14th Annual USC Linkmeyer Invitational Feb 9, 2008

[counterattack]

Is there really no other A-rated sabre fencer on the whole west coast than William Becker? Have the Runyon's gone to college? The Linkmeyer is 1 A-rated sabreist away from being A2. Though that extra fencer doesn't buy anyone much over the current B3 other than one A2008, it is the principle.

Also, are there going to be enough strips? It looks like there will be three pools more of epeeists than they are used to having.

[counterattack]

Forget my original. Though they are still short one sabreist, who cares? Epee is over 90 and foil is almost to 80. Will they have enough strips? This is going to be a really remarkable tourney either way. All we are missing are Eric Hansen, Tigran Shagrinian, and Brian Clawson to make this tourney the PCCs plus some. Dudes, you know you want to do it up. Come on! Gago secretly knows he wants to fence too. Maybe some FAN fencers? Donde esta Nicolae Papuc Diaconescu? I suppose Hadi Elzain is scared of the heat and El Burro de San Diego is too old. Who else? Rob Rhea is probably encarcerated somewhere, Castillo is too relaxed, Arenberg is busy directing, Mehall is afraid of the kids. Botenhagen and Marsh are too married, Olver is too lefty. Bethel is too graduated, Case is too collegiated, no one has seen Martin Lee except at gymnastics, Mike Gabriel is a ninny, Nat Burke feels he is too good, Thistlewaite is saving himself for Hawaii, Ameli (x2) and Ranes don't want to risk the pride of Nevada, Loeffler knows the field has gone younger, Joe Elliott... has earned not being called out..., Bothelio and Gerring probably need some spare parts, Kip Cox needs a ticket from Chicago, Sam Gay and Sean Harder probably have exams, Cody Contway and Matthew McConnaughy are too delicate, ... there must be more. I just can't think of them now. You know the crew, give them hell. Let's turn this mother out =)

-philip

[teacup]

Originally Posted by counterattack

Also, are there going to be enough strips? It looks like there will be three pools more of epeeists than they are used to having.

Unless something has changed in the last few days, they have 18 strips which means if all the fencers show up who are registered, and who knows how many will register at the door, they will have to start flighting pools with either the mixed or women's epee. Hopefully, they will have a ref for each strip. If some of the events are self reffed like last year, it will take forever. As it is, it will be a long day.

As of now:
90 MXE 9:00 AM
45 WE 10:00 AM
76 MXF 10:30 AM
66 MXS 1:00 PM

[seven6ty]

Forget my original. Though they are still short one sabreist, who cares? Epee is over 90 and foil is almost to 80. Will they have enough strips? This is going to be a really remarkable tourney either way. All we are missing are Eric Hansen, Tigran Shagrinian, and Brian Clawson to make this tourney the PCCs plus some. Dudes, you know you want to do it up. Come on! Gago secretly knows he wants to fence too. Maybe some FAN fencers? Donde esta Nicolae Papuc Diaconescu? I suppose Hadi Elzain is scared of the heat and El Burro de San Diego is too old. Who else? Rob Rhea is probably encarcerated somewhere, Castillo is too relaxed, Arenberg is busy directing, Mehall is afraid of the kids. Botenhagen and Marsh are too married, Olver is too lefty. Bethel is too graduated, Case is too collegiated, no one has seen Martin Lee except at gymnastics, Mike Gabriel is a ninny, Nat Burke feels he is too good, Thistlewaite is saving himself for Hawaii, Ameli (x2) and Ranes don't want to risk the pride of Nevada, Loeffler knows the field has gone younger, Joe Elliott... has earned not being called out..., Bothelio and Gerring probably need some spare parts, Kip Cox needs a ticket from Chicago, Sam Gay and Sean Harder probably have exams, Cody Contway and Matthew McConnaughy are too delicate, ... there must be more. I just can't think of them now. You know the crew, give them hell. Let's turn this mother out =)

Hahahaha, omg! That post had me almost dying laughing here in my office! I talked to Eric Hansen yesterday, and he said he probably won't fence it, since he hasn't been fencing in the last 3 weeks. The Joe Elliot comment killed me too... Although, I have been seeing him at LAIFC for the last couple of weeks, so I wouldn't be that surprised if he actually did show up.

I was hoping that the event might be run rather speedily, since I have to leave around 4pm, but it's not looking that way. I'm practically positive that they're going to have to double strip mixed epee, and that's not even considering the fact that they have to start the women's matches an hour later, and then foil half of an hour after that, doh.

[4qtrs]

Brennen Louie is planning on being there, he's a A for the foil. How about Jeffrey Hart (B), Dave Moran (B), David Drake (B), and Brian Pena (B). Anyone know how to get the word to him?

[teacup]

If there are any refs out there that want to work at the Linkmeyer they should contact the organizers.

[4qtrs]

Ok, the A's are in, all we need now is for the B's to come through!

[teacup]

Now there are three Linkmeyer threads. Not sure where to post:

At the same time fencing has grown in popularity, fewer large regional/local tournaments are being held in the Southern California area. The LBI and the Duel in the Desert have both been cancelled. This year the Senior and Junior PCC's will be combined in May, in effect meaning one fewer tournament for juniors. Therefore there was a strong chance that the Linkmeyer would be "huge" this year. Looks like it will be.

[counterattack]

Well, we have Hansen and Olver now... but as refs. Close enough. And probably for the best given what the state of things Saturday is going to be. 300 fencers is a lot for 18 strips in one day. 104 epeeists at 6/strip (7 per would just be too much more fencing) will take 17 strips. The women will attempt to start an hour later. But obviously they won't. Assuming the women start as the men finish pools they probably will get rolling at 11, when the men's foil would have expected to start pools. Men's foil probably won't sniff a pool before 12:30, at which point the men's epeeists will have been sitting for 1.5 hours after their pools, but will need to begin the round of 128 (though with only 80 fencers). Jeez. Unless they just tell men's foil to not bother coming until 2:30pm, there are going to be a lot of grumpy fencers. And if they don't, and try and get men's foil started before men's epee DEs are in the 32 there are going to be a lot of cold, sad epeeists. Bring a book, but don't complain too loudly since this will be fun =)

Maybe it is possible to get things going faster. Everyone needs to be ready and waiting at their end of the strip, having already done weights and shims with a test box.

[4qtrs]

Originally Posted by counterattack

Bring a book, but don't complain too loudly since this will be fun =)

Maybe it is possible to get things going faster. Everyone needs to be ready and waiting at their end of the strip, having already done weights and shims with a test box.

One thing to know is that the organizers are working hard on making sure that we have a streamline event. I won't deny that the numbers are a bit scary, but we are committed to making this a great event.

...and by the way $20 to the person who can snag our last B foil fencer!

[teacup]

Originally Posted by counterattack

Maybe it is possible to get things going faster. Everyone needs to be ready and waiting at their end of the strip, having already done weights and shims with a test box.

The best way to get this going faster is for available refs to contact the organizers. They might still need refs.

It might help if they made it a Men's Epee but that is up to the organizers. Then again the number of women is a drop in the bucket, so to speak.

[teacup]

Originally Posted by counterattack

Assuming the women start as the men finish pools they probably will get rolling at 11, when the men's foil would have expected to start pools.

That's assuming the mixed start at 9:00. Close of check in isn't until 9:00. Although they could flight the women. Starting half the pools at 10:30 and the other half when the men finish.

The other option is to flight the Mixed so that there will be some strips for the foil after the women finish.

[tmarsh]

Originally Posted by counterattack

Forget my original. Though they are still short one sabreist, who cares? Epee is over 90 and foil is almost to 80. Will they have enough strips? This is going to be a really remarkable tourney either way. All we are missing are Eric Hansen, Tigran Shagrinian, and Brian Clawson to make this tourney the PCCs plus some. Dudes, you know you want to do it up. Come on! Gago secretly knows he wants to fence too. Maybe some FAN fencers? Donde esta Nicolae Papuc Diaconescu? I suppose Hadi Elzain is scared of the heat and El Burro de San Diego is too old. Who else? Rob Rhea is probably encarcerated somewhere, Castillo is too relaxed, Arenberg is busy directing, Mehall is afraid of the kids. Botenhagen and Marsh are too married, Olver is too lefty. Bethel is too graduated, Case is too collegiated, no one has seen Martin Lee except at gymnastics, Mike Gabriel is a ninny, Nat Burke feels he is too good, Thistlewaite is saving himself for Hawaii, Ameli (x2) and Ranes don't want to risk the pride of Nevada, Loeffler knows the field has gone younger, Joe Elliott... has earned not being called out..., Bothelio and Gerring probably need some spare parts, Kip Cox needs a ticket from Chicago, Sam Gay and Sean Harder probably have exams, Cody Contway and Matthew McConnaughy are too delicate, ... there must be more. I just can't think of them now. You know the crew, give them hell. Let's turn this mother out =)

-philip

Please, too married with kid.

[4qtrs]

Originally Posted by teacup

It might help if they made it a Men's Epee but that is up to the organizers.

That might be a bit tricky because the refs are contracted through the organizers. Just my two cents.

[teacup]

Originally Posted by tmarsh

Please, too married with kid.

Bring the kid too.