Recently, some Leventhorpe students took part in a fencing competition and managed to come away with 3rd place.
As the rules are not very well known, I spoke to Finlay and Ella (Year 9) about their experiences and what they like about the competition.
Fencing is mainly an individual sport, where points are scored based on hitting each other in certain parts of the body. When played as a team, everyone fences everyone, and scores can change.
"There are many different types of fencing, such as sabre, which is more of a ‘whippy, choppy,'" said Finlay. "Whoever puts their hand up at the end is the winner! The referee is watching for you to see if you retreat, so you need to jump in. We have both been fencing for around 5 years and train twice a week. We compete often, but it stopped due to Covid, so we are very glad to be back."
"I got into fencing at primary school. I have been doing it ever since," said Ella. "I’m now one of the oldest at the competition, so I have high expectations of myself. I expected to do better than before, I would say. I think we achieved that. It is fairly easy to progress; it's just about how much effort you put in. It sounds crazy, but my favourite part is hitting people!" admitted Ella. "There is also a great community spirit, whether you are fencing as a team or individually. We ride the bus together, and warm up together."
‘I don’t think I will join the Olympics, but we shall see how I do.' said Finlay.
For anyone wanting to start fencing, here is some advice from Ella and Finley:
‘Never give up at the start! Even if you do not win every point, keep going!’
‘It’s more of a niche sport, so it’s always good to encourage more people into it. Don’t be afraid to have a go!'