Canadian fencing

[Bura]

What do you guys think aboot Canadian fencers? Why is there style so different?

[edew]

The male foil fencers are working their *** off with footwork. I've noticed that many are moving much better than previous years.

They're getting quite good.

Can't say about the other gender/weapons as I haven't watched them too much.

[Lumberg]

It depends on which school and which instructors they have. I watched the Homme de Terre in Montreal this year and watched men's epee, women's foil and some men's sabre. I really didn't see any huge differences.

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Lumberg.
"...ahhh, we have sort of a problem here... yeah, you apparently didn't put one of the new cover sheets on your TPS report"

[latenight]

I believe that's Pomme not Homme. Although that is kind of funny if taken literally

[darius]

I think he's talking about the Terre des Hommes; the Pomme de Terre is in the USA.

[latenight]

that makes more sense

[This message has been edited by latenight (edited 01-29-2001).]

[d8m2k]

I thought everyone knew that Canadians were just freaks, therefore, they fence like that.

Just kidding. Actually the answer is rather easy, different coaching, different emphasis.
Almost like asking why are the Germans so different from the French.
Anyways, Laurie Shong is my canadian hero.
As is their entire women's epee team.
meow.

[Cutter]

my french is not that great, but isn't Pomme d'terre "potatoe"?

[Drew42]

Yes it is potato. Literally it means 'apples of the earth'.

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"Thank God we are neither boxers nor wrestlers." Aldo Nadi

[Gav]

A friend of mine is about to go over and see his girlfriend. They both fence. Derek complained that he couldn't "fence for tofee" when he came back last time. He fences alright now though - so no lasting damage!!

A competition called potato? Weird.

[Dragoneye]

Canadian fencing is great but for the fact there is simply not enough of it.

And all the politics between clubs... makes you kind of sick, really. For instance, I live virtually next door to Laurie Shong's club, but I've never actually met him or been to that club - bizarre really.

But I imagine all the politic stuff is everywhere.... That aside... go Canadians


Cheers, eh...

Dragoneye.

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"Violent delights have violent ends." R&J - WS.

[HilandDoug]

"Aboot" Hey, Bura, I think the rest of the world didn't see the humor there, eh? Not many people know aboot the Canadian accent. But since I live just outside of Detroit, I hear it a lot. Some Detroiters make it over for the London Heroes event, but I don't recall whether it's been held the last few years.

[Dragoneye]

Accent? I think you guys are nuts...

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"Violent delights have violent ends." R&J - WS.

[RC]

Dragoneye, haven't you ever heard the Canadian Test? My American friends seem to take special delight in making me repeat the phrase "Out and about in a boat" over and over.
HilandDoug, I've been meaning to visit Detroit, anything coming up that an unrated epeeist (OFA Recreational member) could get into?


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"Etes-vous prets?"
"Oui!"

[Lumberg]

Yes, it's the Terre des Hommes. I got it mixed up with the parody of that name Pommes de Terre. Let me just put it this way, I saw a Canadian fencing tournament in Montreal. Yada yada yada. This one female foil fencer had the biggest butt I've ever seen wearing FIE-homologated Prieur stretch knickers. I, in kind of an unpolitically correct way of thinking, thought that Prieur wouldn't make a pair of knickers in that size because the French like somewhat skinny women. As over-weight as she was, she actually fenced well. And later when we went out for zee drinks... just kidding.

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Lumberg.
"...ahhh, we have sort of a problem here... yeah, you apparently didn't put one of the new cover sheets on your TPS report"

[darius]

Lumberg,
Good thing they were Prieur knickers, I was sitting there thinking, "Better not be talking about the girls from my club..." (since they dominated the TdH last fall)

As far as Canadian fencing goes, Josh McGuire has got to be one of the most creative folks in the sport -- if you think some of his actions in competitions are bizarre...

Ehrm, and living this close to the border, I've noticed that I say "aboot."

darius

[Matt]

I live in Bellingham, WA, which is half way between Seattle and Vancouver BC, so when we put on tournaments we get a ton of fencers from both, and in foil at least the style of fencing is strikingly different. The Seattle fencers live and die with the flick and infighting. BC fencers rely more on manipulating distance and footwork. I always enjoy getting my butt kicked by really good Canadians because they do simple things but they do them fast and precise. In sabre and epee I haven't noticed such a big difference. Of course, this is all a very big generalization and YMMV. And as for the inter-club politics, I hear the same thing from the fencers I know in Vancouver. Four or five strong clubs and they hardly talk to each other. All the coaches hate each other, and when I'm on the bout committee for our tournaments they talk about each other behind their backs to me. The most depressing thing is that they have as strong a fencing community as Seattle does, but they only put on a handful of tournaments, while in Seattle there is some kind of tournament at least every other week.

Matt Pearsall
fencermatt@yahoo.com