TOURNAMENT PROCEDURES & ETIQUETTE

Here are 6 competition pointers to assist with your fencing integrity.

1. Arrive Early

Roll call is generally 15 minutes before the start time listed. Allow yourself plenty of time to acquaint yourself with the venue, pay for entry, change into your gear, and warm up before the call.

2. Listen Carefully
Make sure you listen to all announcements made by the DT (Director of Tournament). This means stopping any conversation you might be having; even if you are sure it's not for you, it may be for the person with whom you are speaking.

3. Be Ready
Throughout the duration of the pool match, the Referee will be making two announcements between bouts: “On the piste...” & “Getting ready...”. The fencer who is called to the piste first is always to the right of the referee. If you are called as getting ready, you must be prepared and ready to step onto the piste as as soon as the current bout is finished.

4. The Pool
The first part of the tournament is known as the Pool. A pool is a group of fencers who all fence each other. The purpose of the pool match is to rank fencers as to how they are performing 'on the day'. Depending on the number of competitors, there may be more than one pool.
You continue to fence the members of your pool until you have faced them all, even if you lose a bout. Pool bouts are always to 5 points or 3 minutes, whichever limit is reached first. At the start of the pool match, all fencers should introduce themselves to the referee. At the end of the pool match, all fencers should check their recorded results and thank the referee.

5. The Bout
Once you have connected to the spool cable and your weapon, present yourself to the centre of the piste for the referee to test your weapon: Foil & Sabre – test the lamé circuit; Foil – weight test (500g); Epée – weight (750g) and gauges (1mm & 0.5mm). After the checks, the referee will call to “Salute and come on guard”. Remember to salute first your opponent and then the referee.
At the end of the bout, return to your starting line and salute your opponent before shaking hands* and disconnecting.

6. Direct Elimination (DE)
The second half of the tournament is comprised of Direct Elimination rounds; the losers of these bouts are thus eliminated from the competition, and the winners promoted on to the next round. In this manner, the number of competitors are halved again and again until the final round, the winner of which is the champion. Between each DE match fencers are entitled to a break of 10 minutes.
DE's are longer bouts: Juniors and Veterans compete to 10 points over two periods of 3 minutes; Open/Senior bouts compete to 15 points over three periods of 3 minutes. Between each 3 minute bout period there is a break of 1 minute. Coaches are allowed to talk to their charges at this time.
At the end of each DE match both fencers should thank and shake hands with* the referee.

*Remember: Never ever shake with the gloved hand.

COMPETITION

THE AHFC ENCOURAGES ITS MEMBERS TO COMPETE AT ANY LEVEL: CLUB; STATE; OR NATIONALLY.