05-15-2006, 02:40 PM
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#1 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Venice Beach, CA
Posts: 1,248
| Stepping on blades?
Here's a random question I had. When fencing, say you go for a toe shot (in epee, obviously) and your opponent steps on your blade, making you unable to score a touch or defend yourself. Does this constitute a halt immediately, or does your opponent get to continue their action or what is the official ruling here? | 
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05-15-2006, 02:45 PM
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#2 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2000 Location: Chelmsford, MA
Posts: 1,845
| it causes a halt, but if an action's been started, they can finish it.
Its just like most other halts.
-w | |
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05-15-2006, 03:10 PM
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#3 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Chapel Hill, NC
Posts: 1,238
| The one time I recall it happening to me (in foil), I stepped on the other's guy blade, realized it, and then hit him (i.e., it was a new action, not a previously started one). The official awarded the touch, and the opponent got all pissed and asked him why. The official asked him what his weapon was doing down there. I thought it was funny.
As for epee, I would tend to agree that it's a 'soft' halt, and that any action begun should be able to be finished. However, I wouldn't be shocked to find out otherwise, as a broken blade is a hard halt because you can't defend yourself, similarly to this situation.
Sorry, didn't clear anything up, huh? | |
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05-15-2006, 03:52 PM
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#4 | | Have Blazer, Will Travel
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 9,756
| I believe a broken blade is a hard halt because it is a safety hazard, not because you are unable to defend yourself. | |
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05-15-2006, 09:55 PM
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#5 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Athos FC ~)---------- San Francisco, CA
Posts: 2,242
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by keropie The one time I recall it happening to me (in foil), I stepped on the other's guy blade, realized it, and then hit him (i.e., it was a new action, not a previously started one). The official awarded the touch, and the opponent got all pissed and asked him why. The official asked him what his weapon was doing down there. I thought it was funny. | Bad call, no touch should have been awarded.
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05-15-2006, 10:30 PM
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#6 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mid-West USA
Posts: 613
| I've stepped on another fencer's epee blade and gotten a touch out of it. In this case the guy would sort of slide the point along the floor looking for his opponents foot. I watched him do it in a previous bout, and resolved to step on it if he tried it with me. He did and I did.
I have also parried with my front lower leg -- a sort of small kicking the blade out of the way.
If a move like that actually makes your oppenent angry, they have an ill formed sense of humor. A move like that should result in you getting touched -- but if you pull it off you get to walk off the strip with a swagger....win or lose.
Regards,
Feltan | |
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05-16-2006, 02:12 AM
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#7 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Columbus, OH
Posts: 568
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by Feltan I have also parried with my front lower leg -- a sort of small kicking the blade out of the way. | Isn't that illegal?
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05-16-2006, 03:05 AM
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#8 | | Have Blazer, Will Travel
Join Date: Feb 2005 Location: Austin, TX
Posts: 9,756
| If caught. | |
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05-16-2006, 03:59 AM
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#9 | | Curmudgeon-in-Chief
Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Somewhere in your nightmares!
Posts: 22,767
| Why? Which rule prevents it?
There's a penalty prescribed for use of the unarmed hand or arm, but I can't find one for use of the leg. I can't see one for trapping or immobilizing the opponent's blade. Unless it's considered an abnormal fencing action...which would seem to me to cover stepping on a blade as well.
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05-16-2006, 05:19 AM
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#10 | | Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: Nantes, France
Posts: 693
| Quote: |
Originally Posted by Feltan I've stepped on another fencer's epee blade and gotten a touch out of it. In this case the guy would sort of slide the point along the floor looking for his opponents foot. I watched him do it in a previous bout, and resolved to step on it if he tried it with me. He did and I did. | Good for you. Sliding the point this way, so far as I know, is illegal. Got what he deserved, stupid pillock. Did you laugh in his face? | |
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05-16-2006, 09:55 AM
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#11 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mid-West USA
Posts: 613
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Originally Posted by TrainingDummy Isn't that illegal? | Not as far as I know. Like Inq said, the unarmed hand/arm isn't allowed, but a parry with the leg (as difficult, odd and ungainly as it is) has no rule against it. This isn't something I would recommend by the way, but you never know what odd situations you can find yourself in --- one more trick to put in the bag.
Regards,
Feltan | |
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05-16-2006, 10:15 AM
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#12 | | Senior Member
Join Date: May 2005 Location: Mid-West USA
Posts: 613
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Originally Posted by Durando Good for you. Sliding the point this way, so far as I know, is illegal. Got what he deserved, stupid pillock. Did you laugh in his face? | As I recall, no I did not. This happened on a copper strip that would allow a "short" shot at the foot to slide along the strip. Again, as far as I know that isn't illegal all by itself. Neither is stepping forward and on to a blade that is nearly parallel to the ground and only an inch or two above it. In thirty years of epee fencing, I think I have done that twice.
Regards,
Feltan | |
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