Tourny

[Foil Girl]

Hey, I'm going to one of my first bigger tournaments... The registration for my event is at 1:30. What time should I get there? I'm not familiar with this place or any of the people there, so i haven't been able to ask anyone. sorry for bothering you guys. Wish me luck and thanks for the replies!

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-Foil Girl
"Nadie nace sabiendo"

[Peach]

Good luck and have fun! I usually get to the venue at least a half an hour (but preferably an hour) before close of check-in in a regional tournament. That way I can get my equipment inspected and start warming up with plenty of time to spare. I also have time to panic and run around and borrow whatever it is I forgot to bring, or repair whatever broke that I forgot to fix.

Kick some butt.

[Foil Girl]

Woohoo! I had an awesome tourny!! I almost beat a D!! we were 14-14 for soooo long, ugh!! She missed, then I tried to counter attack, missed, then her remise hit it!! uuuugh. It was soo awesome though.

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-Foil Girl
"Nadie nace sabiendo"

[Shadow Fencer]

Sounds like you had a lot of fun!!!

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I live to fence and fence to live!!

[Dame d'escrime]

Good for you! Sounds like you had a good time.

[MikeHarm]

Did you figure out what you need to do to beat her the next time?

Mike

[Puppet Master]

mmmm.. la belle in a DE.. those are some tense moments, or in your case many minutes.

I always try to save something for the end if its a close bout, something thats only good for a point or two.

Personally, i would never try a counter attack during la belle, except maybe if I hadn't used any during the bout. Only because it leaves it up to the opponent to miss me. So if you lose you can only say, "If only she would have missed me that last point". Instead of "If only I hadn't landed flat or something.

A lot of times the fencers get conservative and wont' commit to anything.

[Chris]

Originally posted by Puppet Master:
mmmm.. la belle in a DE.. those are some tense moments, or in your case many minutes.

I always try to save something for the end if its a close bout, something thats only good for a point or two.

Personally, i would never try a counter attack during la belle...

'La belle' does not mean 'tie score - match point' (or 'assault point'); or final point: It is a call for 'the beautiful' touch - which is can be a general statment of encouragement (from clubmate/spectator), or a
an advisement to a friend that they are getting sloppy, thus losing touches.

Generally, its origin of usage at the tie score-match point lies in the fact that the next touch decides the bout/match, so;

A. Since it will be more memorable, it should be a 'nice' one; and

B. it should be a 'nice' one so the referee won't have trouble with the call.

Additionally, if the referee actually says it, it might be inferred (based on the way they say it, and how the bout has been going), that only a clean action will be called.

This is by no means certain, because many times your referee is just another competitior who isn't fencing at the moment, and doesn't know half of what they are seeing, doing or saying; they are just copying other people who often know just as little.

PS: (in the USFA) Fencers are NOT rated: they are Classified; unless they are (Nationally) Ranked. You can say 'rated' and people will usually know what you mean, but (unless they have not read the Op's Manual, themselves), they will (or at least should) wonder if YOU have.

(Whoa! If it's not one thing, it's TWO! Anybody got a Valium for this guy?)

Have a nice day!



[This message has been edited by Chris (edited 06-05-2001).]

[space_cadet]

I didn't know that was the meaning of the director saying "la belle". Now I know, Bell Biv Devoe.

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Cadet à Space

[Bugaboo]

Patty Le Belle?