Ratings

[sevaridaemon]

While this is probably a stupid question, I still must ask it.

I see on the chart by USFA the qualifications, etc. for each rank, but what is the difference between, say, a C1 and a C2 or a B1 and a B2? I see how you must be C3 and B3 or higher to qualify for some things, and I understand that A distinctions, but what about these? When do they come in use?

[HDG]

Originally Posted by sevaridaemon

While this is probably a stupid question, I still must ask it.

I see on the chart by USFA the qualifications, etc. for each rank, but what is the difference between, say, a C1 and a C2 or a B1 and a B2? I see how you must be C3 and B3 or higher to qualify for some things, and I understand that A distinctions, but what about these? When do they come in use?

Numbers after ratings can indicate two things depending on what is being rated. I believe that your question is about the rating of a tournament; it loosely is an indication of the strength of the tournament. An event's rating determines the ratings that can be given out to the competitors (the final column on the table).


With fencers, the number after their rating indicates the year in which it was earned; 07 = 2007, etc. They last for four years; if you haven't re-earned it or earned a better rating in that time, it is downgraded by one. So if you earn an E this season, if you don't do something with it by 2011, you are back to a U (U = unrated).

[edew]

Originally Posted by sevaridaemon

While this is probably a stupid question, I still must ask it.

I see on the chart by USFA the qualifications, etc. for each rank, but what is the difference between, say, a C1 and a C2 or a B1 and a B2? I see how you must be C3 and B3 or higher to qualify for some things, and I understand that A distinctions, but what about these? When do they come in use?

A C1 requires a minimum of 15 fencers with at least 2 Cs, 2 Ds and 2 Es showing up and 2 Cs and 2 Ds in the final 8. A C2 requires a minimum of 25 fencers with at least 4 Ds and 4 Es in the tournament and 4 Ds in the final 8. And so on...

[poor_nizzie]

There's a handy-dandy little chart here if you're interested, as well as on the prereg lists for any competition listed on AskFred. Enjoy!

[JMcC]

Originally Posted by sevaridaemon

I see on the chart by USFA the qualifications, etc. for each rank, but what is the difference between, say, a C1 and a C2 or a B1 and a B2? I see how you must be C3 and B3 or higher to qualify for some things, and I understand that A distinctions, but what about these? When do they come in use?

You're confusing individual ratings with competition classifications.

Individual ratings would be F-C05, E-A06, S-E07 or similar. These indicate the weapon, level achieved as a result of finishing position in sanctioned competitions, and the year in which that level was earned. "A" is the highest level, "E" the lowest; "U" represents no rating yet earned.
Thus an "E-A06" would indicate an Epee fencer who earned an A rating in 2006.

C1, B2, A4 etc. are competition (the tournament itself) classifications.
They categorize the approximate strength/difficulty level of an event.

The lowest, Group E1, requires only 6 competitors participating, and there are NO minimum individual ratings required for the 6 competitors; they could ALL be unrated ("U"). The winner of an E1 competition would be awarded an "E" rating in their weapon. If it was an Epee event, and she won it yesterday she would now be an E-E07.

The highest competition classification (most challenging) is Group A4. To be classified as an A4, it must have a minimum of 64 competitors, and of those 64+ competitors, the following minimums must be met: 12 must already be rated "A", 12 "B" and 12 "C".
The ratings awarded from an A4 competition are commensurately more extensive - 48 ratings could be earned*:
Finishers 1 through 8 earn an "A" rating
Finishers 9 through 16 earn a "B" rating
Finishers 17 through 24 earn a "C" rating
Finishers 25 through 32 earn a "D" rating
Finishers 33 through 48 earn an "E" rating

*In practice, many of these finishers have already previously earned that particular rating, so here, they have re-earned it, and only the "year" portion of their rating would change if warranted.

[sevaridaemon]

Thank you, I was confusing the individual rating with tournament ratings. I understood what the numbers (ex. E07) meant.