Duel in the Desert?

[BugabooX]

Anyone here planning to attend this season's Duel? I'd love to see it myself. It will be held at the Flamingo, they say. What could a spectator or competitor expect from the experience?

[Inquartata]

I'll be going for open and vet MS. And the gambling, of course.

It's a well-run affair, generally speaking: not NAC-ish in size, quite, but still well attended. Hopefully won't have to self-direct in the pools this year.

The separate final competition for each major weapon is about as good in the way of spectacle as you're likely to find in fencing. ( It IS Vegas after all. )

Edit: Belatedly, I realized that the above might sound like damning with faint praise. In fact, I wouldn't miss DITD. I recommend it highly if you can swing it.

[saberwillie]

hey whats the info on this event i would like to go if i had more in fo on it

[Inquartata]

www.duelinthedesert.com

[Zelda]

what about overseas out of towners??? If I save really really hard this year and next I might be able to afford 2004....not that I would probably make much impact but it could be alot of fun!

[Inquartata]

It's not a restricted competition ( no national points to be had, in other words, just good fencing and fun ), so anyone can enter. You'd be very welcome, I'm sure!

[Zelda]

Sounds tempting. My motto has always been have fencing gear will travel!

[ChubbyHubby]

Zelda, Boo Boo and I did it last year (I have family in LA, so it isn't TOO far from them - we were visiting them anyway post Christmas from the UK).

It was a really fun competition and is even better for women because they can do the "Open Event" as well as the "Women's Event" (Boo Boo finished one place above me in the Open Event - a bit spooky...).

We went to a local club (can't remember its name, but it is run by Evan Raynes - Duel in the Desert organiser) the day before the competition to get some practice. It was a friendly club and they welcomed visitors: it was great to fence some different people.

We wont be doing it this year, because we have had a LONG year of fencing competitions: need a break and will spend a few days skiing in Big Bear instead.

If you get the chance, then it is worth doing (although I wouldn't travel all the way from UK/Australia just for the competition - I would build a larger trip/holiday around the dates).

ChubbyHubby

[remise]

The fencing club is the Las Vegas Fencing Center, and you're right. THEY ARE WONDERFUL!!! If I could swing it financially, I'd go. Being near The Strip is kinda cool, too.

[DHCJr]

The one thing I like about Duel over the NAC's, the Armorers are allowed to work on fencers equipment and show the fencers how to work on their own equipment. Also at what NAC can you get Carl Oberg as the Head Armorer, Dan DeChaine, Matther Porter, myself and various other Armorers.

At the NAC's the Armorers are only allowed to do control. They are not allowed to do what they got into armoring in the first place, tinker.

[Boo Boo]

Yes, was really impressed with the armourers at last years Duel in the Desert - armoury is a real passion to them.

Boo

[Mo]

Originally posted by Boo Boo
Yes, was really impressed with the armourers at last years Duel in the Desert - armoury is a real passion to them.

Boo

Fencers are not allowed to go to armorers and get help and information for fixing their weapons at NAC's?
Isn't that kind of ludicrous?

[Peach]

They'll still offer information and advice when they're free. However, they also used to repair stuff for people. I thought the armorers were imposed upon because they were repairing weapons and equipment for fencers who should have fixed it before they got there. They will still offer advice, and often there will be a table for people to repair their own equipment. Also, some of the vendors will repair and troubleshoot your equipment. I buy most of my stuff at Blue Gauntlet because of the relationship I have with them, and Mr. Chen repairs my equipment for me.

[DHCJr]

Originally posted by Mo
Fencers are not allowed to go to armorers and get help and information for fixing their weapons at NAC's?
Isn't that kind of ludicrous?

Yes, it is. They can get advice, but that is a fine line. Someone might say you are fixing it. What I was told is that we were competing with the vendors and this was before 'Ye Olde Fencer'. It has even gotten worse now. I went to a tournament, not as a USFA Armorer, and not even as a volunteer. A teammate came over and asked for me to fix some weapons. Tim sent one of his sons over to tell me I was not allowed to do that. First of all, I wasn't even behind the Armorer's table. I was on the Fencer's side saying hello. Also this was a teammate.

So, for all team Armorers and everyone else be warned, someone may come up to you and tell you that you are not allowed to work on fencer's equipment, especially if you are recognized as maybe not a top Armorer (I'm only the third best within a hundred miles of where I live), but as an Armorer.

It is a pet peeve of mine, and it is one reason, I have resigned from working any NAC’s this year, but I am not getting bored, I’m will be at Duel, Senior PCC and at least one of the other PCC’s, as well as others. If there are those who would like to see this rule change contact the National Office and the USFA Officers.

[Inquartata]

Hmm, and yet in Orlando an armorer very generously fixed a mask connector cord for me---without being asked, either.

[DHCJr]

I have also made repairs at NAC's, but I was breaking the rules the same as the Armorer in Orlando. I also commend them for breaking the rules. But that is the problem, we shouldn't have to break the rules, but the rules are there. It is like the 65 MPH law in that there are many who disregard it.

All I said was we have been told we are not allowed to do repairs. At the tournaments like Duel, there is no restriction on working on fencer's equipment, but the organizers appreciate us working on the fencer's equipment.

There was another thread that talked about how well some of the tournaments are run like the LBI and Duel. Not all, but some of the reason is because there are very few strip calls, because everything is checked very thourghly and fencers are encouraged to bring their equipment to be worked on.

In my last post, I mentioned that I was told not to work on equipment, even when I was not one of the 'Official' Armorers, but I was recognized as an Armorer. I ignored the 'request' then not to work on the fencer's equipment and I will probably ignore it at some NAC in the future.

[135711]

Originally posted by Peach
They'll still offer information and advice when they're free. However, they also used to repair stuff for people. I thought the armorers were imposed upon because they were repairing weapons and equipment for fencers who should have fixed it before they got there. They will still offer advice, and often there will be a table for people to repair their own equipment. Also, some of the vendors will repair and troubleshoot your equipment. I buy most of my stuff at Blue Gauntlet because of the relationship I have with them, and Mr. Chen repairs my equipment for me.

the armorers want to fix BIG equipment: boxes and stuff like that, they don't want to deal with your little points
but i watched one for a while in the gym, basically what he did was make out with a reel for about 1/2 hour.

Since Mr. Clinton has contacted me under separate cover about the possibility of organizing some workshops for learning how to repair equipment, I think it's an excellent idea a real sit down and tear apart your stuff and put it back together again. Hands on-- that's what I like doing, workshops are supposed to be like that. maybe we should have several different functions: one function is armorer for the big stuff that the organizers control in terms of repair; and the other group be at a designated area for quick repairs. My only complaint about armorers in the past is that we've all been introducted to them, 'they will help you' and then they're never available, so maybe what some of them should do is re-think their availble time, and make a decision about whether or not they want to fence and compete or fix stuff. that's it in a nutshell

[DHCJr]

Not true! At the NAC's the equipment is not borrowed, so it is a known quantity. The Armorers at the NAC are not allowed to work on the machines (loose bulbs or connectors yes, but anything more extension must go back to Mr. Chen to a factory certified Technician - Ted Li). You might have one or two reels go out a tournament, but not always. The floor cords do go out much more frequently, but that is because of their make. In other words, at NAC's we don't get to do much and we got into armoring to work on things.

At all tournaments, the tournament equipment comes first.

At the major tournaments in the Pacific Coast Section, most of the equipment is borrowed, but most of that comes from divisions with very good Armorers that maintain the equipment, so even at those tournaments we don't work on the tournament competiton much. At the LBI, there was only two reels and one floor cord that was needed to be worked on. There was a machine, but that had been received the weekend before and there was no chance to repair it, but it did go back repaired.

We enjoy working on equipment, but we enjoy more to show you how to fix your own equipment. Not that we want to put us out of a job, but we get bored with weapons that don't pass the weight or shim test. That is too easy. Now give us a problem where it works sometimes (a chalenge).

So for all those out there, especially at the Duel or PCC come and ask the Armorers to teach you how to do the simple things on your own equipment. We love to teach and we love to do armoring.

[Inquartata]

So, what is the rationale behind the prohibition on armorers working on stuff at NACs? Or IS there one?

[HilandDoug]

A friend of mine, Beth Vance, will be there fencing women's foil. If anyone here bumps into her, say hello to her (after you get the yellow card).

Doug McLaren