain banned substances and it is the fencer’s responsibility to ensure that he or she does not inadvertently take any medication that contains a banned substance. For any questions about medications and banned substances, call the U.S. Anti‐Doping Agency Drug Hotline at 800‐233‐0393 or visit their website at www.usantidoping.org.
CALL TO FENCING STRIP:
The second call for a missing fencer at the beginning of or during the pool round or a direct elimination bout at a National USFA competition will be announced over the public address system one minute following the first call at the strip. If the fencer fails to report to the referee at the assigned strip within one minute of that second call, the referee will call for the fencer at the strip one final time; if the fencer still fails to report to the strip within one minute after the final call, the fencer will be excluded (a black card will be issued)from that competition. BOD 9/2006
