NAC B Review

[Peach]

Richmond is a pretty city in many ways, with gracious brick buildings, wide roads, and classic architecture. I walked from my hotel (the Radisson) on Saturday morning and enjoyed looking around me. The city seems empty, though, especially at night. Many stores are empty. There is a tremendous amount of construction and demolition going on in the area of the convention center. My sister, who lives in Virginia, told me it's known for its high crime rates. But it looked as if it would be a wonderful place to live if things just went right.

The local organizing committee did a great job. Their table was always manned by cheerful friendly people. The singing of the Star Spangled Banner by the assembled young ladies in beautiful dresses sent chills down my back, it was so lovely.

The goody bag was well-packed. There wasn't the usual dreck of coupons and ads. Instead, there was a water bottle, a PowerAde, a pen, and a Balance Bar, plus a well-written guide to the tournament. All of them came in handy over the course of the weekend.

The gifts to medal winners were the best thing I've seen in years. I know that the Jefferson Cup is THE standard thing in Virginia, but they are very attractive and they were engraved with the name of the event. I know in the Veteran Women's Sabre medal ceremony most of us were so busy exclaiming over them we didn't even listen to the announcement. I can testify to this because I didn't realize until much later that when my finalist sheet was read aloud George K. had once again managed to sneak in the statement that my next book is coming out soon (which IT ISN'T, my editor was fired, my agent is no longer interested in me, and my publisher is specializing in Star Wars books) because people kept coming up to me for the rest of the day and asking me when it was out.

Lately, the Official Photographer has been orchestrating the medal ceremonies, so they haven't been the usual friendly gaggle. We got posed being handed the medal, lined up in a row, and then sent to the Hokey Backdrop for an individual portrait. The pictures are nice but I don't like having occasions turned into photo ops as if taking a picture of it made it more real instead of less so. That's probably just me, though.

The convention center had enough space, and all the strips I fenced on were in pretty good shape. There was some kind of blue flooring laid down under the strips and either side which I hope was easier on referee feet, and my knees didn't hurt so I think it must have been easier on mine, and though my sciatica decided to flare up viciously I think it was just me and not the flooring.

The seeding charts, pool sheets, and DE tables seemed to be in a larger font, or was that just me? I could read them, anyway.

And there seemed to be enough referees. Most of the referees in the sabre were highly competent, as well.

There didn't seem to be a shuttle going from the Radisson to the Convention Center, though, and that was tedious. I mostly caught rides, though I walked one day.

Any comments about Richmond?

[JEC]

The cushioning with blue rubber mats under the strips was very nice, but I did suffer an injury when landing from a fleche at the lateral edge of the 1" raised strips at the beginning of my second bout of pools. The result was that I became an armed sitting duck. The sports medicine team at the NAC was excellent. After being taped, iced and rested for an hour and half, I fenced my DEs relatively OK. They should shim the sides of strips with rubber mats of other color.

Congrats on your fifth place.

[CvilleFencer]

I would love to here any observations folks had about the venue, city and the event in general. I thought it was the best NAC ever, mainly since I only had to drive an hour and a half to get to it, so I may be a bit biased!

I thought there was plenty of room and the place never felt too crowded to me. The goody bags were the best I have ever seen, and the folks doing the anthem were just awesome, even the guy on the wind instrument that was a bit odd, and obo maybe? Richmond is a lovely city that is big enough to have lots to do but small enough that it does not have that nasty feel of really big citys. As to crime, the rates are very high in certain parts of town which fourtunetly are not near the convention center. And contrary to the Kay Scarpetta novels it is not filled with serial killers and werewolves!

[mifencer]

My experience with Virginia was extremely pleasant. People were very nice. What got me the most was the Clean and Safe people (person). This was the very nice gentleman on the corner who specific job was to help people. He was stationed right off the highway, and he was there to help people with directions or questions. I love the idea of cities actually putting people in place to help.

I also notice that people knew how to drive. They were using turn signals and obeying right of way. Very different from Michigan. Side note: I got into Virginia via DC., that traffic is not right. There's something wrong with it, no one should be subject to that chaos.

Good job Virginia! Nice Jefferson Cups. Good that the USFA finally put identifying marks on the medals. One small suggestion: when you take pictures for the finalists, how about somekind of US Fencing sign rather than a bare cement wall?

[Montoya]

A well-run NAC, in a very pleasant venue, in a town that was easy to get around in. The venue was big enough, the blue mats under the strips were excellent, the organizing committee was incredibly helpful to the out-of-towners. Both my events were run with incredible efficiency. The only complaint I heard was on Friday, when the directors began suddenly enforcing the rules about lettering size on jackets and pants - so that people whose uniforms had been passed without question for many previous NACs were suddenly getting red cards. By Saturday, this had apparently been abandoned.

Any votes for a return to Richmond? Nationals? One of the locals told me that even more space is available by opening adjacent halls.

[mlr2fence]

I'd vote for a return!!

[sreckiki]

Originally Posted by Montoya

The only complaint I heard was on Friday, when the directors began suddenly enforcing the rules about lettering size on jackets and pants - so that people whose uniforms had been passed without question for many previous NACs were suddenly getting red cards. By Saturday, this had apparently been abandoned.

I was one of these poor guys with a bad lettering size on their jackets. I only have one word for that: RIDICULOUS... especially, when the referee in your pool doesn't test the shim!

Anyway, except that and a couple of referees who didn't know that hitting the floor outside the stripe is not a good touch, everything was great. Congratulations!

[whtouche]

It was a good NAC, I enjoyed it. The venue was nice, the chairs specifically were plentiful and comfortable. They weren't so rare that they became currency as they have before. Biggest complaint about the venue is probably having to walk halfway across the room for the nearest trash. Somebody commented to me that the blue flooring seemed to discourage people from sitting inside the barriers and I agree, there was very little necessity for refs to shoo people outside.

I think the biggest problem was the severe infrequency of the shuttle. Took a while to get one and even when it arrived it stuck around for rediculous periods of time waiting to see if anyone else would trickle in. But otherwise it was very well run and enjoyable.

[sabreman]

VA did a great job as usual! Richmond is a architectural gem! Past neglect hurt it but it is on the rebound.

[dekko]

The blue flooring under the strips was a Sport Court type of flooring. There are a few different brand names for this kind of flooring but Sport Court if the most well known. It is very nice but does cause static and can burn out boxes. If an armourer knows, what, if anything, was done to prevent static damage to the boxes?

The large maps were very nice. Slightly disappointed that we could not hang our sign on the wall but that seemed to be a convention center concern. Also, disappointed that Wachovia is a big sponsor of that place but there was no ATM in the building. Nearest one was accross the street. LOC was very nice and helpful, I know most of them and they were still nice to me.

It does seem as though the height of the letters on Uniforms seems to be this year's rule to enforce and make a bitg deal about. Lats year it was the bend in the blade, this year height of letters on the uniform. I saw lots of uniforms 'altered' with a bue pen to extend the height of the letters so they could avoid the red card to start each bout. Not sure why this seems to be the rule of choice to make a big deal about this year but know that if you are planning to attend a national event this year check that rule to make sure your uniform is legal or you will have the red card to start all of your bouts.

Lastly, Ivan Lee's blue glasses under the visor mask was very interesting. I was wondering if he was going out to play poker afterwards and wanted to make sure he didn't lose his glasses beforehand.

[afc fencer]

Ivan wears those glasses even when he sleeps.

[CvilleFencer]

Originally Posted by dekko

Lastly, Ivan Lee's blue glasses under the visor mask was very interesting. I was wondering if he was going out to play poker afterwards and wanted to make sure he didn't lose his glasses beforehand.

If it were not for the fact that he usually wears shades I would say it was a result of his head wound! I meant to ask him about why he always wears the shades but I forgot to mention it.

Ivan was having a rough weekend! A long drive in bad weather, very sick the night before, tons of equipment problems (everything except cords and blades) and he still prevailed and fenced beautifully and was really a gentleman the whole day. I think we should clone him and crosstrain his doubles for the other weapons. He is a great rolemodel IMHO.

[mifencer]

Originally Posted by dekko

Slightly disappointed that we could not hang our sign on the wall but that seemed to be a convention center concern.

I didn't know about that. I just thought it would've been nice to have some kind of paraphernalia in the pictures of the finalists (besides the flowers next to their feet).

They handed out maps, had restaurant fliers, and nice people. I'd vote for a return. I liked the flooring, the amount of chairs, and even though they didn't have projectors -- they had plenty of postings for tables, seeds, etc.

[Army Fencer]

Originally Posted by Montoya

The only complaint I heard was on Friday, when the directors began suddenly enforcing the rules about lettering size on jackets and pants - so that people whose uniforms had been passed without question for many previous NACs were suddenly getting red cards. By Saturday, this had apparently been abandoned.

Agreed.

Apparently, in the handout we received prior to the competion, they put a box around that particular rule and warned that those individuals would get red carded, but the whole situation seemed arbitruary at best and discriminatory at worst. (I suppose now that Seth isn't fencing for the Air Force Academy team, the USFA is obligated reign in those rouge cadets.)

[keith]

well someone has to keep those damned communists under control.

[oiuyt]

Did the LOC have anything to do with the sports floor, or was that a national-level USFA decision? Might affect whether we should expect similar in the future (as well as who deserves the kudos/complaints).

No comments yet on the fact that the USFA now appears to have at least 32 of the slightly raised hard metal pistes. No more swapping back and forth between surfaces (hard metal and the rolled copper types). Wonder if they'll have 50 of them by Sacramento.

The plenty of posting locations was at least in part determined by the FOC rather than the LOC. Too many black cards in Atlanta from people failing to realize when they should be where. FOC instructions to referees were to, for this event at least, go back to having second calls made via the PA system, but then to give a hard time to anyone requiring one once s/he arrived at the strip (not quite in those terms, but that was the meaning). The other portion of the solution was to have more posting locations. Of course all three locations were still towards one corner of the venue. Would have loved to see another set SOMEWHERE on the wall near strips 16, 24, and 32 (far side form the entrance). Maybe a further set over past the end of the vendors but before you reached the armorers. Too many times when I was over watching someone on strip 14 and wanted to know where to find someone else where I needed to cross the whole venue to the closest posting location.

Of course I think that part of the solution this time was that Div I fencers are MUCH more aware of when assignments are posted and getting to the appropriate strips than Y14 fencers.

I'd expect that as the season progresses that the instructions will be designed to get national competitors used to needing to get to the correct strips at the correct time more and more. By next season I wouldn't be surprised if we go back to not using the PA system for second calls.

Of course building up expectations gradually completely doesn't work when one considers the number of national competitors that are at their first national competition at any given event. Or their first one in the current season.

-B :)

[bg0687]

Originally Posted by dekko

The blue flooring under the strips was a Sport Court type of flooring. There are a few different brand names for this kind of flooring but Sport Court if the most well known.

Unfortunately, the parent company of Sport Court liquidated last year. So hopefully, the USFA already owns the flooring.

[neevel]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

No comments yet on the fact that the USFA now appears to have at least 32 of the slightly raised hard metal pistes. No more swapping back and forth between surfaces (hard metal and the rolled copper types). Wonder if they'll have 50 of them by Sacramento.

-B

No, unfortunately. There may be something like 36, but you'll still be seeing some copper laid out for SNats. They will at least be able to pick out the least beat-up of the copper strips to lay out, which will be a big improvement over the last time SNats were in Sacremento, when we simply had to give up on some of the strips, cover the torn areas with gaffers' tape, and declare them sabre-only (not that I would've wished them on the sabre fencers).

-Dave

[CvilleFencer]

Some odds and ends of information in response to some of the comments above:

Signs/backdrops/seeding charts: The building contract absolutely forbade using tape or any other method to affix backdrops, posters, seeding charts etc to the wall. If we ever do a NAC level event in VA again I may volunteer the use of the Studios Bluescreens and some of our easels and corkboards to shoot against and post charts on.

With the Bluescreen if we have a decent laptop set up with the right software we can have the fencers backdrop be anywhere we would like, including hell and outer space, but that is more up to the USFA/photographer and how much work they want to put in. If nothing else we could use the Bluescreens portable frame and just hang a black curtain against it or a big US flag.

Flooring: The flooring was brought in by the LOC. I am not sure if they rented it, borrowed it or what, but don't expect it to be at any other USFA events as it took its own semi trailer to carry all that flooring in and its own crew to lay it and tear it down. It was much better than concrete however and I thought it was pretty spiffy stuff. I have fenced on that type of floor a few times now and my knees are always much less stiff afterwards.

As to static problems with the sportfloor and boxes I have not heard of any problems, and with the static that the metal strips generate themselves I would think the boxes would be hardened against this kind of thing. The Richmond Fencing Club has an event or two every year with that type of flooring and the VA Division has not had any problems (any more than normal considering they are TCA boxes) with their boxes.

Buses/Hotel across the street: There was apparently a HUGE Amway convention at the convention center and the same bus company/companies (although they were using different buses, or at least changing the sign in the window to keep the two groups from getting confused) were doing the travel for both from what I understand. As such there were some long waits and layover times. The Hotel across the street was taken up by the Amway folks and I for one and very glad not to have had the event hotel being packed with a few hundred Amway salesmen!

Hope that helps to answer some of the questions.

[tsalyards]

What is the height requirement for lettering on the back of the jacket now?