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By: Anthony Aniekwe
Players
Athletes in the sport of fencing are called fencers. They use swords and rapiers to attack and defend against an opponent in a controlled, competitive enviornment. Fencers engage in a sport that combines athleticism, strategy, and precision. Fencers begin a bout in an en garde position facing their opponent, then take a small leap forward lunging at their opponent. They learn to move quickly, react to their opponent's actions, and score points by making valid touches with their weapon.
Equipment
There are three main types of fencing each of which have different compositions, techniques and scoring target areas:
Foil: A thrusting weapon with a small, light blade, where the target area is the torso (the area covered by the metallic jacket or "lamé").
Épée: A thrusting weapon with a heavier blade, where the entire body is a valid target area.
Sabre: A thrusting and cutting weapon, with a curved blade. The target area is from the bend of the hips to the top of the head.
*Highlighted in blue are the target areas for each seperate blade.
Rules
First position: this is the first position that fencers have to take in a competition. The fencer needs to have both feet together at the heel, so that a right angle is formed. In addition, the weapon, regardless of foil, epee or saber, is held in the dominant hand and pointed downwards, away from the opponent.
The Salute: The salute precedes the beginning of every bout, and failure to salute both the opponent and the referee can result in a black card and elimination from the competition. The fencer has to stand on the en-garde line with his dominant foot forward and pointing towards the opponent. Additionally, both feet should be in a ‘L’ position and shoulder-width apart, and the fencer should have his mask in one hand and his weapon in the dominant hand. Next, the fencer should point the weapon towards the opponent’s knees. Once done, the weapon arm should be extended and raised until the hand is parallel to the ground, and the fencer should then bring in the elbow and pull the weapon backwards, so that it is upright and the hilt of the weapon is in front of his lips. To complete the salute, the fencer should then bring the arm and weapon down gradually.
En-garde: This stance happens after the salute has been made. With the feet still in the ‘L’ position – also known as the attention position – the fencer should then don the mask. However, in the en-garde position, the fencer’s knees should be bent significantly, and the weapon arm held out about one hand’s width apart from the body, with the elbow bent such that the blade is facing slightly upwards. The other hand should be positioned behind the body. The elbow of this rear arm should be bent and slightly below shoulder level.
These three differet blades are actually three different events players can compete in called disciplines. The objective in a bout is for a player to score 15 points before your opponent or the time expires.
*Fencing takes place on a strip, or "piste," which is a rectangular area marked with lines, and is between 1.5 and 2 meters wide and 14 meters long
Referees determine right-of-way, judge valid hits, and enforce rules, including non-combativity penalties, while ensuring a safe and fair competition.
Right-Of-Way(Priority): The referee determines which fencer has the right-of-way, meaning who gets the point if both fencers land a valid hit simultaneously.
Judge Valid Hits: The referee stops the bout, describes the action, and decides whether to award a touch (point). In foil and sabre, if the blade contacts a valid target area, a red or green light (depending on the fencer's position relative to the referee) illuminates. In epee, any valid touch is awarded a point, regardless of where it lands on the body.
Enforcing Rules:
Non-Combativity:
If fencers are too cautious or make little to no movement for a prolonged period, the referee can call non-combativity.
Penalties:
Referees can issue warnings (P-Yellow), penalty hits (P-Red), or even disqualify fencers (P-Black) for rule infractions or non-combativity.
Safety:
Referees ensure the safety of fencers by maintaining a safe space around the fencing strip and checking equipment.
Special Skills and Strategy
Balestra Lunge(Jump Lunge) - is a technique where a fencer performs a short jump forward, followed by a lunge, a quick and unexpected way to cover distance and disrupt an opponent's rhythm. The fencer starts in an en garde position. They lift their front foot and jump forward, landing on their back foot first, then bringing the front foot up to the en garde position. Immediately after landing, they perform a lunge, pushing off the back leg and extending the front leg towards the opponent.
Variations and Uses:
Balestras can be used in combination with other techniques, such as feints, attacks, and parries.
They can be used to transition from a defense to an attack or vice versa.
Some fencers use balestras to change the timing of their attacks, making them harder to predict.
Lunge - In this type of attack, a player performs a thrust by slight kicking and extending the front leg. After that he can propel the body forward by back leg
Parry - A basic defence technique that blocks the opponent's weapon whilst it is preparing or executing an attack to deflect the blade
Flick - This attack is used largely in foil and epee fencing, and involves attacking with a whipping motion
Feint - A false attack intended to get a defensive reaction from the opposing fencer, thus creating the opportunity for a genuine attack
Riposte - It is the attack by the defender after the attacker has attacked and has been parried
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