FIE suspends transparent visor mask requirement for foil

[the ancient one]

Did anyone else notice the suspension of the requirement for the mask visor for Foil, due to unresolved safety issues?

http://www.fie.ch/download/letters/2...%20%202-08.pdf

Temporarily that is.

[HDG]

Apparently saber fencers remain disposable...

[jkdjeff]

I saw one of the lexan (saber) masks up close for the first time last weekend.

I don't know much about potential safety issues...but god, they're ugly. They do look exactly like welding masks.

[eac]

Goddammit. I just bought one, because it was required. God effing dammit.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

(from the FIE letter)

In addition, it was noted during the GP in Doha that the actions in
épée are becoming more and more violent, and therefore more
dangerous, and that some of the blades used were extremely rigid. It
is therefore expressly asked that:
- the referees seriously sanction any violence and offence against
good sportsmanship;
- the organisers of the competitions check the flexibility of the épée
blades
Sincerely,
René Roch

Whew! Good thing they didn't make the saber blades stiffer before requiring visor masks.

No, wait....

[HDG]

Whew! Good thing they didn't make the saber blades stiffer before requiring visor masks.

No, wait....

Like I said…

[mrbiggs]

Horray for a small victory.

[Purple Fencer]

(from the FIE letter)

In addition, it was noted during the GP in Doha that the actions in
épée are becoming more and more violent, and therefore more
dangerous, and that some of the blades used were extremely rigid. It
is therefore expressly asked that:
- the referees seriously sanction any violence and offence against
good sportsmanship;
- the organisers of the competitions check the flexibility of the épée
blades
Sincerely,
René Roch

Whew! Good thing they didn't make the saber blades stiffer before requiring visor masks.

No, wait....

Gee....nothing like solving the REAL problem.....the masks themselves....

Good goin', Roch.....you moron. Why not just drlop the requirement across the board?

Nah....that would make sense....

[OROD]

The FIE strikes again. Bam!

I feel sorry for people that had to buy a mask recently and bought one of these transparent ones thinking they needed them. Maybe you can write Roche for a refund?

.

[veeco]

(from the FIE letter)

In addition, it was noted during the GP in Doha that the actions in
épée are becoming more and more violent, and therefore more
dangerous, and that some of the blades used were extremely rigid. It
is therefore expressly asked that:
- the referees seriously sanction any violence and offence against
good sportsmanship;
- the organisers of the competitions check the flexibility of the épée
blades
Sincerely,
René Roch

I don't know how violent the actions were in Doha, obviously I wasn't there... But isn't epee supposed to be "more violent" than other weapons? I mean, it's supposed to be a combat weapon. I feel that the fact that epee has less cards for corps-a-corps and allows more "flexibility" to the referee gives epee some distinction over the other weapons.

I mean, it's nice being able to fence a weapon that feels like a fight, and not like playing tag with wet noodles.

What do other people think?

[chefencer]

This is the funniest thing I've read all day! Hahahahaha! Man, I'm glad I'm a scrub!

[Heavenguard]

So ... an epeeist gets injured, therefore the requirements are suspended for foil, while sabre gets left out?

Am I the only one that doesn't understand the logic behind that?

[OROD]

So ... an epeeist gets injured, therefore the requirements are suspended for foil, while sabre gets left out?

Am I the only one that doesn't understand the logic behind that?

It makes sense if you consider that epee and foil are point weapons and if the damage done was through a point hit (not a broken blade). A saber just wont cause as much force/momentum on a point hit unless the saber was broken in half first.

.

[RenegadeStorm88]

So ... an epeeist gets injured, therefore the requirements are suspended for foil, while sabre gets left out?

Am I the only one that doesn't understand the logic behind that?

Perhapse its because of the motions involved in Epee and Foil (thrusting) are different from those involved in Sabre (slashing)

[bunbury]

Goddammit. I just bought one, because it was required. God effing dammit.

I'm sure you go to a lot of World Cups and such.

[OROD]

I mean, it's nice being able to fence a weapon that feels like a fight, and not like playing tag with wet noodles.

Foil feels as much like a "fight" as does epee. But while epee is just about poking the other guy first, foil has rules that make it more of a game... which to many of us makes it more fun. We also like actually moving and having to use speed and distance to hit the other guy. Standing around trying to poke the other guy in the arm before he pokes you is fun for all of 5 minutes. After that, if you want more depth, come fence foil.

.

[eac]

I'm sure you go to a lot of World Cups and such.

No, not a lot, but I do intend to go to one or two a year, hopefully more as I get better, which I believe I have reasonably consistently. I needed a new mask, since my old one was pretty seriously conductive, and masks last a fairly long time, so I figured that I wouldn't want to get a normal one and then have to get a window one when I wanted to go to a world cup.

[Capt. Slo-mo]

But it's still a valid question: if the problem is too-stiff epees and boys being brutal, how is any of that solved with rolling back the use of a foil visor mask?

[Warrior Princess]

Funny how it isn't suspended in either of the weapons where the HEAD IS ACTUALLY TARGET. Snaps for the FIE.

[veeco]

Foil feels as much like a "fight" as does epee. But while epee is just about poking the other guy first, foil has rules that make it more of a game... which to many of us makes it more fun.

Rules that you seem to keep complaining about. Unless you're the masochist type, I don't really see how those rules can make it fun...

We also like actually moving and having to use speed and distance to hit the other guy. Standing around trying to poke the other guy in the arm before he pokes you is fun for all of 5 minutes. After that, if you want more depth, come fence foil.

Another troll comment, maybe? Once you've actually tried to fence epee with a good epee fencer, you can probably comment on this.

Look, I don't expect you to agree with me. Different people like different things. You like foil, I like epee. You feel foil is more of a fight, more fun, fine. I'm interested in the opinion of epee fencers on this matter, not yours.