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Fencing is a sport developed over
hundreds of years which consists of three separate disciplines,
or weapons: foil, epee, and sabre. Each weapon has a rich history
and a style influenced by the style of weapon and fighting it descended
from. Generally, a competitive fencer will specialize in one of
the three weapons. Foil can be one of the more physically demanding
events, Sabre is acknowledged as the quickest event, while Epee
is considered a game of tactics and precision.
Foil
Descended from the 18th century small
sword, the foil has a thin, flexible blade with a square cross-section
and a small bell guard. Touches are scored with the point on the
torso of the opponent, including the groin and back. Foil is governed
by conventions in the form of rules of right-of-way (priority) to
determine the precedence of the attack.
Epee
Similar to the duelling swords of
the mid-19th century, epees have stiff blades with a triangular
cross section, and large bell guards. Touches are scored with the
point, anywhere on the opponent's body. Unlike foil and sabre, there
are no rules of right-of-way to decide which attacks have precedence,
and double hits are possible.
Sabre
Descended from duelling sabres of
the late 19th century, which were in turn descended from naval and
cavalry swords, sabres have a light, flat blade and a knuckle guard.
Touches can be scored with either the point or the edge of the blade,
anywhere above the opponent's waist, including the head. Sabre is
governed by conventions in the form of rules of right-of-way (priority)
to determine the precedence of the attack.
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