Strip setup question

[Purple Fencer]

We're looking into possibly hosting a SoCal tourney this season in a ballroom re (SwordPlay) rentfor fencing 2 nights a week....but I'm having trouble with the layout.

The room is basically 65 feet across and 85 feet long.

I haven't started playing with the layout yet...but I'm confident I can fit 4 strips while leaving enough room for people's gear and milling about...I would like to get 6, however.

The only way I can think of doing it is by nesting 3 strips together...something like this:

====================
.......................====================
====================

However, I can see visibility problems for the refs at the ends.....or would this work/be legal?

[Mergs]

I think it'd be legal, but still hard to manage. There was a similar set up in NOLA for the Max Wright Veterans' tourney for many years. Eh, go for it!

[KShan5[PrFC]]

That's similar to how strips were set up as NAS Sectionals this year, so I'm assuming it's legal. However, it did cause problems (though rarely) when reffing. If it's the only way you can fit it, the that's understandable, but it's certainly not preferable.

[downunder]

If your measurements are correct your room is 25.9m by 19.1m.

You need 17-18m for a piste including runoff. If you use 75cm for box room, 1.5m pistes and 2.5m refereeing room: Running it lengthways will fit in 8 pistes and take 25.75m.

Cut out 2 of them for milling around room and you're sorted.

[Purple Fencer]

If your measurements are correct your room is 25.9m by 19.1m.

You need 17-18m for a piste including runoff. If you use 75cm for box room, 1.5m pistes and 2.5m refereeing room: Running it lengthways will fit in 8 pistes and take 25.75m.

Cut out 2 of them for milling around room and you're sorted.

Thanks....I'll start playing with it.

[Joe biebel]

I think it would be impossible to do 6 strips safely. The attached drawing is a scale drawing of the room with 5 strips setup with 2 meter runoffs and enough room for 2' X 6' tables, 4 feet from the edge of the strip.

[pinkelephant]

Push the pistes closer to the tables. The stands for the boxes at the Monal were actually TOUCHING the pistes in some cases. If it's good enough in Paris...

[Jvanhousen]

Sam,

Use 1.2m strips to save space.

J.

[Purple Fencer]

Sam,

Use 1.2m strips to save space.

J.

I know I CAN, per the ops manual....but very few regular fencers are aware of the leeway local tourneys are allowed...if they don't see 2 meter wide ones, they'll start complaining...and even if you show them the ops manual, they still won't believe it.

I'll bounce the idea off of Tim R, tho....he's still the Div chair.

[Mergs]

Either way, they are going to complain, so do what is best for the tournament organizers. Make the strips 1.333333M to 1.45683279M wide, maybe they won't notice as quickly.

Also, more strips means less time so the complaining doesn't last as long.

[downunder]

Joe,

In Limoges the tables were next to the piste, it is unreasonable to expect thiat spacing at a regional event.

My numbers work to british fencing guidelines and allow plenty of room

[Jvanhousen]

Sam,

I did a drawing of what I'd do, and the spacing for 6 strips came out:

Wall,
4.5' space for box up against that wall (no Table),
1.2 meter strip,
12' Ref space,
1.2 meter strip,
8' box on table space,
1.2 meter strip,
12' Ref Space,
...continue dimensions to other wall.

I would comment that the 12' ref space could easily be cut down,
and a 1.2 meter strip is not worth debating; not only is it legal, but ask anyone what they'd rather have: a wider strip, or more space between the strip and the box, and I'd bet 99% would go for the latter.

[edew]

85 x 65 should be no problem for 6 strips. It's possible to fit 8 in a pinch. For 6, you should have enough room for bags and other items.

Square footage is 5525, which is just 500 sqft less than the NAC-recommended 1000 sqft/strip.

[Purple Fencer]

I should've scanned this drawing earlier...it's the actual ballroom floor plan.

The big black rectangle is a stage that can't be moved (bout committe would go there).

The upper left corner intrusion is 10ft wide 4.25 ft deep. The lower right is 14 wide 13 deep

There are usually a lot of tables, but I'm thinking the ones we don't use (8 footers) could go against the north wall to the right of the double doors.

[edew]

Start at the center of the 85 foot. Place two strips next to each other with 5 feet of separation. Each strip is 5 ft, say. You now have 15 ft used up. Mark off 12 feet in each direction. That's 39 ft so far. Now mark off your 5+5+5 for another two strips. That's 79. You're screwed near the bottom. If you shrink your refereeing space to 10 ft, that makes 75, which is almost there. You might be able to fit 51 of fencing length at the lower end. That gives you 5 feet total of run-off. Better use that for youth-10 epee or something.

[pinkelephant]

I can't believe you guys are still using 2 metre pistes - there are very few left over here. Most are 1.5 metres.

[Purple Fencer]

I can't believe you guys are still using 2 metre pistes - there are very few left over here. Most are 1.5 metres.

I haven't been involved in laying a strip out, so I might be wrong on the width (I'll have to ask some people). Remember that we rarely HAVE metal strips, tho...usually we only see them at sectional champs. Otherwise it's tape on a gym floor (or the rubber mats, if SoCal still has them).

And now that you mention it...of the 8 metal strips laid out at the US Pentathlon Nats this year....7were 1.5 and 1 was 2.

[pinkelephant]

I lay out pistes on a gym floor with tape fairly regularly. I use 1.5m width for the pistes, with 1m between the pistes which are back to back (just wide enough for a 600mm table with 2 boxes) and 2.5m between the pistes for refereeing space.

[Mergs]

I haven't been involved in laying a strip .....7were 1.5 and 1 was 2.

Hey! This is a family show, let's keep this clean!

[VorpalCat]

Hey! This is a family show, let's keep this clean!

At least no one's mentioned doing strip searches yet.....