41. Team Epee Fencing

Event: Women's Team Epee
Date: 14th February 2014
Location: Colchester and District Fencing Club, Gilberd School, Colchester
Cost: £25 for one month membership
Rules: Teams of three fencers compete against opponents over a series of nine three-minute bouts, with the aim of accumulating a maximum of 45 hits to win the match. Hits are recorded electronically, and are scored by hitting the opponent with the tip of the weapon. Epee is the heaviest weapon and allows both fencers to score at the same time, and the whole body is a target

   

The Event: 

Ellie vs Sarah

 Aaron vs Mark

Maia vs Neil

Teams:

Team Sarah: Sarah, Mark, Neil.

Team Ellie: Ellie, Maia, Aaron.

 

Scores:

Team Sarah: 45 v 38 Team Ellie

 

London 2012 Winners: China.  

 

Comments:  

Sarah: We're on a roll with Fencing and this evening encountered our first of the team events. After getting to grips with the rules, and basic adding up skills, we were away. The fast moving bouts were really fun, and the team structure gave it an extra competitive edge. It was great to fight more experienced fencers and see how much more skilled they were! Everyone has a different style and I tried to pick up some tips whilst watching the others. This is the first event where we've had to bend the rules a little and played with mixed gender teams (as opposed to all women). It felt a little like cheating at first, but the other ladies in the club were all busy with competition preparation, so we're very grateful for the men stepping in to help us out!  

Ellie: News Flash. Fencing hurts. Especially when fencing against people who know what they're doing! That being said this was a great event and thoroughly enjoyable. It was really fast paced and I felt myself thinking more of tactics during and in between matches than in previous lessons. To be involved in and watch so many matches meant, as Sarah says, that we could see the technical differences between all the fighters. It was fascinating! 
I'd like to mention the parents who were there watching their children; they really got behind each of us and it was so heartening to hear them cheering and encouraging us when we scored points against our exceptional competitors. This has been a very feel-good event indeed! 

Big thanks to everyone who helped us with this one, especially Aaron, Maia, Mark and Neil!