Happy New Year, Everyone!
We're only a few months away from the Arnold Fencing Classic. I hope
you all had a chance to see our advertisement on the inside cover of
the most recent American Fencer Magazine!
This email is about two important tournaments:
1. Winter Team Challenge - Open Foil Team and Youth Foil Team
Tournaments, Saturday, January 31st in Dublin Ohio.
2. Arnold Fencing Classic, Sunday, March 7th at the Columbus Convention
Center in Columbus, Ohio.
The Winter Team Challenge on January 31st will be a lot of fun! This is
our final tournament in preparation for The Arnold and it has a new
twist to it that will help make fencing more viewable for audiences. In
this tournament, we're using a slight variant of the USFA rules where
the matches are point-limited rather than time-limited. In other words,
the clock doesn't stop during the entire time of the bout, so you get
as many points as possible in a running time of three minutes. Each
match consists of nine bouts, and the team with the most accumulated
points wins that match. Each team will fence the other teams in
round-robin fashion and the two strongest teams (as measured by
victories + indicators) will meet for the finals. One of the priorities
for the Arnold is keeping the action more predictable in time and the
strips in constant usage; this format is great for that. This
tournament will be an excellent opportunity to create and try new
strategies to win using this new format at the Arnold Fencing Classic!
We're holding this event in the Dublin Sport Fencing Center
(
www.sport-fencing.com) with the finals to be held in front of the
crowds at Easton Town Center. Fencing in front of a cheering audience
is a rush! The Youth Foil Team Tournament is for fencers 14 years &
under. The Open Foil Team Tournament is for everyone. Each team is
composed of three foilist plus an alternate foilist (optional). The
check in time for both tournaments is 10am and the events will be held
simultaneously. We are limiting this event to only six teams per event,
and teams must register by January 20th register at
http://www.royalarts.org/register.html . The cost is $15 per fencer.
Register today!
The Arnold Fencing Classic will be something totally different for
fencing. Usually our events are held with small crowds -- often no
crowds at all. Those of you who have fenced in front of audiences know
what a blast it can be -- the crowds of a few hundred people we've had
at Easton were exhilarating but we're expecting a whole new level at
the Arnold! The Arnold Fencing Classic is a new addition to the Arnold
Fitness Expo, the largest multi-day fitness show in North America, with
100,000 attendees and 11,000 athletes expected in 2004. It's HUGE!. We
expect to have thousands of viewers for our tournament, plus the
semi-finals for the elite competition is being held on the main Expo
stage where thousands more will see it. We're planning to have an
exciting competition with children and adults , beginners and an elite
fencers, awards, gifts, and great entertainment.
We are holding seven events at The Arnold:
1. Elite Team (invitational; Titan format)
2. Youth Team Foil (14 years old & under)
3. Youth Team Epee (14 years old & under)
4. Youth Team Sabre (14 years old & under)
5. Open Team Foil
6. Open Team Epee
7. Open Team Sabre
The Elite Team event is an invitational and will be conducted using the
Titan rules format. This is an exciting new format that uses
mixed-gender teams representing all three weapons (i.e. each team
consists of a male foilist, female foilist, male epeeist, female
epeeist, male sabrist, female sabrist). This format is fast, gripping,
and shows the diversity of fencing. We are assembling six-person teams
of nationally & internationally ranked fencers. The team from New York
includes Keeth Smart and Sada Jacobson. We also have another team
defined as well. We are looking to assemble one more Elite team. If you
believe you qualify and wish to join a team, please contact me
(julia@royalarts.org) immediately.
The Youth and Open events are available for general registration. Each
team consists of three fencers per team plus alternate. For example, in
the Open Team Foil event, the teams consist of three foilists plus an
alternate foilist (optional). We strongly encourage mixed-gender teams
to help show the egalitarian nature of fencing. We will be using the
same rules as discussed above for the Winter Team Challenge. We will be
fielding a maximum of six teams per event. If you wish to fence but do
not already have a team, please register at
http://www.royalarts.org/register.html and also send an email to me
(julia@royalarts.org) telling me that you wish to be placed on a team.
We have received applications from a number of high ranked fencers who
are seeking teams. To compete, you and your team must register by
February 22nd at
http://www.royalarts.org/register.html . The cost is
$100 per team. Each fencer on the team also receives a free pass to the
Arnold Fitness Expo.
We are also seeking rated directors for The Arnold. Directors will be
paid and receive a free admission pass for Arnold Fitness Expo. If you
are interested in being part of this event or you know someone who
would be interested in it, please contact me as soon as possible.
The Arnold will be great fun for fencers and audience alike! To create
an energized atmosphere, we will give a special award to the most
spirited team. We are also asking teams to bring any of your club's
logos, flags, patches, or anything that makes your team visible and
interesting to potential fans. Get creative with the greeting your team
will say before each match! And please bring promotional flyers of your
club or division because visitors of this event are coming from all
over the USA. (If your team has a sponsor please contact us about
showing your sponsor's logo).
So, get ready to have fun and show audiences just how exciting fencing
can be! Mark your calendar for March 5-7 if you want to see Arnold
Fitness Expo, and March 7 if you are going to be part of this
extraordinary new competition. Please note that it is a huge event for
Columbus, Ohio and hotels are filling up. If you have any questions or
looking at sponsorship opportunities please contact me at
julia@royalarts.org and visit our web sites for more information at
www.arnoldfencingclassic.com and
www.royalarts.org and
www.arnoldfitnessexpo.com.
I look forward to seeing you in Columbus!
Best regards,
Julia
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Julia Richey
julia@royalarts.org www.royalarts.org
740-501-8521
The Royal Arts Fencing Academy has nearly 50 members and meets multiple
times per week in New Albany, Ohio on the north-east side of Columbus.
We're a rapidly growing club and welcome new members. Open Bouting for
members and non-members is on Tuesday nights. Come join me! For
information, visit
www.royalarts.org. Thank you!
But hopefully it will happen again. It sounds like it will be good publicity. 
