Photo Courtesy of Roman Petriw

 

 

The Basics

 

(Information on this page is based on the information found on the AFA’s website: http://www.fencing.ab.ca/sport-equipment.asp. However, we have added and altered information.)

 

 

Section 1: Weapons

 

There are three different weapons in fencing: Sabre, Foil, and Epee. At our club, we fence strictly sabre, but here is a brief explanation of each of the weapons.

 

Sabre

Using this weapon, fencers are able to hit their opponents with either the edge (cut) or the point (thrust). The blade is V- shaped and its point is folded over itself. The target area for sabre includes the waist up, but not the hands. The guard is half rounded to protect the wrist. Sabre is easily the fastest and most aggressive of the three weapons. Obviously, in our opinion it’s also the most interesting.

 

Foil

Foil is the lightest and smallest of the three swords. The guard is small and bell-shaped, while the blade is quadrangular in shape. The target area in foil is the smallest of the three weapons because it is limited to the torso. Hits are made only with the point.

 

Epee

With this weapon, fencers are allowed to hit anywhere on the body because the whole body is target. The guard is bell-shaped and large to protect the hand. Fencers are only able to hit with the point. The blade is fairly stiff and triangular in shape.

 

Contrary to what some people believe, none of these weapons are sharp.

 

 

Section 2: Sabre Armour

 

Mask

The masks are the most important part of the protective equipment. They consist of wire mesh that covers the front and sides of the head and a bib that protects the neck. On the inside of the mask is padding to absorb the impact of a hit and to provide more comfort for the fencer. Sabre masks have a metal threaded bib similar to a lamé to detect hits (see lame description below).

 

Glove

Gloves have extra padding on the back of the hand and cover about half of the forearm. They are worn on top of the jacket, preventing blades from sliding up the sleeve of the jacket. Some sabre gloves have a manchette (see below) attached to them.

 

Jacket

Fencing jackets are generally made out of either thick cotton or Kevlar (bullet proof material). The jackets provide a great deal of protection, making fencing a very safe sport.

 

Sous-Plastron/Underarm Protector

Sous-Plastrons add to jackets’ safety. They are also made of either heavy cotton or Kevlar and they are worn underneath the jacket on the fencer’s weapon arm to double the protection where the jacket has a seam.

 

Chest Protector/Breast Plate

Only female fencers must wear chest protectors. However, it is becoming more common to see men wearing them as well. They are also worn under the jacket. Chest protectors are made of hard plastic to help absorb and spread the impact of a hit.

 

Breeches/Knickers

Breeches are also made of heavy cotton or Kevlar. They protect the fencer from just below the knee to a few inches above the waist, creating an overlap between them and the jacket. Long socks cover the legs from the knee down.

 

 

Section 3: Sabre Electric Equipment

 

Lamé

Lamés are jackets that are worn over the regular fencing jackets. They are threaded with metal wires that conduct electricity, identifying when a fencer has been hit on target. These jackets are worn only in foil and sabre. In sabre, it covers from the waist up.

 

Manchette/Sabre Cuff/Electric Glove Overlay

Manchettes are sometimes part of the glove or sometimes they are a separate piece that is worn over the glove. Like a lame, they are also threaded with metal wires that conduct electricity. Therefore, when a fencer is hit on the wrist, a hit will be detected.

 

Body Wire

Body wires connect the weapon and the lamé to the reels. The body wire splits into three sections. One section clips onto the lamé, another section plugs into the sword, and the final section plugs into the reel wire. Mask Wire
The mask wire connects the mask to the lame so that hits to the head will be detected. Reel
The reel consists of a retractable cord that is spooled on a reel. As a fencer moves along a piste, the reel releases and retracts the wire. The reel is also attached to a scoring box by a wire. There are two reels connected to the box (one for each fencer on each side of the piste).

 

Scoring Box

The scoring box notifies the referee of valid hits. When the green light illuminates, it indicates that the fencer on the referee’s right side has made a valid hit, while the red light indicates a valid hit on the referee’s left.

 

Piste

The piste is the metal strip that fencers fence on. It measures 14 metres long and 1.5-2 metres wide. On the piste are several lines: the centre line, the En Guard line (starting point), the 2 metre warning line, and the end line. After the end line on either end are 1-2 metres, but these sections are out of bounds.