US Fencing rack up the medals!

Well sorry for the lack of posts for the last few days but just spend part of last week in San Diego for a meeting. The flight although long was good coming back it was bumpy but we arrived back home only a few minutes late. I had not travelled United Airlines before but I would do so again.

While I was gone the US Fencing team has been busy.

Mariel Zagunis , Becca Ward and Sada Jacobson brought home a bronze with the Women Team Saber tournament. They crushed South Africa but lost to the Ukrainians (who ended up winning gold) Still it was nice to see them come back after such a loss and beating France.

Not to be outdone a congrats to the US Men’s Team when Keeth Smart won against  the five time world champion Stanislav Pozdnyakov from Russia to bring home a silver in Team Saber.  Smart, Tim Morehouse, Jason Rogers and James Williams along with Keeth lost to France but it was a great accomplishment.

Keeth must also be proud of his sister Erin. The US Women’s foil team shot past favorites to take silver upsetting Poland who had been the world champions.

“Hanna Thompson beat Magdalena Mroczkiewicz, seven touches to none in the seventh round to tie the scores. Emily Cross eked out a 3-2 edge over Malgorzata Wojtkowiak and Errin Smart protected the narrow lead by drawing 6-6 with Sylwia Gruchala.”

US women had not won a medal in foil until this time.

A huge congratulations to all of the US fencers in a job well done.

USA women sweep saber medals!

A big crongrats to Mariel Zagunis ( who was also the first American fencer to win a gold medal in 100 years  in Athens) and the American fencing team for sweeping the women’s saber fencing. Zagunis along with Sada Jacobson and Becca Ward picked up the first three medals for the U.S. at the Onlympics.  On Thursday they get a chance to win gold again during the team matchs.

A outbreak of peace at Pennsic

Trying to keep up with the news from the war going up in Pennsic I read through the excellent Pennsic Independent .  Whats nice is besides the web page they also do a Podcast. Be sure to check out the Peace at the War - MidRealm Herald (episode #4) Yes, peace has broken out and it will take a at least a year to sort it all out again.

 

Reading through the Web Edition the Wednesday afternoon I read the results of the Atlantian Five Man-Melee Tournament . The tournament took place yesterday with eight teams of five each. They had four matchups with it all coming down to the Thieves of Hearts, Stormguard, Caer Mear, and Death for All Occasions. The final ended with Caer Mear defeating Death for All Occasions. Caer Mear was presented silver pins and Thieves of Hearts presented with silver rings.

Olympic Fencing

“Take the romantic, swashbuckling epics of Errol Flynn, add some rules, protective clothing and an electronic scoring system, and you have fencing at the Olympic Games.”

With the Olympics on the horizon be sure not to miss the fencing

Women’s Saber – Fri Aug 8 to Sat Aug 9
10:00pm-1:45am Round of 64 through quarterfinals
7:00am Semifinals
7:50am Bronze Medal Match
8:10am Gold Medal Match

Men’s Epee – Sat Aug 9 to Sun Aug 10
10:00pm-3:00am Round of 64 through quarterfinals
7:00am Semifinals
8:10am Bronze Medal Match
8:40am Gold Medal Match

Women’s Foil – Sun Aug 10 to Mon Aug 11
10:00pm-3:00am Round of 64 through quarterfinals
7:00am Semifinals
8:10am Bronze Medal Match
8:40am Gold Medal Match

Men’s Saber – Mon Aug 11 to Tue Aug 12
10:00pm-1:45am Round of 64 through quarterfinals
7:00am Semifinals
7:50am Bronze Medal Match
8:10am Gold Medal Match

Men’s Foil – Tue Aug 12 to Wed Aug 13
10:00pm-1:00am Round of 32 through quarterfinals
6:00am Semifinals
8:00am Bronze Medal Match
9:00am Gold Medal Match

Women’s Epee – Wed Aug 13
1:30am-4:30am Round of 32 through quarterfinals
7:00am Semifinals
8:30am Bronze Medal Match
9:30am Gold Medal Match

Women’s Saber Team – Wed Aug 13 to Thu Aug 14
9:30pm Quarterfinals
10:40pm Losers bracket
11:40pm Semifinals
12:50am 5th place and 7th place matches
6:00am Bronze Medal Match
7:00am Gold Medal Match

Men’s Epee Team – Thu Aug 14 to Fri Aug 15
9:00pm Round of 16 (1 match)
11:00pm Quarterfinals
12:30am Losers bracket
2:00am Semifinals
3:30am 5th place and 7th place matches
6:00am Bronze Medal Match
7:30am Gold Medal Match

Women’s Foil Team – Fri Aug 15 to Sat Aug 16
9:00pm Quarterfinals
10:30pm Losers bracket
12:00am Semifinals
1:30am 5th place and 7th place matches
6:00am Bronze Medal Match
7:30am Gold Medal Match

Men’s Saber Team – Sat Aug 16 to Sun Aug 17
9:30pm Quarterfinals
10:40pm Losers bracket
11:40pm Semifinals
12:50am 5th place and 7th place matches
6:00am Bronze Medal Match
7:00am Gold Medal Match

Give me a sword fight any day

“Give me a sword fight any day.” – Joseph Fiennes

My nice new blade came in the mail the other day. I am very happy with it except for maybe its length. I bought the longer of the two swords they make in the idea that the extra length will be helpful and in fact they might.

Still I am not used to the length as of yet using a 37′ blade as opposed to a 43′. I did believe that a couple of inches would have helped the other day I fought so we shall see. If not I am going to buy another blade a little shorter in length. Might by another one anyway, a case of rapiers is always a way to go. Still need a dagger.

I am very happy with the actual blade thou and will not mind buying a number of them. I can see that is going to be a benefit in melee, looking forward to that quite a bit.

What more can a man want?

“You are surrounded by beauty, by intrigue, by danger, what more can a man want?”  – Aramis

Disappointed that I didn’t get to see either Batman or Hellboy this weekend I decided to go through my rather large movie collection to see what I can find. I have I am guessing over 100 DVD/VHS, so its an understatement then I say I am rather fond of a good movie.  Before the children it was not unheard of for my wife and I to go to a movie in the late morning and then see another one in the evening after dinner. Now I am lucky to see what my boys see – still some good movies – The Forbidden Kingdom, Indiana Jones, Transformers. 

My new hobby (ok an old hobby but a new aspect of it) has peeked my interested in some older movies. For those who want to see a good sword movie I highly recommend Ridley Scott’s “The Duelists”. The movie covers a fifteen year feud between two officers during the Napoleonic Wars.  Going back into the Severn Years War pick up a copy of Stanley Kubrick “Barry Lyndon” but don’t miss any version of the “The Three Musketeers “. Now there are more versions of it then I can count however I am rather fond of the 1973 version with Michael York as D’Artagnan.  Alexandre Dumas works tend to get butchered in most movies however the 1986 version of the “The Man in the Iron Mask” I did enjoy -  you cannot beat a movie with  Jeremy Irons, John Malkovich, Gerard Depardieu, and Gabriel Byrne as the Musketeers.

Of course one cannot speak of duels or swordsmanship without talking about Highlander (1986). – please skip the others, there can be only one.

Two last movies, this list could go on and on. Either Gibsons or Kenneth Branagh version of Hamlet (yes there are others) are a must. Shakespeare had his problems but the man could write.

Once more unto the breach, dear friends

King Henry V: We would not seek a battle as we are, yet as we are, we say we will not shun it.

As I sit at work contemplating all of the fun –other- people are having at Pennsic my mind tends to wander a bit.

 As I mentioned before I ordered a rapier the other day and in theory it is supposed to show up at my door today.  I don’t expect to see my armor for a few weeks and in fact I just asked for a quote on a nice shirt to go along with all of my nice new armor. My ensemble is of course not complete.  Armor wise I am still in need of a mask, but will order that next week. I do need to order a dagger and an epee. I might not be using the epee much but it is something else I can authorize in.

Clothing wise I need some new shoes, my boots are good for 12th century not so good for 16th. And I need a hat. One thing I noticed in the SCA that not enough people wear something on their head when they are not fighting. Covering ones head was fashionable for many years well into the 20th century. I found an interesting Elizabethan hat which is what I will most likely buy. I did notice a nice cavalier hat although not period would look nice. Just add the musketeer cape and I will be all set.

Since I am not doing heavy fighting any more I suspect I will authorize in combat archery as well as siege.  I have done combat archery before and it is a lot of fun. Siege is new to me and somewhat new to the SCA. Not everyone is thrilled (ok heavy fighters) with the thought of being hit by a large bolt or boulder but I can not stop grinning about that very thought (ok cackling). I would love to build a scorpion or catapult. I think you can even order plans for them. I know there are some fine Roman reenactment units out there that work with such tools.

One of the other members came by the house and borrowed a bunch of my steel armor. I always recommend wearing heavy armor for wars. You never know when you are going to be smacked and you never know how many people are going to be lying on top of you.

Drums of war!

The most persistent sound which reverberates through men’s history is the beating of war drums.  ~Arthur Koestler, Janus: A Summing Up

The war is almost upon us. Unless you are a member of the Society For Creative Anachronism you probably have no idea what I am talking about. I am of course talking about Pennsic. Pennsic is a two week long event starting at the end of July and ending in the first week of August. Thirty six years old now it brings over ten thousand members of the society to Coopers Lake Campground in Slippery Rock, Pennsylvania.

 

Those numbers spend their time shopping, talking classes, partying (there are many) and the last week there is a war. The annual war takes place between the Kingdom of the East and the Middle Kingdom. The Kingdom of Atlantia which I am a member supports one side or another depending on the year. The rapier community will also take the field along with the heavy fighters along with combat archers and siege combat. This year I wont be able to attend, moving to a new place and such but ill be sure to be there next year along with 10,000 of my closest friends.

Sticker Shock!!

The internet is a wonderful place when you want to go shopping but its not exactly fast. Nothing beats walking into a store and picking up what you need/want right then and there. So I was pleased to discover up here a fencing club with a store inside their school. It reminded me of other martial arts locations I have been to in the number of years I have been doing this. I will say it was a very nice place, it looks like a great school. When I went into the back of the store, very helpful stuff, I got a sticker shock looking at the fencing gear. Now I have been researching the cost of things as of late and thought I might pick up a few extras but the prices were much, much higher then what I could get off the internet. I was not all that surprise it was higher, convenience and all that, but not that much. Buyer beware and a good reminder that before one goes out to purchase something do a little research first.

Wasn’t alien to me

“I do not love the bright sword for it’s sharpness, nor the arrow for it’s swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend” J.R.R. Tolkien

My experience in college with foil and epee has helped me starting out be comfortable with rapier in the Society. As it wasn’t alien to me, as heaving fighting was for the first time, I felt no real -new- fighter worries just a desire to get in and mix it up. I was never good with the ‘right of way’ thing anyway, so fighting in the round is really exciting.

Getting comfortable (but safe) gear is also very important. Fighting outside as opposed in a nice air conditioning gym is a big change and of course much more period. Fighting with the sun in your eyes is a real issue. Besides sunlight a rapier fighter much be aware of the heat (like any fighter in the SCA) Last rapier practice was in the evening but even the heat at the end of the day in July can be a bit harsh. So wearing the correct armor that breathes is a good very thing. I borrowed a doublet which i think is the way I am going to go. It protects the body well leaving the arms to be covered but cooler. Just need to make sure I hydrate before rapier practice and afterwards.