Information on upcoming fencing tournaments in our area can be found at https://www.askfred.net/
All sanctioned fencing tournaments require at least a USFA "Access" Membership ($29/year). There is no need to get the "Competitive" membership until you are ready to sign up for a regional tournament.
Your First Tournament: What to Expect
Check-in
- You will need your USFA membership to be current, and your mask and glove will be inspected and stamped. Be sure to have a water bottle and some snacks with you.
Warmup
- Spend 15 or 20 minutes stretching and getting your heart going prior to the close of registration. Find someone else to do some warmup bouts with, but be careful not to burn too much energy. Try to be wired up and ready to go by the close of registration. You can keep your lame and jacket partially unzipped since the referee will need to see your plastron.
Initial seeding
- Seeding will be posted sometime after registration has closed. Depending on the number of fencers, this can take 15-30 minutes or more. Initial seeding is mostly randomized. Most tournaments use fencingtimelive.com for posting tournament information, but some still use paper copies that are taped to the gym wall.
Pools—the first round of bouting
- Pools will be posted shortly after initial seeding has been posted. Look for your name and number and what pool you are in. Make note of your number in the pool—referees will often refer to you by number rather than name. Pools may be as large as 7 or 8 fencers.
- Shortly after the pools are posted, referees will start calling people to their strips. Listen for your name/number or pool number to be called to a strip. It’s very hard to hear in a noisy gym, but you will eventually find your strip. Officials and other fencers will do their best to find you if you haven’t made it to the appropriate strip on time.
- When you get to your strip, your referee will check everyone’s mask and glove for the inspection stamp, as well as plastrons for all fencers and rigid chest protector for women. Just leave your jacket partially unzipped so the referee can see that you are wearing the appropriate equipment underneath.
- After inspections are completed, bouting will begin. Referees will call the fencers to the strip and announce who’s on deck for the next bout. Fencers may be called by their name, but usually are called by their assigned number.
- Keep in mind that the first name called is always on the referee’s right, unless there is a lefty/righty matchup, in which case the left-handed fencer goes on the referee’s left. It’s easy to get mixed up and go to the wrong side, but don’t sweat it—everyone makes mistakes.
- When it’s your turn to fence, hook up to the strip (mask cord attached to the lame and body cord attached to the cord reel, lame and weapon) and approach the referee to do a weight test on your weapon. This simply means that you hold the tip up for the referee to put a weight on it to verify that your equipment is functioning properly. If something doesn’t pass, the referee can usually figure out what it is and may ask you to change to a different weapon or body cord.
- After the weight test, the referee will signal for both fencers to test their equipment by advancing toward each other and simultaneously touching each other’s lames with their foil tips. (Be sure to cover your face with your mask when you do this). When you touch, take note of which color light you are—red or green.
- Once the equipment is tested, retreat to the en-garde line, salute your opponent and then salute the referee. Then put on your mask and get ready to fence!
- The referee will call “En garde, ready, fence!” (Some referees will use the full French…”En garde, prets, allez!)
- Don’t stop fencing until the referee calls “Halt!” If a point has been scored, go back to your en garde line. If there was an off-target touch, the referee will signal where the center of action is—this is where the tip of your blade should be if you extend your arm when fencing resumes.
- You will fence everyone in your pool, so try to observe the other bouts while you are waiting so you can learn something about the people you will be fencing. Pool bouts are 5 points or three minutes, whichever comes first.
- Once everyone in the pool has fenced everyone else in the pool, this portion of the tournament will be over. Some pools will take longer to finish than others.
- When your pool is finished, the referee will ask you to sign the scoresheet, indicating that you agree with the tally. Be sure to look it over carefully and bring it to the referee’s attention if you think there’s an error.
Direct Elimination (D.E.)—the second round of bouting
- There will be a long break after pools finish. This is a time to hydrate, eat some healthy snacks and try to regain some energy.
- During the break, Bout Committee will be structuring the first round of D.E. brackets. Most of the time with local tournaments, there is 100% advancement to D.E. after pools.
- E. brackets will be posted—look for your name and opponent. Remember that you may not be fencing right away since there usually aren’t enough referees and strips to have everyone fencing at once.
- Again, listen for referees to call you to a strip.
- Bouting and initial equipment checks/testing will go the same as pools, however…
- D.E. bouts are 3, three-minute periods or 15 points, whichever comes first (Veterans D.E. bouts are 10 touches). There’s a one-minute break between periods. Use your energy wisely.
- If you lose your first D.E. bout, then you are finished for the day and free to leave if you’d like, or you can stay and watch the rest of the competition.
- If you win your first D.E., then you will have another break until the next round of D.E. begins.
- D.E. proceeds in this manner until the final two fencers have finished.
- After each D.E. round, you will need to sign the scoresheet to certify that you agree with the tally.
Tips
- Take time to thank all the officials—Bout Committee, referees, tournament organizers. These folks put in countless hours to make fencing a success.
- As with any sport, use good sportsmanship. Arguing with a referee will usually not go in your favor. However, politely asking questions if you need clarification is generally acceptable.
- Try to set some small goals at first, such as scoring a touch in each bout. Don’t be discouraged if someone beats you 5-0 in less than a minute. Just try to learn from every bout.
- Don’t let frustration or desperation take over. Staying calm and controlled is the best strategy. If you are losing, try to learn from it. If you are winning, try to learn from it.
- If this is your first tournament, don’t be shy about seeking out a more experienced buddy in your pool who can help you out if needed.
There is a lot of commotion and a lot to remember. Depending on your personality, this can be stressful or energizing. Just remember that everyone wants you to have an enjoyable time.
