Competitions
In the UK, fencing competitions take place throughout the year both locally and further afield – some are closed competitions (for fencers in a particular age range, for those who are new to the sport, or based on location) while others are open to all-comers. Junior competitions are often organised by age group and can be open to fencers aged up to 18; senior competitions are for fencers aged 13 and above and are not separated by age group. There are also veterans competitions, for fencers aged 40 and older, some of which are split into age groups.
As a club, Foiled Again values the experience provided to its members by competitions and provides both practical support (including the loan of equipment) and advice.
Want to enter a competition?
- ask for advice from one of the coaches about what would be a good competition for you
- you can find details of other competitions taking place across the UK here and here but there are many others
- check who can enter – are you in the right age range or live in the right area?
- you will need British Fencing membership (see here for more details or speak to one of the coaches)
- you’ll need the right equipment for the competition – Foiled Again can lend equipment subject to availability (please speak to one of the coaches to make sure you have what you need and don’t leave it to the last minute to do so!). We also have some secondhand breeches to borrow/buy but sizes may be limited for adults
- make sure you don’t miss the closing date for entries
- make a note of the sign in time; if you turn up late you may not be able to compete
- have fun!
Can I do a competition as a beginner?
A good way into competition as a new fencer is via beginners or novice competitions – this usually means fencing people with the same level of experience and these competitions are also set up to provide as much fencing as possible for everyone. Assuming a fencer has the correct British Fencing membership (Compete level is often required), there’s nothing to prevent anyone entering a competition for which they’re eligible – see the notes above about restrictions around age, region etc. – however, entering a competitive open competition as a beginner could be quite a challenging experience and also give them limited opportunities to actually fence on the day.
Fencers from Foiled Again regularly enter the East Midlands Beginners and Intermediate competition – there are separate junior and senior (over 13) events, taking place on the same day in Nottingham. This is a competition specifically designed for first-time entrants within the East Midlands region, giving you a chance to see if competition is for you. For the purposes of fencers over the age of 13 entering this competition, the length of time someone has been fencing will be used to determine whether they can enter the ‘beginner’ and/or ‘intermediate’ categories. More details will be available at practice and on the website and social media as soon as events are announced.
We also run the Mercia Novice Open, open to fencers across the country who meet certain criteria – in 2022, this was for epee and foil and in 2023 we expanded it to include sabre for the first time. Again, we think this competition would be good for first-time competitors and more information about the competition is available here. It ran again in 2024 and we hope to run it for the 4th time in February 2025 (exact date tbc).
Can I qualify for national competitions?
Fencers from Foiled Again are also encouraged to enter regional qualifiers to represent the East Midlands in national competitions – in particular, the British Youth Championships (juniors only, all 3 weapons) and the GB Cup (seniors only, all 3 weapons). Local qualifying competitions for these events take place every year in our region and details of those will be made available at practice, on the website and other social media as they are announced.
Local competitions coming soon:
Leicester Open – 8th and 9th June 2024 (13+)
Danielle Brown Sports Centre, University of Leicester, University Road, Leicester LE1 7RH
Saturday 8th: Men’s Epee, Men’s & Women’s Foil
Sunday 9th: Women’s Epee, Men’s & Women’s Sabre
Fencers will need Compete membership of British Fencing.
Entries are open: entry link here.
Shropshire Open – 7th and 8th September 2024 (13+)
Much Wenlock Leisure Centre, Farley Road, Much Wenlock, Shropshire TF13 6NB
Saturday 7th: Men’s & Women’s Foil, Men’s & Women’s Sabre
Sunday 8th: Men’s & Women’s Epee
Fencers will need Compete membership of British Fencing – it’s possible to enter both foil and epee or sabre and epee, but not foil and sabre.
Entries are open: entry link here.
Cocks Moors Woods Epee Championship – 7th and 8th September 2024 (junior and 13+)
Tudor Grange Leisure Centre, Blossomfield Road, Solihull B91 1NB
This is an epee only competition with separate competitions for U9, U11, U13 and U15 – U15 fencers may also enter the senior competition if they wish to do so. Fencers will need Compete membership of British Fencing.
Entries are open: entry link here.
This is a series of competitions taking place locally, usually starting in September, for junior epee fencers aged up to 16 – this series is currently on hold.
This is a series of competitions taking place around the country, throughout the year, for junior fencers in all 3 weapons through U9, U11, U13 and U15 age groups.
Another series of competitions taking place around the country, for junior fencers in all 3 weapons through U10, U12, U14 and U17 age groups.
Formerly the Yorkshire Youth League, this series of events has now been opened up to participants across the country, for junior fencers in all 3 weapons through U10, U12, U14 and U16 age groups.
Separate competitions for junior and senior male and female fencers, epee only – these competitions also take place in various locations around the country throughout the year.