Sword Fighter Australia’s Fun 4 Kids Event – Warrnambool ’08

http://www.fun4kids.com.au/rscms_homepagelist.php

Australia’s biggest and (self proclaimed) best children’s festival was held in Victoria’s western coastal town of Warrnambool, run by the “Fun 4 Kids Program” this July school holidays. Thousands of children and their parents visited this 8 day event run in the centre of this pretty coastal town.

Amongst a host of other activities including concerts by Dorothy the Dinosaur, and numerous construction zones for sand, wood, paper, boxes, felt, newspaper and anything else young minds can think of, the future fencers of Australia had a chance to swash and buckle with children from all over Australia.  

Following on from the event a few news media articles appeared; 

1 A photo in the local Warrnamboolnewspaper  ‘The Standard’.

June 2008 [13]

Point in Line

Definition; Priority gained (prior to opponent) by extending point and Arm first and maintaining a horizontal plane directly at opponent.

Intent: Take priority prior to opponent, catching opponent into performing a counter attack, often performed whilst stationery, or during one step back.

Practice: Fast controlled movement of the point and blade ending in a stationery blade, with a partner, practice the Point in Line before the lunge of the other fencer begins

Tip: A controlled hand and still point make the action more effective and observable to the referee.  A mirror is an effective tool to keep the blade steady and observe the referees sight of the action (side view).

 The Fencing Timetable for the Beijing Olympic Games

Saturday 9th: Womens Sabre Individual

Sunday 10th: Mens Epee Individual

Monday 1th: Womens Foil Individual (Jo Halls)

Tuesday 12th: Mens Sabre Individual

Wednesday 13th: Mens Foil Individual

Wednesday 13th: Womens Epee Individual (Amber Parkinson)

Thursday 14th: Womens Team Sabre

Friday 15th: Mens Team Epee

Saturday 16th: Womens Team Foil

Sunday 17th: Mens Team Sabre

Friday 22nd: Womens Modern Pentathlon (Angie Darby)

For Further Information .Beijing Site.

Australian Folist Jo Halls came 22nd in Las Vegas last weekend

for more info fie.ch

June 2008 [12]

Parry Seconde (2)

Definition; Low line Parry, in outside line, hand pronated at pelvis height, point level at thigh / knee level.  More commonly used in Sabre, when defending the gauntlet.

Intent: To Parry down and outward quickly, often used as a variation and unexpected.

Practice: Defender stationary, attacker lunges at gauntlet, defender quick wrist & forearm  movement inside and down in parrying action, followed by riposte preferably to attackers (Sabre & Epee) wrist / arm.

Tip: Try not to twist the elbow too severely, which can lead to tendonitis and similar injuries.  As with most effective parries, a simultaneous small backward step, is very effective in increasing distance and allowing more time for the parry + riposte.

Italian fencing site Feder Scherma has an article on Vezzali’s win in the Havana World Cup.

Valentina Vezzali has won a record breaking 60 Gold Medals.

Legendary…

Australian Olympians have been involved in some interviews of late…

Links are available

The West Australian 

The Official Site of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team

The Official Site of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team

The Official Site of the 2008 Australian Olympic Team

Angie Darby interview

Jo Halls ABC interview 

Radio Interview

if you know of any more…please email: chris@swordfightersaustralia.com

as at 16 June 08,

The FIE has ratified the athletes and teams who will be competing in the Beijing Olympics in August.

for more details FIE.CH

June 2008 [11]

Counter Attack

Defintion; An attack performed after the opponent’s. (In Foil and Sabre it will not receive a point unless the opponents attack misses).

Intent: To preferably stop an attack in its tracks, thus taking over and achieving a hit.  Often in Foil and Sabre, the intent was to start first but didn’t in the referee’s opinion. In Epee a counter attack is performed to hit first as the target is closer than before.

Practice: An understanding of what is an attack is important before attempting, lunging into an attack is a practical situation, however the best scenario is that the first attack misses.  Stand just outside lunge distance with a partner and wait until the opponent starts attack, then lunge into it aiming for the chest (or weapon arm)

Tip: A fast counter attack is usually more successful, so short sharp movements directly into the chest

Timetable for Sydney AFF #4 Australian Nationals 2008

Friday 28th November 2008

Mens Foil 9.00

Womens Sabre 11.00

Womens Sabre Teams 3.30 (immediately follows individuals)

Saturday 29th November 2008

Womens Epee 9.00

Mens Foil Teams 11.00

Veterans Mens Foil 2.00

Veterans Womens Sabre 2.30

Sunday 30th November 2008

Mens Epee 9.00

Womens Epee Teams 11.00

Veterans Mens Sabre 2.00

Veteran Womens Epee 2.30

Monday 1st November 2008

Womens Foil 9.00

Mens Epee Teams 9.30

Mens Sabre 12.00

Veteran Mens Epee 2.30

Tuesday 2nd November 2008

Mens Sabre Teams 9.00

Womens Foil Teams 9.30

Veteran Womens Foil 1.00

Weapon Check

6:00 – 7:30pm Thursday 27th.

Also available: 1 hour before roll call . Each Day from 3:00 – 5:00 pm.

Venue: Anne Clark Netball Centre.. Church Street, Lidcombe.

Australian Epeeist Amber Parkinson came 36th in Havanna, Cuba last weekend

Full results FIE.CH

June 2008 [10]

Parry Quinte (5)

Definition; A parry in a high almost horizontal line (point away from body) above and in front of the mask, hand pronated with point in a position above hand, commonly used in Sabre.

Intent: To defend a head cut, full intention is to defend / parry and block blade completely, followed by a fast forward moving (usually head cut) riposte.

Practice: makes perfect, like every move in Sabre, if it’s not right, it won’t be able to be repeated successfully. Start slowly.

Tip: practice without a blade, to begin thumb and forefinger together “twist inside” from en guarde up to thumb inside, whilst raising the elbow up, stop hand at head height.

AFF #2 Robyn Chaplin Memorial Tournament – Adelaide

Open Results

Mens Epee : Will Dolley, VIC

Womens Foil : Emma Ryan, VIC

Mens Foil : Matteo Ciccone, VIC (ITA)

Womens Epee : Sarah Osvath, NSW

Mens Sabre : Simon Leitch, QLD

Womens Sabre : Min Yi Du, NSW

For full results Ausfencingevents

Timetable for the Robyn Champlin Memorial Tournament, 2008

held at Scotch College, Adelaide

Start List and Results Available from AusfencingEvents

Saturday June 7th, 2008, Mens Epee – 9.00, Womens Foil – 10.30, Veterans Mens Foil – 2.00, Veterans Womens Epee – 2.30.

Sunday 8th June, 2008, Mens Foil – 9.00, Womens Epee – 10.30, Veterans Mens Epee – 2.00, Veterans Womens Foil – 2.30.

Monday 9th June, 2008, Mens Sabre – 9.00, Womens Sabre – 10.00, Veterans Mens Sabre – 12.15, Veterans Womens Sabre 12.30.

Australian Womens Foilist Jo Halls came 8th in Buenos Aires last weekend

FIE.CH

Eurosport Commentary on Russia versus Germany 2007 courtesy of Youtube

Video 1

Video 2

Video 3

Video 4

Video 5

Video 6

Video 7

Video 8

Video 9

The FIE has adjusted the commencement date for the introduction of the fully conductive Bibs on Foil Masks.

The FIE (and AFF) has set the date as of 1 January 2009, and will be compulsory for Foil Fencing at International / National Competitions from that date forward.

It is noted that Fencing will not be a part of the 2009 World Masters Games, hence the removal of its listing on www.swordfightersaustralia.com

The FIE has expressed an interest in having FIE approved Points, with a stamp on the Barrel and Tip.

Here is a photo  of the the proposed Foil Point.

Australian Epeeist Amber Parkinson came 47th in Montreal, Canada last weekend, losing 15-14 to just miss the 32. 

Full Results FIE.CH

June 2008 [9]

The Balestra

By Definition; A ballistic forward hop / jump, usually preceding an attack

Intent: Surprise and speed to catch the opponent unprepared or unawares. Faster than a step forward and more controlled than a jump, the acceleration gained by a balestra ensures a faster lunge or fleche

Practice: Move each foot independently, start with the front toe, lift foot up and down in quick motion ‘slapping’ the foot flat on the floor, the back foot jumps forward in the force used to bring the front foot down 

Tip: Practice both left and right handed, which improves coordination, the shorter the balestra the faster the lunge follows.  For a right hander lift front toes up and down then whole foot and then slap it down on the floor.  Practice  jumping forward with the back foot, then both at the same time.