Clubs in California & Vancouver

[Nick_c]

Hi!

As you can see i'm a newbie here... i'm from jolly olde England but will be visiting the States for a few weeks in the summer and will be bringing my sabre kit with me... Can anyone recommend any good clubs about the San Jose / San Fransisco (CA) area. I'll also be in Vancouver (BC), ok not technically the states hehe but again, any good clubs round there i could visit? Many thanks! Nick

[Fencergrl]

For sabre in Vancouver BC... Dynamo Club. http://www.dynamofencing.com
The drop-in is $15.

[Dreyman]

Originally Posted by Nick_c

Hi!

As you can see i'm a newbie here... i'm from jolly olde England but will be visiting the States for a few weeks in the summer and will be bringing my sabre kit with me... Can anyone recommend any good clubs about the San Jose / San Fransisco (CA) area. I'll also be in Vancouver (BC), ok not technically the states hehe but again, any good clubs round there i could visit? Many thanks! Nick

I don't know about the California area, but if you check out this link, then there will be a list of fencing clubs in BC. Not all of them are in the Vancouver area, but depending on where you are in the Vancouver area like Coquitlam, Surrey, West Vancouver, North Shore, there should be a club nearby.

[DangerMouse]

For Vancouver, while I have never fenced there myself, I have been thoroughly impressed by the overall quality of the fencers from Dynamo.

[Cerian]

I believe Cardinal at Stanford in Palo Alto has some good saber. Not a saber fencer so I wouldn't know for sure.

[Dreyman]

The fencers at Dynamo are very good. I was at a local competition and I gave up 1st place to a fencer from Dynamo. Darn it! LOL. I'll probably be fencing her at a tournament on the 19th. We'll see what happens then lol.

[Fencergrl]

Originally Posted by Dreyman

I don't know about the California area, but if you check out this link, then there will be a list of fencing clubs in BC. Not all of them are in the Vancouver area, but depending on where you are in the Vancouver area like Coquitlam, Surrey, West Vancouver, North Shore, there should be a club nearby.

Very few clubs have sabre. Not all allow drop-ins. Some are only open certain days. I considered these factors before recommending a club.

[crquack]

For Vancouver, while I have never fenced there myself, I have been thoroughly impressed by the overall quality of the fencers from Dynamo.

I fence there as often as I can which is not often enough. Drop-ins are encouraged. Standards are high.

[Fencergrl]

You'll find very few people who will argue this with you. Dynamo has the medals and the results behind them.

Nick.... If you want additional info on Vancouver (sightseeing etc...) feel free to ask or PM me.

[jBirch]

I too find myself in San Jose/Santa Clara. Any good clubs around there?

James

[wahrman]

Loads of 'em, which weapon(s)?

Originally Posted by jBirch

I too find myself in San Jose/Santa Clara. Any good clubs around there?

James

[needle]

Originally Posted by wahrman

Loads of 'em, which weapon(s)?

His profile says sabre, so probably Cardinal would be a good place.

[jjefferies]

Originally Posted by jBirch

I too find myself in San Jose/Santa Clara. Any good clubs around there?
James

Look at the Bay Cup website. www.thebaycup.com It has a list and map.
All of the clubs in the three divisions are represented there with their URL's etc. As to which one(s) you choose to try it depends on the weapon and where you are staying. In general if you want to stay in the south bay look at the CenCal list. If you are open to a short car ride you could look at the NorCal list as well. Suggest looking at the results page to get a crude idea of where you might want to go.

In the South Bay with 11 clubs on the rolls there are essentially three, Stanford aka Cardinal (the largest with all three weapons), CFA and TFC. In Norcal (31 clubs on the rolls) there are 2 larger clubs, Halberstadt(all 3 weapons) and GGFC(epee and foil), at a slightly lower rank you will find EDEW's First Place Fencing (saber, foil), SFFC (foil), East Bay Fencer's Gym (epee). And then there are a number of very nice but not as up front competitive places (Cal, PFC, Sword Play). I've left off a number of very nice outlying facilities such as Marin and Santa Rosa and the clubs down in Santa Cruz and further south.

Hope this helps.

[edew]

Originally Posted by needle

His profile says sabre, so probably Cardinal would be a good place.

You may be correct about the former, but you're greatly mistaken about the latter.

[needle]

Originally Posted by edew

You may be correct about the former, but you're greatly mistaken about the latter.

I checked the baycup results, and you're right. My apologies. FIRST seems to be doing better than Cardinal in saber this season, and with more competitors.

Just shows how much attention I give to world of saber

[oiuyt]

I'm planning on spending about a week and a half in San Jose in early July. Anyone know of any fencing that'll be happening around then?

-B

[jjefferies]

Originally Posted by oiuyt

I'm planning on spending about a week and a half in San Jose in early July. Anyone know of any fencing that'll be happening around then?

-B

Nah, Everybody will be out of town, Summer vacations and all that. Most clubs will be shutdown and you'll be hard pressed to find a fencer anywhere.

[wahrman]

There is usually decent number of epeeists at Stanford over the summer.
It's hit or miss though.

[edew]

No off targets, I hope.

[counterattack]

Originally Posted by edew

No off targets, I hope.

The only off targets are serious responses to OIUYT's joke about being here for Summer Nationals...