Foil Fencing

 

The lamé and the blade used for foil fencing.

The blade used in this type of fencing is lightweight and flexible, resembling the rapiers popular among gentlemen of the mid-17th to late-18th centuries.

The foil is a thrusting weapon – points can only be scored when the tip of the blade is pressed against the opponent’s target area.

The target area is the torso – the chest and back – and in competitions, this area is covered by a metallic lamé. Any hit outside of this area is off-target and no point is awarded.

Foil fencing scoring is governed by a set of “right of way” rules. For beginners, these rules can seem complicated, but can be broken down into a few basics.

The most important concept is that the fencer who starts their attack first will always be awarded the point if they hit their opponent’s lamé.

Consequently, the fencer who does not have the attack must somehow take over right of way in order to score a point. This can be achieved by parrying the opponent’s blade, causing the opponent to miss their attack, retreating out of striking distance or by doing anything that results in the attacker hesitating or stopping their advance.

Thus, foil fencing’s strategy revolves around gaining the attack and keeping it until a point is scored.

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