Eligibility for World Cups?

My coach thinks that I should fence in World Cup competitions. He thinks that it would help me in my fencing and make me a better fencer.

However, I have heard different stories about eligibility for fencing in World Cups.

Someone told me that you can fence in World Cups that are outside of Europe no matter what your ranking is.

Some websites (like the one for the USFA or the one for the Canadian Federation) seem to have some special ways to determine who can fence in a World Cup and they don't seem to make any distinction between European WCs and other ones.

So, my question is, what's the deal? Do I have to achieve a certain level on the national points list or can I just show up at any WC in the Americas and fence there?

[Purple Fencer]

Originally posted by WorldCupFencing:
My coach thinks that I should fence in World Cup competitions. He thinks that it would help me in my fencing and make me a better fencer.

However, I have heard different stories about eligibility for fencing in World Cups.

Someone told me that you can fence in World Cups that are outside of Europe no matter what your ranking is.

Some websites (like the one for the USFA or the one for the Canadian Federation) seem to have some special ways to determine who can fence in a World Cup and they don't seem to make any distinction between European WCs and other ones.

So, my question is, what's the deal? Do I have to achieve a certain level on the national points list or can I just show up at any WC in the Americas and fence there?

My understanding of the rule is: if it's being held in the U.S., and you're an American citizen, you can fence in the WC events (there are only two, a women's foil and a men's sabre, both back East). The only requirement - besides paying the entry fee - is that you MUST be equipped with FIE gear from head to toe, weapons included.

Me teammate, Freewind, has gone to teh sabre world cup for the last two years, and he was unrated in the first year. He got royally stomped, but he felt it was worth it.



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Sam Signorelli -- I'll be mellow when I'm
DEAD!

[fencingguy]

it depends on the location of the tournament. Those within your zone or region can be participated in by anyone in that zone. IE you can compete at the Montreal epee world cup, Havanna world cup etc... However for those tournaments held elsewhere (Europe, Asia, etc) only 8 fencers from each country are allowed. So those 8 are selected based on the various national governing bodies. In the US it's based pretty much on your national ranking and who wants to go. The specifics are outlined on the USFA website.

[d8m2k]

Last year you had to be top 16 to even be considered to enter a WC outside our zone (U.S.). B cups are unlimited and are a good way to get the euro fencing experience. Unless you would rather go to a A cup and travel to somewhere in the Americas.

[Peach]

What *is* a B event? And where would I find them listed? I'd like to go to Europe some time and it would be neat to organize it around an event.

[d8m2k]

The USFA considers any tournament outside the US a "B". For the schedules contact the USFA, or the federation of the country you planning to visit.

[fencingguy]

B events are non world cup competitions held outside of the US. They are typically a pretty good tournament and you can usually find one the weekend right before or right after a world cup, that way people can get a few tournaments in while they're overseas. The USFA website should have a list of which tournaments are B events.

[Peach]

Hmm . . . I checked the USFA web site and didn't find anything resembling a list of B cups. Maybe I looked in the wrong place.

[oiuyt]

The USFA doesn't list B tournaments... any open tournament held in europe is a B tournament according to the athlete's handbook (available in PDF on usfencing.org).

-B

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"Oh but you can't expect to wield supreme executive power just because some watery tart threw a sword at you!"