CROSSED BLADES FENCING CLUB CELEBRATES ITS FIRST ANNIVERSARY

Lunge! Pary and riposte! The sound of steel against steel echoes through the room, as two swordsmen, clad in in whites and wearing protective mesh masks, test each others speed and reflexes, vying for the final hit that will spell victory or defeat. This is the Art of Fencing.

The Crossed Blades Fencing Club is about to celebrate its' first anniversary. The Club has grown slowly but steadily, and sometimes by a leap or a bound, when a new Zorro or Muskateers movie is released. The Club practises both sport (modern) and classic (dueling related) styles of the Art.

European fencing is both a modern sport, and an ancient martial arts discipline, that still remains a standard part of many military officer training corps, as well as a major component of the physical education curriculum of many of Europe's finest private schools. It remains one of the last surviving vestiges of the age of chivalry and honor.

Modern fencing is the sport version, that gained entry into the Olympics in 1914. Competition is done in three weapon divisions; foil, epee, and sabre.

Foil is a light sword that evolved from a French and Italian practise sword, originally used by the fencing academies of the renaissance as a training tool. The target area for foil is the torso only. Foil rules are characterised by a complex system of "right of way" that makes the contest a very demanding mental game, as well as a highly aerobic physical one.

The Epee is the direct descendant of the dueling rapier, and is the heaviest and one of the most demanding weapons of the sport, as the entire body is a valid target.

The third weapon, the Sabre, is the only slashing weapon of the sport, and is much like the cavalry sword it draws its name from. the sabre target is from the waist up, and is considered the fastest of the three events.

Consider fencing as an exciting part of your fitness program. It is fun and fast! Some experts say fencing involves chess-like strategy, but played out at blinding speed.