Tournament participation?

[UnorthodoxEpeeist]

For the first 2 or so years that I've fenced, I've never found the confidence to join local or regional tournaments. As I gained more and more experience over the years, I started to participate in more tournaments around me.

So I wonder... on an estimated average, how often do fencers go to local or regional tournaments? It might depend if fencing's viewed as a hobby or a career...

[qatet]

Just as a fencer? As a ref? As a manager? As a coach?

As a fencer I'm at one every other week or so. As a ref and/or manager, usually twice a week. In all of those capacities, I make mental notes for students to discuss after my other duties are done.

[Ordway]

I probably average around one per month. It depends on what's on the schedule... some months I might fence in 2 or even 3 in a month, but then have a stretch where there's nothing.

Typically, I compete in any sabre event that I'm eligible for, within about a 2-hour drive, plus 2-4 events per year that I fly out to (generally NACs and Nationals) depending on whether I can afford them.

I do occasionally skip tournaments if I have another obligation that day, though. It's funny, the last time I missed a local event, at practice the next day I got a chorus of "Where were YOU?!?!" from my teammates. Hehe.

[Army Fencer]

So I wonder... on an estimated average, how often do fencers go to local or regional tournaments? It might depend if fencing's viewed as a hobby or a career...

If you limit to only local and regional tournaments you aren't going to get a good read. We have a number of high level athletes here who go to as many local tournaments in a year as a brand new fencer.

[mrbiggs]

During the season, probably an average of two or so per month.

Off-season (June-September), once a month at most simply because there aren't many tournaments.

[Peach]

I go to whatever I can when it doesn't interfere with work I have to do for my job. It's fun, it's restful, it's good competition, and it doesn't matter (except for qualifiers of one sort or another).

I go to three national tournaments a year, generally.

[UnorthodoxEpeeist]

If you limit to only local and regional tournaments you aren't going to get a good read. We have a number of high level athletes here who go to as many local tournaments in a year as a brand new fencer.

Well, that's true... but I have to admit, I'm one of those fencers who can't travel far distances often. So I limit myself to tournaments in the 100 mile radius.

[eac]

I generally mainly do national events, and very occasionally local or sectional events, so I put monthly, because I'm only skipping the March NAC this year. I agree that the read is not going to be good if you restrict it to local or regional events, because I consider myself a pretty serious competitor and have only gone to one local or sectional event this season.

I don't mainly do national events for time constraints, but because there just aren't very many local tournaments that I'm eligible for, and of those the only ones worth going to would be qualifiers, since the local club I practice at has all the division's strong fencers-- and there aren't any divisional qualifiers that I'm eligible for anymore. Usually the sectional tournaments are much stronger, but they take almost as much time commitment as an NAC, since you have to make either a flight or an 8-hour drive, and I don't like to eat up my whole weekend just for a sectional tournament. Maybe if it becomes clear that I could get an A with high probability there (i.e. if I become vastly better and still haven't gotten my A at a national tournament) I'd go to one.

[Fechter1]

I go to as many as I can, if health/money/work/other commitments permit it. Most of these are local (up to 1.5 hours drive) or regional (up to 4-5 hours drive) events, with a few NACs inbetween. Last season that came out to 22 tournaments. Don't think I'll be able to reach that number this season, though... Too much injury time... Aiming for 10-15 this season.

[carlos]

You are lucky enough to live where a tournament once a week might be possible. Some folks might have l-o-n-g trips to get to that many.

[Phaeton]

I'd be going to a tournament every week if I could....twice a month is the best I can pull most months, and twice a year there only seems to be one even happening that's worth going to....

[Inquartata]

About 1 per month outside my Division, on average. I hit all of the Vet NACs, usually the Div I NACs, and of course Nationals; Sectionals; and maybe 6 or 7 opens. Sort of like Ordway, only my driving tolerance is more like 6 or 8 hours.

[Asprin]

This weekend I have a student two day comp then the weekend after that I have another student two day comp but thats not that normal. Its really about once every 6 weeks I suppose.

[mpshiel]

Even if I went to ALL the national events (2) sectional events (1) and regional events (1) - That's not do much, which is why I fence as much in the US (since I can do more tournaments in one state than my entire country - which is odd since we do quite well in the sport - though I have yet to figure out how (I think QC)).

[Pauli]

my option isn't displayed.....

* whenever possible and within the geographic limits


in Switzerland, there are not too many tournaments for seniors. If there are, I usually participate. If I wanted to participate 1/wk or 1/mth, I'd have to travel abroad consistently.....Germany, Sweden, France, Holland.
I would, but it does get slightly expensive.....

[UnorthodoxEpeeist]

I realized there really is no way for me to improve unless I enter tournaments and fence a greater variety of fencers than just the fencers I meet all the time in my local region.

[Vince]

I usually go to as many local tournaments as possible, usually 1 or 2 a month.