State Veterans Squad – Melbourne Fencing Centre


Training Time: Thursday Nights 6:30-8:30

Any athlete wishing to participate, please contact  chris@swordfightersaustralia.com 

Chris Jones 0409 013 171

 

 

 

 

Session 26th February, come along and join the squad:            Skill:  Team Event.

Next Session:   March 5th. 

Fencing Victoria has the Calendar online for local competitions this year 

@  6:30  Level 1, 204-206 Arden St North Melbourne.     

Public transport:* by train (closest station is North Melbourne -10 minute walk down Laurens Street)*

by Tram Closest stop is No 15 on Abbotsford Street on route 57 -8 minute walk down Arden Street.


Proudly supporting VicVets…

 

If you’d like any weapons fixed; David Hubbard is in the business of repair : email David 

 

Vic Vets



State Veterans Squad – Melbourne Fencing Centre


Training Time: Thursday Nights 6:30-8:30

Any athlete wishing to participate, please contact  chris@swordfightersaustralia.com 

Chris Jones 0409 013 171

 

 

 

 

Session 19th February, come along and join the squad:            Skill:  Beat 4 Attack, Disengage Attack, Derobe threatening Attack.

Next Session:   February 26th. 

Fencing Victoria has the Calendar online for local competitions this year 

@  6:30  Level 1, 204-206 Arden St North Melbourne.     

Public transport:* by train (closest station is North Melbourne -10 minute walk down Laurens Street)*

by Tram Closest stop is No 15 on Abbotsford Street on route 57 -8 minute walk down Arden Street.


Proudly supporting VicVets…

 

If you’d like any weapons fixed; David Hubbard is in the business of repair : email David 

 

Vic Vets



Olympic Foil Team Video


With only a year to go until Rio 2016, here’s some inspiration from London’ Gold medal Mens Foil Team Match.

Youtube Link 



State Veterans Squad – Melbourne Fencing Centre


Training Time: Thursday Nights 6:30-8:30

Any athlete wishing to participate, please contact  chris@swordfightersaustralia.com 

Chris Jones 0409 013 171

 

 

 

 

Session 12th February, come along and join the squad:        Skill:  Parry 6 Disengage Rioposte, C6 Disengage Riposte.

Next Session:   February 19th. 

Fencing Victoria has the Calendar online for local competitions this year 

@  6:30  Level 1, 204-206 Arden St North Melbourne.     

Public transport:* by train (closest station is North Melbourne -10 minute walk down Laurens Street)*

by Tram Closest stop is No 15 on Abbotsford Street on route 57 -8 minute walk down Arden Street.


Proudly supporting VicVets…

 

If you’d like any weapons fixed; David Hubbard is in the business of repair : email David 

 

Vic Vets



Australian National Champions 2014 – The Sword Fighter Dozen


Following the tradition of the National Open Champion questionnaire,

the 6 2014 Open Champions kindly contributed some answers following their Championship win. 

Australian 2014 National Champion: 

Ned Fitzgerald – Mens Foil.

1: How long have you been Fencing? What made you start? How long did it take for you to feel competitive?

A: I’ve been fencing for about 8 and a half years. I started because I’d seen sword fighting in a couple of my favourite movies and wanted to see how it was done. I also gained interest because I saw it advertised somewhere for the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne. I started out quite slowly, certainly taking my time to gain results at state competitions. My first good result was at U/15 national championships in 2010, so it took me about 4 years to establish myself.

2: How long have you been Competing at National / International level?

A:  I’ve been competing at national level since 2008 and at an international level since 2011.

3: What made you choose your weapon? Have you fenced the other 2?

A:  The club at which I began fencing is a foil-only club, so I didn’t have much of a choice! However I have fenced epee and sabre as well, strongly disliking the sabre but managing to get some surprising results in epee.

4: Where is your favourite place to fence or to train?

A:  It depends what kind of training. I really like doing physical training (running, sprints etc) at my club because of the lovely parks surrounding it, but I prefer fencing at venues which have pistes laid out already, such as North Melbourne.

5: How important have a coach and training partners been to you?

A:  Your coach and training partners are absolutely essential, no matter what weapon you fence or what kind of athlete you are. Always respect them and listen to what they have to say, because their feedback and advice could prove to be a vital ingredient to your future success.

6: What are your future ambitions for 2015 and beyond? work / training / competition?

A: I will be undertaking year 12 during 2015, so I won’t be fencing as much at training because I need to focus on my studies. As a side note, it’s very important that you maintain a balance between fencing and other commitments such as work and school. It’s amazing how tedious fencing can become without these things in your life as well, and vice-versa. After school, I hope to travel to Europe to train and compete with the friends I’ve made through my experiences, after which I would like to attend college in the US where they have a brilliant college fencing program. My main fencing goal, however, is to make the 2020 Olympics.

7: Who if anyone have you modeled your fencing on? Or do you have a favourite Fencer (Internationally)?

A:  I haven’t really modelled myself on any particular fencer. I watch quite a lot of fencing on YouTube and have thus seen some of the things the world’s best fencers do, and I kind of take bits and pieces out of their strategies and try to use them in training to see if it works. A lot of my fencing is based off these observations and experiments.

8: What if any other cross training activities do you play/train?

A: I try to go to the gym as often as possible. For fencers 16 and over, the gym is a great way to get faster and stronger and hence allow you to fence more effectively.

9: What difference if any did this national event have to others?

A:  For this event I felt like I needed to fence my absolute best to get a good result, so I simply fenced as hard as I possibly could and believed that I could potentially beat anyone I would come up against. This mindset allowed me to concentrate completely on my fencing without worrying about whether I would win the bout or not.

10: What is your weekly training Regime?

A:  Lessons: Monday and Saturday

Physical training (e.g. running and sprinting, body weight exercises): Thursday, Saturday/Monday, Friday

Fencing: Monday, Tuesday, Friday, Saturday

Gym: Wednesday, Saturday

11:  What advice would you give future Australian champions?

A:  Focus on fencing technique rather than speed, especially in lessons and drills. Speed will come with practicing using correct technique, but technique will not come from simply attempting to fence as quickly as possible. The importance of this can’t be emphasised enough.

12: What is the best / worst thing about Fencing in Australia?

A:  It kind of sucks how barely anyone really knows or cares about fencing. But for those who do know and care about it, there’s a very close-knit community in Australian fencing which is nice to be a part of.  

 

Thanks very much Ned! 



Australian National Champions 2014 – The Sword Fighter Dozen


Following the tradition of the National Open Champion questionnaire,

the 6 2014 Open Champions kindly contributed some answers following their Championship win. 

Australian 2014 National Champion: 

Sarah Osvath – Womens Epee.

1: How long have you been Fencing? What made you start? How long did it take for you to feel competitive?

A:  I have been fencing for over 40 years now, starting in my last year of primary school when fencing was offered as an elective sport by my teacher Susan Grant-Taylor, at the school I attended in Wainuiomata, New Zealand. I was captivated by this unique sport straight away and it took several years to feel competent.

2: How long have you been Competing at National / International level?

A: A long time and continuing… Nationally in NZ as a school fencer,(foil as females fenced only foil in those days), Under 20’s (National champion 6X).Interestingly my first International competition was travelling to Australia to fence in the Australian U20 Championship. Internationally, representing Australia at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships in 1994,1998,2002,2010. Many Women’s Epee World cup events between 1995 and 2002. World Championships 1995,97,98,99 and the first ever Women’s Epee event at the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. I have fenced in all but one Australian National Championships since 1988-2014 and a good 80% of the Australian open circuit events over this period.

3: What made you choose your weapon? have you fenced the other 2?

A: I actively made the decision to fence/train/receive individual lessons in epee in 1993 after nearly 20 years of foil. My height and speed whilst a disadvantage in foil could be an asset in epee. . I had moved for personal reasons to Melbourne from Canberra and had the accessibility of training with Vlad Sher,the National epee coach. Women’s epee was relatively new on the International scene and without the complication of referees and with a fairly even standard worldwide success was possible. The epee gamble was worth pursuing and certainly the correct decision for me.

4: Where is your favourite place to fence or to train?

A:  Anywhere as long as there are other passionate, committed fencers who want to train determinedly and aspire to continually improve and become the best they can be. Any competition big or small is a strong drawcard.

5: How important have a coach and training partners been to you?

A:  A coach is of the utmost importance – one that you respect and who respects your endeavours. There should be a big investment by both of you, a few risks and hopefully many rewards. Personally, I have only had two epee coaches, Vlad Sher from 1993-1997 whilst I resided in Melbourne. Since living in Sydney from 1997, my coach is Simon Jin. (That is a lot of individual lessons).

Training partners are extremely important and valuable to me.

6: What are your future ambitions for 2015 and beyond? work / training / competition?

A: As well as achieving gold at the 2014 Australian Open Championships, I secured 2nd place at the 2014 World Veteran Championships in Hungary. My ambition is to become Women’s Epee Veteran World Champion within the next few years. (i.e., to join Vici Wilks as World Champion)

7: Who if anyone have you modeled your fencing on? Or do you have a favourite Fencer (Internationally)?

A: I’ve been around a long time and have constantly developed my fencing. I haven’t modeled myself on any one particular person but I do have many International fencers I openly admire. This includes Imke Duplitzer, Laura Flessel-Colovic, Kaido Kaberma and Pavel Kolobkov but the list is actually quite long.

8: What if any other cross training activities do you play/train?

A: I also play competitive field hockey, twice a week during the hockey season (April-September). I enjoy a 90mins bike ride each Sunday.

9: What difference if any did this national event have to others?

A:  Winning the Australian National Championship again was a big thrill. Having previously won in 1995,1997,1999 and most recently in 2003 I thought that this top title was a little elusive for me having lost several finals to take silver but in any case usually a podium finish.(Spanning 20 years).

10: What is your weekly training Regime?

A: I train at three different University Fencing clubs here in Sydney, Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday evenings incorporating a lot of bouting plus individual lessons. Saturday afternoon I attend a 2hr Fencing Speed & Agility specific class followed by a session of bouting.

11:  What advice would you give future Australian champions?

A: Work out your plan, train hard with as many fencers as possible. Strive towards realistic goals. Recognise that there are peaks and troughs with your results and that basically you get a return proportional to your effort and work load. It should have a definite fun component.

12: What is the best / worst thing about Fencing in Australia?

A: The worst thing about fencing in Australia is the demise of selection on merit for National team representation.

The best thing about fencing in Australia is the talented, experienced coaches and fencers that provide the opportunity to develop a firm basis for achieving on the World stage. Also our proximity to fencing in Asia.

 

Thanks very much Sarah! 



Australian Veteran Champions 2014 Questionnaire


Following the tradition of the National Open Champion questionnaire,

the 6 2014 Veteran Champions kindly contributed some answers following their Championship win. 

Australian 2014 National Veteran Champion: 

Nigel Nutt – Mens Foil.

1: How long have you been Fencing? What made you start? How long did it take for you to feel competitive?

A:  I started in 1980 at school in Sydney. I was drawn by the one on one aspect of the sport, and the opportunity to compete. A compabt sport without being full contact, and without the subjectivity of grading in other martial arts, I found Fencing unique.

2: How long have you been Competing at National / International level?

A:  I Fenced State and National championships from 1981 onwards. Took me several years to get out of a first round at nationals, but there has not been a year since 1981 when I have not competed in some from at a national level in Australia or overseas. My first overseas competition was NZ championships in 1987, and my first truly international competition was the World Student Games in Germany in 1987.

3: What made you choose your weapon? have you fenced the other 2?

A:  Always trained in foil, and enjoyed the rhythm and tempo of foil more than the others. Have always competed in epee in parallel with foil, and on a number of occasions seen more success in epee than in foil. Dabbled in Sabre in the late eighties, but the passion never stuck.

4: Where is your favourite place to fence or to train?

A:  Tough to call. Cavaliers club in Perth probably pips other clubs for pure enjoyment and mileu, but currently am enjoying coaching at a start up club in ACT called Maison Escrime with Mat Meriaux. I have very fond memories of Macquarie, Uni, Sydney Uni and Swords Club.

5: How important is competition in Australia for you?

A:  Fencing competitively keeps me in the sport,. Without the opportunity to compete, I would have retired a long time ago.

6: What are your ambitions for 2015 and beyond? Travel / competition?

A: I’d like to compete in the World Veteran Champs (50+) from 2016 onwards.

7: Do you have a favourite location to fence (National/Internationally)?

A: No

8: What if any other cross training activities do you play/train?

A: Have always found squash a wonderful cross training sport: competitive, great for fitness, and hones my spatial awareness and positioning skills.

9: What if anything has changed for you as a veteran fencer in 2014?

A:  I have recalibrated my sporting goals and self-expectations. I still fence to enjoy and to win, in that order.

10: What is your weekly training routine/partners etc?

 A: 90% coaching, 10% fencing in a typical year. I limit training to two evenings a week, and I avoid starting too early in a season. This stops me burning out, and keeps me hungry for the sport.

11:  What advice would you give veteran Australians?

A:  Stick at it: I admire and respect those around me for their longevity in the sport as much, if not more, than those wining the medals.

12: What is the best / worst thing about Veteran Fencing in Australia?

A: Best thing: Friendship. I love mixing with other Vet fencers. Worst things: gaps between rounds too long, and the comps take too long to run relative to the small numbers. I understand why, but I still think there is room for a faster comp.

Thanks very much Nigel!



State Veterans Squad – Melbourne Fencing Centre


Training Time: Thursday Nights 6:30-8:30

Any athlete wishing to participate, please contact  chris@swordfightersaustralia.com 

Chris Jones 0409 013 171

 

 

 

 

Session 5th February, come along and join the squad:        Skill:  Parry 4 Disengage Rioposte, C4 Disengage Riposte.

Next Session:   February 12th. 

Fencing Victoria has the Calendar online for local competitions this year 

@  6:30  Level 1, 204-206 Arden St North Melbourne.     

Public transport:* by train (closest station is North Melbourne -10 minute walk down Laurens Street)*

by Tram Closest stop is No 15 on Abbotsford Street on route 57 -8 minute walk down Arden Street.


Proudly supporting VicVets…

 

If you’d like any weapons fixed; David Hubbard is in the business of repair : email David 

 

Vic Vets



Brighton FC


Fencing @ Brighton   recommences for 2015

                               Wednesday Nights (from February 2015) 5:30 pm.

Your club in the South East of Melbourne for the Fencing community, and to new members!

Membership Link:

Brighton Grammar G.B.R Hall, Grosvenor St Brighton (opposite the School Carpark).

Coaching and membership available now….. We have electric strips setup.

Enquiries welcome, for more info email: chris@swordfightersaustralia.com or 0409 013 171

updated 4 February 2015


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