Fencing is a combat sport in which competitors duel using non-lethal swords, and it has been part of the Olympic Games since their inception in 1896. Fencing competitions take place on a runway called a piste. As well as being a sport in its own right, fencing is one of the events in the modern pentathlon. There are three styles of swords used in fencing competitions and each type of competition is governed by its own rules.
The Foil
The foil is a lightweight and flexible weapon styled on the training swords used by French aristocrats in the mid-17th century. Modern foils have a button on the tip which, when depressed against your opponent's jacket, completes an electrical circuit and registers the hit. In foil fencing, the target area is the front of your torso -- your arms, legs, head and back are not valid targets. All foils have a small hand guard. Some foil fencers favor a pistol-style grip while others prefer the traditional straight grip. Foil fencing has strict rules that govern who is attacking and who is defending. Points can be scored only if a player has the right of way.
The Epee
Epee fencing is less restrictive than foil fencing and doesn't use a right of way system to dictate who attacks and who defends. Epee fencing is much freer and has no such restraints. An epee is less flexible than a foil and has a button in its tip that must be depressed to score a point. The target area in epee is your whole body, including your hands, head and feet. Points also can be scored against your opponent's hand guard. The hand guard on an epee is much bigger than that of a foil and presents a viable target in quick counter attacks.
Sabre
The sabre is a cutting weapon based on the swords carried by cavalry during the Napoleonic wars. Points can be scored using the point and edge of the sabre's blade. To simulate fighting on horseback, your entire upper body is a viable target in sabre, since this is the area that would be within reach from the saddle. Sabres have large curved hand guards that encircle your hand. Sabre, like foil, uses the right of way rule to specify which player is attacking and which player is defending.
Bayonet
A bayonet is a knife or dagger mounted on the end of a rifle. Bayonet fighting was once a recognized part of the sport of fencing, but fell into decline during the early to mid-20th century and was removed from open competition in the 1950s. Bayonets still are used by the armed forces for close-quarters combat, but training and competitions are closed to civilians.
References
- "The Art and Science of Fencing"; Nick Evangelista; 1999
- "By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Champions"; Richard Cohen; 2003
- "Understanding Fencing by Zbigniew Czajkowski"; 2005
Member Comments