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A foil is one of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. It is a flexible sword of total length 110cm (43in) or under, rectangular in cross section, weighing under 500g (18oz), with a blunt tip. [1] As with the épée, points are only scored by making contact with the tip. The foil is the most commonly used weapon in fencing. [2]
Contents
- Non-electric and electric foils
- Background
- Blade
- Guard assembly
- Electric foils
- History
- Women's foil
- Ratings
- Groups
- Rules
- Scoring
- Target area
- Priority (right of way)
- See also
- References
- External links
Non-electric and electric foils
Background
There are two types of foil used in modern fencing. Both types are made with the same basic parts: the pommel, grip, guard, and blade. The difference between them is one is electric, and the other is known as "steam" or "dry". [3] The blades of both varieties are capped with a plastic or rubber piece, with a button at the tip in electric blades, that provides information when the blade tip touches the opponent. [3] (There are also a range of plastic swords made by varying manufacturers for use by juniors. [4] ) Lacking the button and associated electrical mechanism, a judge is required to determine the scoring and the victor in a tournament with non-electric foils. [5]
Non-electric ones are primarily used for practice. The Fédération Internationale d'Escrime and most national organizations require electric scoring apparatus since the 1956 Olympics, although some organizations still fence competitively with non-electric swords. [6]
Blade
Foils have standardized, tapered, rectangular blades in length and cross-section that are made of tempered and annealed low-carbon steel [7] —or maraging steel as required for international competitions. [8] To prevent the blade from breaking or causing harm to an opponent, the blade is made to bend upon impact with its target. [3] The maximum length of the blade must be 90cm (35in). [9] The length of the assembled weapon at maximum is 110cm (43in), and the maximum weight must be less than 500g (18oz); [9] however, most competition foils are lighter, closer to 350g (12oz). [7]
The blade of a foil has two sections: the forte (strong) which is the one third of the blade near the guard, and the foible (weak) which is the two thirds of the blade near the tip. [9] There is a part of the blade contained within the grip called a tang. It extends past the grip enough to be fastened to the pommel and to hold the rest of the foil together. [9] When an Italian grip is used, see below, a ricasso extends from under the guard, inside of the grip's quillons, into the tang.
Guard assembly
The guard is fastened to the blade, plug, and grip. Then the pommel, a type of fastener, is attached to the grip and holds the rest together. The type of pommel used depends on the type of grip. [3] Two grips are used in foil: straight traditional grips with external pommels (Italian, French, Spanish, and orthopedic varieties); [3] and the newer design of pistol grips, which fix the hand in a specific, ergonomic position, and which have pommels that fit into a countersink in the grip. [3]
Electric foils
Beginning with the 1956 Olympics, scoring in foil has been accomplished by means of registering the touch with an electric circuit. A switch at the tip of the foil registers the touch, and a metallic foil vest, or lamé, verifies that the touch is on valid target. [11]
Cord
The cord of any type of electric fencing weapon goes through the fencing gear, coming out behind the fencer. The cord of a foil has one end connecting to the back of the fencing strip, and the other end attaches to the foil. The two ends are not interchangeable with one another.
Socket
The electric foil contains a socket underneath the guard that connects to the scoring apparatus via the body cord and a wire that runs down a channel cut into the top of the blade. Electric foil sockets are fixed so that the body cord plugs into the weapon at the fencer's wrist. [3] There are two main sockets in use today: the "bayonette" which has a single prong and twists-locks into the foil, and the two prong, which has different diameters for each prong, held in place by a clip. [3]
Tip
The tip of the electric foil terminates in a button assembly that generally consists of a barrel, plunger, spring, and retaining screws. [12] The circuit is a "normally closed" one, meaning that at rest there is always a complete power circuit; depressing the tip breaks this circuit, and the scoring apparatus illuminates an appropriate light. Color-coding is used: white or yellow indicates hits not on the valid target area, and either red or green indicate hits on the valid target area (red for one fencer, green for the other). When fencing, the FIA (international fencing federation) states that the tip requires a minimum of 500 grams to complete the circuit.
History
Further information: History of fencing
The modern foil is the training weapon for the small-sword, the common sidearm of 18th century gentleman. Rapier and even longsword foils are also known to have been used, but their weight and use were very different. [13] [14]
Although the foil as a blunted weapon for sword practice goes back to the 16th century (for example, in Hamlet , Shakespeare writes "let the foils be brought"), [15] the use as a weapon for sport is more recent. The foil was used in France as a training weapon in the middle of the 18th century in order to practice fast and elegant thrust fencing. Fencers blunted the point by wrapping a foil around the blade or fastening a knob on the point ("blossom", French fleuret). [16] [17] [18] In addition to practicing, some fencers took away the protection and used the sharp foil for duels. German students took up that practice in academic fencing and developed the Pariser ("Parisian") thrusting small sword for the Stoßmensur ("thrusting mensur"). [18]
The target area for modern foil is said to come from a time when fencing was practiced with limited safety equipment. Another factor in the target area is that foil rules are derived from a period when dueling to the death was the norm. Hence, the favored target area is the torso, where the vital organs are. [18]
In 1896, foil (and saber) were included as events in the first Olympic Games in Athens. [19]
Women's foil
Women's foil was first competed at the Olympics in 1924 in Paris, [19] and was the only Olympic fencing event in which women competed until women's épée was introduced at the 1996 Olympics. [20]
Ratings
Ratings/Rankings are generally run by national fencing federations and use varying scales based on that particular federations system. These ratings are used as the basis for initial seeding into the pool rounds of tournaments and vary country to country.
Groups
Age groups are necessary to separate skill and body maturity levels in order to create a level playing field. The current age groups for foil (and also épée and sabre) are Y10 (age 10 and under), Y12 (age 12 and under), Y14 (age 14 and under), cadet (age 16 and under), junior (age 19 and under), and senior (anything over 19). While an older competitor cannot compete in a younger category, the contrary is allowed and encouraged, in order to expedite learning.
The veteran age group consists of 40 and over, 60 and over, and 70 and over sub-groups.
Rules
Main article: Fencing rules
The rules for the sport of fencing are regulated by national sporting associations—in the United States, the United States Fencing Association (USFA) [21] and internationally by the International Fencing Federation, or Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE). [22]
The detailed rules for foil are listed in the USFA Rulebook. [23]
Rules for the sport of fencing date back to the 19th century. [24] [25] The current international rules for foil were adopted by the FIE Committee for Foil on 12 June 1914. They are based on previous sets of rules adopted by national associations. The rules governing the use of electrical judging apparatus were adopted in 1957 and have been amended several times. [26]
Scoring
The foil is used as a thrusting (or point) weapon only. Contact with the side of the blade (a slap or slash) does not result in a score. The tip of the foil must be depressed for at least 15 (± .5) milliseconds while in contact with the opponent's lamé (wire-mesh jacket which covers valid target area) to score a touch. The foil lamé only covers the torso while in saber it covers the whole upper body. The tip must be able to support a minimum force of 4.90 newtons (500 grams-force) without the circuit breaking. This is tested with a 500g (± 3g) weight. [23]
Target area
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In foil the valid target area includes the torso (including the lower part of the bib of the mask) and the groin. The head (except the lower part of the bib of the mask), arms, and legs are considered off target. Touches made off-target do not count for points, but do stop play. [27] Touches to the guard are the only touches that do not stop play. The target area has been changed multiple times, with the latest change consisting of adding the bottom half of the bib to the target zone.
Priority (right of way)
Main article: Priority (fencing)
Foil competition and scoring is governed by the rules of priority, also known as right of way. [27] Originally meant to indicate which competitor would have scored the touch (or lethally injured the other), it is now a main contributor to the appeal of the sport of fencing. In essence, it decides who receives the point (there can only be one competitor that receives a point per engagement) when both competitors hit.
The basic rules are whoever the referee judges to be the attacking fencer has "priority". This "priority" can be changed in several ways. The first is the defending fencer deflects the attack from the fencer with "priority" with the forte (strong) of their blade (a "parry"). This switches the "priority" to the fencer who just parried. The second way priority can be switched is if the attacking fencer's attack misses (this is generally judged off the attacking fencer's arm extension. The final major way "priority" can be shifted is if the defending fencer "beats" their opponent's blade (this can also be used by the attacking fencer to make it clear to the referee that they are continuing their attack) this involves striking the foible (weak) of their opponents blade with their own. If both fencers are judged by the referee to be seeking to beat each other's blades then the fencer who is on the attack is favored. [28]
See also
- Sabre (fencing)
- Épée
- Colichemarde
- Rapier
Related Research Articles
Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. The three disciplines of modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre ; each discipline uses a different kind of blade, which shares the same name, and employs its own rules. Most competitive fencers specialise in one discipline. The modern sport gained prominence near the end of the 19th century and is based on the traditional skill set of swordsmanship. The Italian school altered the historical European martial art of classical fencing, and the French school later refined that system. Scoring points in a fencing competition is done by making contact with an opponent.
A parry is a fencing bladework maneuver intended to deflect or block an incoming attack.
The épée, sometimes spelled epee in English, is the largest and heaviest of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. The modern épée derives from the 19th-century épée de combat, a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword.
The Fédération Internationale d'Escrime, commonly known by the acronym FIE, is the international governing body of Olympic fencing. Today, its head office is at the Maison du Sport International in Lausanne, Switzerland. The FIE is composed of 155 national federations, each of which is recognized by its country's Olympic Committee as the sole representative of Olympic-style fencing in that country.
Classical fencing is the style of fencing as it existed during the 19th and early 20th centuries. According to the 19th-century fencing master Louis Rondelle,
A classical fencer is supposed to be one who observes a fine position, whose attacks are fully developed, whose hits are marvelously accurate, his parries firm, and his ripostes executed with precision. One must not forget that this regularity is not possible unless the adversary is a party to it. It is a conventional bout, which consists of parries, attacks, and returns, all rhyming together.
The sabre is one of the three disciplines of modern fencing. The sabre weapon is for thrusting and cutting with both the cutting edge and the back of the blade.
The following outline is provided as an overview of and topical guide to fencing:
The flick is a technique used in modern fencing. It is used in foil and to a lesser extent, épée.
In fencing, the grip is the part of the weapon which is gripped by the fencer's hand.
The Amateur Fencers League of America (AFLA) was founded on April 22, 1891, in New York City by a group of fencers seeking independence from the Amateur Athletic Union. As early as 1940, the AFLA was recognized by the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE) and the United States Olympic Committee as the national governing body for fencing in the United States.
Priority or right of way is the decision criterion used in foil and sabre fencing to determine which fencer receives the touch, or point, when both fencers land a hit within the same short time-frame. After this window, if one fencer had already landed a hit, the electrical scoring apparatus would "lock-out," or fail to record, an opponent's subsequent hit, and thus the one fencer to land a hit is awarded the touch. In épée fencing, if both fencers land valid hits at the same time, they each receive a point. Because of this, foil and saber are considered conventional weapons. After a halt, a referee parses what happened into actions, from which it can be determined whether to award a point or not.
Fencing practice and techniques of modern competitive fencing are governed by the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE), though they developed from conventions developed in 18th- and 19th-century Europe to govern fencing as a martial art and a gentlemanly pursuit. The modern weapons for sport fencing are the foil, épée, and sabre.
The FIE Fencing World Cup is an international fencing competition held by the Fédération Internationale d'Escrime. In each weapon, three Grand Prix, five World Cup events and several satellite events are contested each season. The five top results as well as the Olympic Games or World Fencing Championships and zonal championships results are taken into account for each fencer's rankings. For teams, up to five World Cup events are held each year. The four top results as well as the Olympic Games or World Fencing Championships and zonal championships are taken into account for each country's rankings.
Tactics are very important to playing well in modern fencing and although technique is important in the sport, using an array of tactics will help fencers make the most of that technique.
This is a glossary of terms used in fencing.
The women's foil event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 25 July 2021 at the Makuhari Messe. 34 fencers from 18 nations are expected to compete.
The men's épée event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 25 July 2021 at the Makuhari Messe. 36 fencers from 18 nations competed.
The women's épée event at the 2020 Summer Olympics took place on 24 July 2021 at the Makuhari Messe. 34 fencers from 18 nations competed.
The fencing competitions at the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris are scheduled to run from 27 July to 4 August at the Grand Palais strip. A total of 212 fencers, with an equal distribution between men and women, will compete across twelve medal events at the Games. For the second straight time, Paris 2024 will witness both men and women fence against each other in the individual and team events held in all three weapons.
This article details the qualifying phase for fencing at the 2024 Summer Olympics. The competition will comprise a total of 212 fencers, with an equal distribution between men and women, coming from the different NOCs, similar to the Tokyo 2020 roster size. Qualified NOCs can enter a maximum of eighteen fencers, with each consisting of a trio, whether men's or women's, across all weapon-based team events.
References
- ↑ "Material Rules". FIE Rules. Fédération Internationale d'Escrime. December 2022. pp.12–16.
- ↑ "Fencing competition types: Foil, Sabre, and Epee". ActiveSG. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 "Fencing Weapons". www.physicalarts.com. Archived from the original on 2023-05-07. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- ↑ "Size 3 Leon Paul Plastic Foil - Plastic - Swords - Mini-Fence". www.leonpaul.com. Retrieved 2021-08-07.
- ↑ Nelson, Danielle (2015-03-17). "The technology behind fencing". The Temple News. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- ↑ Murgu, Andreia-Ileana (August 2006). "Fencing". Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clinics of North America. 17 (3): 725–736. doi:10.1016/j.pmr.2006.05.008. ISSN 1047-9651. PMID 16952760.
- 1 2 "Weapons". USA Fencing. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- ↑ "Fencing 101". www.blue-gauntlet.com. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- 1 2 3 4 "USA Fencing Rulebook". USA Fencing. Retrieved 2019-07-28.
- ↑ Fencing Officials Commission (December 29, 2012). "Referees' Commission: Is My Grip Legal?" . Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- ↑ "Fencing - Organized sport". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved 2021-10-13.
- ↑ "FIE Material Rules" (PDF). September 2021.
- ↑ "Fencing Weapons". www.fencing.ab.ca. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ↑ "THE DEVELOPMENT OF FOIL (Part 1) / LeonPaul.com". www.leonpaul.com. Retrieved 2021-06-21.
- ↑ William Shakespeare, Hamlet, Act V, Scene II in (accessed 20 February 2016).
- ↑ https://idrottonline.se/LjungbyFK-Faktning/globalassets/ljungby-fk---faktning/dokument/a-parents-guide-to-fencing.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
- ↑ https://static.detroittitans.com/custompages/Fencing/2010-11%20Stats%20and%20Results/The%20Basics%20of%20Fencing.pdf [ bare URL PDF ]
- 1 2 3 PutraDanayu (2021-03-30). Sword. Putra Ayu.[ permanent dead link ]
- 1 2 FIE History: Fencing history (accessed 21 Jan 2016)
- ↑ Reference: Olympic website, Fencing Equipment and History (accessed 22 January 2016).
- ↑ Garret, Maxwell R.; Kaidanov, Emmanuil G.; Pezza, Gil A. (1994). Foil, Saber, and Épée Fencing: Skills, Safety, Operations, and Responsibilities. Penn State Press. ISBN 978-0-271-01019-9.
- ↑ Fencing: Ancient to Modern. In the Hands of a Child.
- 1 2 "SportsEngine". usfencing.org. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
- ↑ Rules used by the Amateur Fencers’ League of America dating to 1891 can be found at the Museum of American Fencing site. See next reference.
- ↑ "Rule Books – Museum Of American Fencing". museumofamericanfencing.com. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 12 January 2017.
- ↑ Higginson, Steve; Jacobs, Peter; Smith, Peter (2014) [2010]. "The FIE Rules for Competitions" (PDF). British Fencing Association. Retrieved January 11, 2017.
- 1 2 "Weapons - Rules - Tokyo loves fencing - FIE". tokyo2020.fie.org. Archived from the original on 2022-12-05.
