THE ACT Fencing Association held its annual Tri-State Fencing Tournament at St Gregory's Primary School in Queanbeyan last Saturday, with the event attracting competitors from Canberra, Queanbeyan, Sydney and Melbourne.
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The Queanbeyan Duel Fencing Club entered competitors in the under 13's, under 11's and under 9's divisions, with the juniors battling one another in the three fencing forms of foil, sabre, and epee.
Queanbeyan mayor Cr Tim Overall was on hand to see the enjoyment the young competitors got out of the day competing against interstate athletes for the final time until the Australian and South-East Asian Championships in Sydney in December.
Melbourne-based fencing club Fioretto Fencing Club has made the trip to Queanbeyan for three years now, and head coach Brook Dunstan said his Melbournians enjoyed the annual trip up.
"The camp has really grown in the last three years and our kids and their parents always look forward to the annual trip here to Canberra and Queanbeyan," said Dunstan.
"Everyone's always friendly and welcoming here, and we normally achieve good results."
In the foil discipline of the sport, competitors score points by "stabbing" the chest guard of an opponent with the end of the fencing sword.
The form of epee also requires a stab, but to any part of the body, while in the sabre discipline competitors must use the side of their sword in a "thrashing" motion to score.
Dunstan said the modern version of fencing is based on the traditional martial art form but played as a sport.
"It's all relative to the tradition of centuries ago," he said.
"The modern form has been used since the first modern Olympics...but at our club we still value it as a traditional art form, and that prepares our competitors better for competition."