Beginner’s Guide To Competitive Fencing

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How do I start competing?

Competition should be a regular part of a student’s development in fencing, no matter what your goals are at the beginning.
Remember that your goals will change, and even those who started fencing to “try” may find that it is “your sport” and decide to pursue it on a longer term basis.
Competitive fencing is a different experience that your group classes, and it is the best and quickest way towards progress!

Fencing tournaments can be “sanctioned” (by USA Fencing) — meaning the event is an official USA Fencing event, and letter ratings and points can be earned or “unsanctioned”, who don’t provide ratings for the competitors, but are merely “practice” events that are a learning experience, and allow fencers to grow through the sport

To raise the chances of starting your competitive career successfully and more confidently, fencers should practice two or three times a week in a group class setting, and we recommend taking at least one weekly private lesson.

First step: upgrade your USFA membership to “competitive” by logging into your account or calling: 719-866-4511.
See here how to verify (proof of birth) your age with the USA Fencing.
Secondly: buy your own fencing gear.
Third: Learn about which competitions you are eligible: USA Fencing Age Classifications

2024-2025 Age Eligibility


Y8: 2016-2018
Y10: 2014-2017
Y12: 2012-2015
Y14: 2010-2013
Cadet: 2008-2011
Junior: 2005-2011
Senior Open/Division I/Division IA/Division II/ Division III: 2011 or earlier

As a rule of thumb, your USA Fencing “Age/Classification Eligibility” is based on a fencers BIRTH YEAR.
See here a useful article about fencing age, and why is it different from your real birthday.
Read how to verify your age with USA Fencing here.

As experienced fencers know, after the Junior Olympics (held every year in February), eligibility is the same as above for all categories except Junior and Cadet.

Ages 8-14

For novice fencers of ages 8-14, a great way to start competing is Olympia Fencing Center’s D’Artagnan Challenge Series

D’Artagnan is an internal “practice” competition for Olympia Fencing Center members only. We provide all fencing equipment needed, by the model of “real” fencing competitions, using the same software used in the major events (Fencing Time Live).
Please follow this link to our dedicated page for this event to learn more.

After you had your introduction to competitive fencing though our in-club events, you can start tipping your feet into sanctioned competitions. In general we recommend starting within your age group range, and progressively going up, depending how soon you’ll age out (i.e. a fencer in the Y10 age group is eligible for both Y10 and Y12).

Ages 14 and up

Can start with the following categories: Open, Division 1A, Division 2 and Division 3 competitions.
Later on, should move onto Cadet and Junior.

Sign me Up!

  • Start with local competitions at your club or other fencing clubs.
    You generally want to compete in your age category first, especially if you are Y8, Y10, Y12 or Y14.
  • If you are a Cadet/Junior or Senior aged fencer the find  “Unrated” or “E and Under” competitions.

We recommend competing once a month, or as often as possible.
Do not be deterred by your placement in early competitions!
There are many things to remember and learn during a competition and, until mastered, you will not be able to focus on your real fencing skills.

Places to Find Competitions

1. Askfred: www.askfred.net
This website generally has competitions hosted by fencing clubs.
You can search by zip code, weapon, region, etc. Olympia Fencing Center is an épée exclusive club, and we are located in Region 3, New England Division (NEUSFA).
(See more about regions below, down the page).

2. USA Fencing tournament browser: www.usfencing.org
Search by Regional, National tournaments, and International tournaments.
Read on this page what are “national points’ and how to get them.

To raise the chances of starting your competitive career successfully and more confidently, fencers should practice two or three times a week in a group class setting, and we recommend taking at least one weekly private lesson.

Getting to know the abbreviations!

RYC – Regional Youth Circuit
RJCC- Regional Junior Cadet Circuit
SYC – Super Youth Circuit
NAC – North American Cup
National Championship

1. RYC – Regional Youth Circuit 

Description:
Regional Youth Circuit (RYC): The RYC tournaments are held throughout the season, similar to the Super Youth Circuit tournaments. These competitions are one of the possible qualification paths for Youth 10 and Youth 12 events at both the March NAC and the Y10, Y12 and Y14 USA Fencing National Championships. Only regional points are awarded at RYC’s.

Events:
Y10, Y12, Y14
Format: 2 rounds: 1 round of pools where fencers fence each person in their pool to 5 touches, and 1 round of direct elimination (DE) where fencers fence to either 10 points (Y10) or 15 (Y12 & Y14). All participants are promoted to the DE’s after pools.
Search for tournaments and registration: click here, on the USFA.org 
Competitive USFA Membership is required.

Points: There are no national points awarded at Regional Youth competitions. Regional points are awarded based on the final placement and size of the competitive field. Points are awarded to all participants. The winner of each event at an RYC automatically earns 100 points. At least two fencers must be present in the competition to earn points.

Point formula: (# entries – place + 1) /# entries) x 100 points
A fencer’s best 3 results will determine the fencer’s point total.

*We are Region 3 – Olympia fencers can compete in any RYC but will only be awarded qualifying points for Region 3 RYC’s.

Fencing Divisions

 

For those not familiar with regional youth events, USA Fencing has divided the nation into six geographic regions, as pictured in the image below.
New Englanders are part of Region III.

 

 

2024-25 Regional Schedule — Interactive Version

Click here for a printable copy for all regions.

 

2. RJCC- Regional Junior Cadet Circuit

 RJCCs are similar to RYCs, and, as the name suggests, the difference is in the qualifying age category, these being for Junior (U20) and Cadet (U17) level fencers.
Students who are at least 14 years and above, are eligible to register for these competitions. We strongly suggest at least two private lessons a week, and one year of fencing experience.

3. SYC – Super Youth Circuit

Description: these competitions are one of the possible qualification paths for Youth 10 and Youth 12 events at both the March and/or USA Fencing National Championships. National points are awarded at SYC’s.

Events: Y10, Y12, Y14

Format: 2 rounds: 1 round of pools where fencers fence each person in their pool to 5 touches, and 1 round of direct elimination (DE) where fencers fence to either 10 points (Y10) or 15 (Y12 & Y14). All participants are promoted to the DE’s after pools.

Registration: via USFA.org. Competitive USFA Membership is required.

Points: SYC competitions will award points to the top 40% of the competitive field (rounded up to the next higher integer) to a maximum of 64th place. In all SYC Youth events, 3 fencers must compete in order for points to be awarded.

Fencers may participate in one or more Super Youth tournaments, however, only the competition where the fencer earns the most points (1 best result) will be included in the revised national point standings published after the latest SYC.

4. NAC – North American Cup

Description:  these Youth National Tournaments provide a higher-level experience for fencers 10 and under (Y10), 12 and under (Y12) and 14 and under (Y14). National points may be awarded in these competitions. Qualification is necessary for Y10/Y12 events at March NAC (see qualification paths, below).

Listed below are NAC’s containing youth events. Please refer to the full NAC schedule on USFA for information regarding other NAC’s.

 

 

Qualification Paths
For Y10/Y12 events at March NAC only: Fencers must fence in at least one Y10 and/or Y12 Regional Youth Circuit (RYC) OR Super Youth Competition (SYC) in the United States in the current season to be eligible to enter the same category and weapon at the March NAC OR fencers must be on the Y10 or Y12 National Point Standings by the regular entry fee deadline. An RYC event must have at least 2 competitors to fulfill any qualification standards.

Note: Birth-year eligibility is necessary for all events.

Format: 2 rounds: 1 round of pools where fencers fence each person in their pool to 5 touches, and 1 round of direct elimination (DE) where fencers fence to either 10 points (Y10) or 15 (Y12 & Y14). All participants are promoted to the DE’s after pools for all youth events. 80% are promoted to DE’s in Junior/Cadet/Division III events.

Registration: via USFA.org
Competitive USFA Membership is required.

Points: for Youth, Cadet, Junior, and Senior National point competitions (NACs, JOs, July Challenge, and National Championships), points will be awarded to the direct elimination table in which the top 32 (to a maximum of 40 percent) of the competitive field falls (rounded to the next lower integer) to a maximum of 64th place. If the top 32 cut-off falls within a pool round, the points will be awarded starting with the direct elimination round.

In the case of a tie, the points are averaged for each place involved (e.g., 3 tied for 25th receive the average of points for 25th, 26th, and 27th place). If a fencer is excluded from the competition, that place is left vacant and no one receives the points for that place.

5. National Championships

Description: similar to NAC, but held only once a year during Summer Nationals. Qualification for all events is needed. National points may be awarded in this competition.
Note: Birth-year eligibility is necessary for all events. Athletes must be US Citizens or Permanent Residents to compete in the National Championship

Events: Y10, Y12, Y14

Qualification Paths:

Youth 10 National Championships

  • Be on the Y10 National Point Standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
  • Be on the Y10 Regional Youth Point Standings in your region at the regular fee entry deadline OR
  • Earn at least 60 Y12 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results)

Youth 12 National Championships

  • Be on the Y12 National Point Standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
  • Earn at least 70 Y12 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results)OR
  • Earn at least 150 Y14 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results)OR
  • Place in the top 25% of the fencer’s division’s Y14 National Championship qualifying competition

Youth 14 National Championships

  • Be on the Youth 14 National Point Standings at the regular entry fee deadline OR
  • Earn at least 150 Y14 Regional Points during the current season (Total points = an athlete’s top 3 point results)OR
  • Place in the top 25% (round up) of the fencer’s division’s Y14 National Championship qualifying competition

Format: 2 rounds: 1 round of pools where fencers fence each person in their pool to 5 touches, and 1 round of direct elimination (DE) where fencers fence to either 10 points (Y10) or 15 (Y12 & Y14). All participants are promoted to the DE’s after pools.

Registration: via USFA.org.
Competitive USFA Membership is required.

Points: see the Points section of NAC.

See the USFA Classification Chart for competition rating here.
Finally, here are the whole 230 pages of the USA Fencing rules– have fun reading!

Note: Please remember that the USFA, the national governing body of the sport of fencing, may change these rules at times; if you subscribe to their notifications, you’ll stay updated on any changes.

We highly recommend a very useful tool for parents and to all those new to fencing: the Academy of Fencing Masters blog and their Parents Guide to Fencing e-book.

Other tools:

This is a comprehensive guide on how to care for your fencing gear: from weapon and body cords, to cleaning your mask, glove, and bodysuit.

And don’t forget, any parent can email us with any questions, at any time.

Good Luck!!