D’Artagnan Competition for Novice Fencers

Start your competitive fencing journey in your club!
For novice fencers of ages 8-14, a great way to start competing is Olympia Fencing Center’s D’Artagnan Challenge Series

 

The D’Artagnan Challenge Series is a series of in-house competitions held at Olympia designed for children ages 14 & under.
We provide all the fencing gear for beginners, including the weapons!
The top three in each age-group/genre earn medals; the top eight earn ribbons.
This is a SERIES event that rewards points after each session. At the end of the series, a boy and a girl in each category are crowned the season’s WINNERS and receive a customized trophy to take home!

 

2025-26 Season Rolling Point Standings

1. D’Artagnan Y8 Series
2. D’Artagnan Y10 Series
3. D’Artagnan Y12 Series
4. D’Artagnan Y14 Series

Olympia’s most successful students have started their competitive fencing career with D’Artagnan! Our club was the first in the country to offer these in-house competition series for novice fencers as young as seven years old!

These are some benefits of starting fencing competitions at a young age:

1. Skill Development: These competitions emphasize learning and practicing fundamental fencing techniques.
2. Experience Gaining: They offer a platform for beginners to understand the dynamics of a real competition.
3. Sportsmanship and Camaraderie: Competitions encourage new fencers to interact, share experiences, and develop a sense of community.
4. Confidence Building: Participation helps novices build confidence and overcome the initial apprehension of competing.
5.  Practical Experience: Fencers get a firsthand experience of the competitive environment, which is invaluable for their growth in the sport.
6. Identifying Strengths and Weaknesses: Real-time competition enables fencers and their coaches to pinpoint areas that require improvement.
7. Motivation and Goal Setting: Success and feedback from these competitions help set future goals and motivate continuous improvement.
8. Networking and Friendships: Novice competitions are an excellent way for beginners to meet peers who share their interest in fencing.

All events at Olympia are currently “unsanctioned,” meaning no ratings or USFA-related points (see appendix for more information on how classifications work in fencing).

Medals/ribbons are awarded to the top 8 at each event.

Different events are held for each age group (listed below) throughout the fencing season.
Events: Y8, Y10, Y12, Y14

 

2025-26 Age Eligibility for Events

Y8: 2018-2020
Y10: 2016-2019
Y12: 2014-2017
Y14: 2012-2015

Registration: via askFred.net
At least “Access” type USFA membership is required.
Here is how to prepare for this event:

• We recommend starting in your age bracket, especially if this is your first competition.
• Register via askfred.net: find the event you plan to attend, click on registration, and create a fencer record (see the steps below).
• Note that D’Artagnan doesn’t require a USFA competitive membership or to own a weapon. We will provide the weapons (for the club members only).
  All fencers from other clubs must bring proof of age, their own weapon (two are recommended), and body cords.
• Please arrive at the door at least fifteen minutes before the event and check in at the office.
• Our coaches will explain the rules of the competition.

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How to create a profile on askfred.net

1. Find a tournament. On the AskFRED homepage (askfred.net), click on the Upcoming Tournaments tab to browse for an event you want to register for.
2. Start registration. After finding your tournament, click the Preregister button next to the event you wish to enter.
3. Search for an existing record. The site will ask you to enter your last name to check if you have a pre-existing fencer record. If you are a new fencer, you will not be on this list.
4. Create a new record. If your name is not in the dropdown menu, select Create a New Fencer Record.
5. Enter your information. Fill out the required registration form. The site will request your first name, last name, date of birth, gender, and fencing information, including your club, division (New England), and weapon ratings (none, for new fencers).
   • USA Fencing members: If you have a USA Fencing membership number, you can enter it, and AskFRED will automatically import your information.
6. Complete registration. Follow the prompts to finish your registration for the tournament. This will also save your new fencer record in the AskFRED database.

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Things to consider

– Don’t wait until you’re 14 years old to “be ready” for these competitions!
D’Artagnan is a “practice competition” where both fencers and parents will be introduced to the rules, learn how to handle real-life situations, what to look for (how to “watch”), and get ready for real competitions outside the club.
– For our parents’ convenience, we put together a short description of the USFA regulations to watch during your child’s fencing and help them when needed (see the QR code).
– Olympia staff doesn’t allow coaching during these private events, when two clubmates fence together.
We aim to give everyone equal chances and provide a good experience for all.

Remember that winning isn’t everything! Good sportsmanship, fairness, and building characters for life are some of our other goals.
After a season of D’Artagnan, we think that your fencer is ready to take on the sanctioned competitions outside of the club. For more information how to start, follow this link.
See you on the strip!!

 

 

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A Very Short Guide to Fencing Competition