British classification et al

[passata_sotto]

This is for Gav or whomever else can direct me to an explanation of British classifications in fencing.
For instance:actor James McAvoy is a "class 4 fencer". What would that be equivalent to in US fencing?
Is there a website that explains classifications of other countries?


ps if this has been discussed elsewhere please direct me to that thread

thanks

[ChubbyHubby]

This is for Gav or whomever else can direct me to an explanation of British classifications in fencing.
For instance:actor James McAvoy is a "class 4 fencer". What would that be equivalent to in US fencing?
Is there a website that explains classifications of other countries?


ps if this has been discussed elsewhere please direct me to that thread

thanks

There is no such thing as "classification" in British fencing. In sport fencing in any case, there could be some thing in stage fighting (not really fencing then!).

All adult fencers are classified in a single ranking list for each of the weapons.

http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis....asp?PageID=50

There are "grades" etc but these on the whole don't mean anything other than something for beginners to aim for.

Most of the top 50 fencers will not have taken any of the grading exams.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

This is for Gav or whomever else can direct me to an explanation of British classifications in fencing.
For instance:actor James McAvoy is a "class 4 fencer". What would that be equivalent to in US fencing?
Is there a website that explains classifications of other countries?


ps if this has been discussed elsewhere please direct me to that thread

thanks

Yeah, I saw that bit about James McAvoy, nearly started a thread about it, but then found a website............ let me see if i can find it again...............


This isn't what I found, but it's the same thing, from what I understand. I picked foil, because I beleive that that's what he's class four in:


http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis...asp?PageID=227

[JEC]

Well, Gav is ranked as 84 in Senior ME. Congratulations!

http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis...asp?PageID=233

As of McAvoy, it sounds like a U.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Yeah, it pretty much sounds like he showed up for an intermediate class.

On the other hand, he's dreamy.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

Another note--- While IMDB may refer to him as a "class" 4 fencer, other websites refer to him as a "grade" 4 fencer, including

http://www.pfd.co.uk/clients/mcavoyj/a-act.html

and

http://www.cape-of-storms.net/james/biography.html

[Insipiens]

who is this James Macavoy bloke anyway?

As Gav said, nobody who fences competitively in the UK cares about these grades. They aren't quite like US letters because they bear no relation to competitions. Anybody who refers to them would probably count as a U.

[Gav]

Can we put this to bed? There is NO classification in the UK ranking scheme. If James McAvoy is a grade four fencer then this will ONLY be his training grades - probably gained when he was a kid or at drama school. They also used to be called "stars" - so he could be a four star (hopefully with reduced sulphur) fencer.

[Gav]

who is this James Macavoy bloke anyway?

He's an actor. Played the faun in the recent Narnia film (only good thing about it). He was excellent in the recent BBC adaptation of MacBeth (not Hamish).

[Insipiens]

Can we put this to bed? There is NO classification in the UK ranking scheme. If James McAvoy is a grade four fencer then this will ONLY be his training grades - probably gained when he was a kid or at drama school. They also used to be called "stars" - so he could be a four star (hopefully with reduced sulphur) fencer.

But by the comments of some, they may be hoping not unleaded.

[ChubbyHubby]

This isn't what I found, but it's the same thing, from what I understand. I picked foil, because I beleive that that's what he's class four in:


http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis...asp?PageID=227

Well, that should tell you that he is an "U". If you read what is required any beginner who has been at it for a month or so would probably pass.

The grades are designed for beginners, they don't have any meaning when it comes to competition or ranking. In fact, unless you are a 12 year old you wouldn't be seen dead with a "grade" badge on your fencing jacket at a competition or you might as well wear a set of bunny ears.

("bunnies" or "muppets" are what we call inexperienced fencers one has in the poule at competitions in the UK - there is also a saying "if you can't spot the bunny in your poule.... you are it!")

[Goldgar]

("bunnies" or "muppets" are what we call inexperienced fencers one has in the poule at competitions in the UK - there is also a saying "if you can't spot the bunny in your poule.... you are it!")

We tend to call them "cannon fodder", or -- in my circle at least -- "red shirts".

[griffindm]

There is no such thing as "classification" in British fencing. In sport fencing in any case, there could be some thing in stage fighting (not really fencing then!).

All adult fencers are classified in a single ranking list for each of the weapons.

http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis....asp?PageID=50

There are "grades" etc but these on the whole don't mean anything other than something for beginners to aim for.

Most of the top 50 fencers will not have taken any of the grading exams.

Great Website, by the way. I wish www.usfencing.org was as responsive and well laid out.

[MyrddinsPrecint]

We tend to call them "cannon fodder", or -- in my circle at least -- "red shirts".

Step 1: Find your cousin.
Step 2: Get your cousin in the cannon.
Step 3: Find another cousin.

[passata_sotto]

thanks - this is what I wanted:

http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis....asp?PageID=50

[downunder]

thanks - this is what I wanted:

http://www.britishfencing.com/Britis....asp?PageID=50

i'd say not exactly as that has nothing to do with being a "class 4" fencer.

That is the link to the british rankings, whereas "class 4" is a step along a development ladder for beginning fencers.

[KD5MDK]

Perhaps he wanted to confirm the person in question had no important ranking.

My question: If I borrowed a set of Class stars or whatever if I were to visit, would that make everybody underestimate me, and so I'd find fencing easier, or would it just mean they'd call the actions as if I were the pool bunny anyway?

[passata_sotto]

Perhaps he wanted to confirm the person in question had no important ranking.

My question: If I borrowed a set of Class stars or whatever if I were to visit, would that make everybody underestimate me, and so I'd find fencing easier, or would it just mean they'd call the actions as if I were the pool bunny anyway?

Hi - I am a she ( three fencers' mother and I fenced a semester in college) and although I was wondering about the "class" designation I also was interested in rankings in other countries - hence the "et al" tag on the thread title and the url did provide useful information. My youngest son will be traveling over the next few years and I am trying to figure out how to compare fencing ratings or if it is not an issue when fencing in other countries.

[KD5MDK]

I would say unless your fencers picks up some FIE points (Cadet or whatever) at some point, that you should consider their best (or average) results in National competitions and ask to have them seeded equal with what a local fencer with those results would be.

[ChubbyHubby]

I would say unless your fencers picks up some FIE points (Cadet or whatever) at some point, that you should consider their best (or average) results in National competitions and ask to have them seeded equal with what a local fencer with those results would be.

In the UK, if you don't have a ranking and you are not specificly coming over for a specific comp (e.g. Birmingham International), and do not have FIE points, you are likely simply be seeded as a "999" until you have done a few UK comps and be placed on the national ranking.

Even good local fencers who have been away for a while will simply be seeded as "999" or whatever their ranking has dropped to.

In the recent British Champs in the 1st round of the WF team event there were 2 poules of 4 teams. In one poule were all the "A" teams and in the other all the weaker "B" teams because in the "A" teams there were a few very good but non ranked fencers, whereas in the "B" teams there were weaker but ranked fencers.

This meant 2 of the "A" teams had to go out.