ST ALBANS FENCING CLUB

So last week we kick started fencing for the new year… and a new decade… hello 2020!

The new club ladder league got underway and will run until the end of March.

We’re using a poule unique format so everyone can challenge anyone else but only once, in whatever weapon, and we’ve introduced a handicap system to level the playing field.

We’re hoping to get the league table & results up on the website soon so fencers can track their progress and plan their bouts.

Our Beginners moved onto using electrics for the first time last week – a huge step for fencing experience as that’s how we all fence at the club and in competitions.   It’s great to see them progress.

IMPORTANT CHANGES 

EPEE NIGHT has moved from 16th to 23rd January

AGM: The venue has moved to The King Harry PH.  Date remains Tues.18th Feb.

Please come and get involved in how the club is run and participate if you can.  The club is run by volunteers and many hands make light work!

Please let us know if you are coming, so we can plan catering & seating accordingly; either let a committee member know, or go our Facebook page

Our next Taster Session is scheduled for 6th Feb, please help spread the word.  It’s only a tenner to try this wonderful sport and that cost is refundable against a Beginners Course.

Don’t forget: members can qualify for a ‘refer a friend’ cashback on their own membership, too.

HOUSEKEEPING

Contact details – Please fill in a form. Fencers thanks for signing in each week, BUT if you’ve not filled in the Personal Details Form please take 5 mins to do that this week.

The form gives us details about you, and gives us a contact in case something happen to you on a fencing night. The form also logs your BF number ad saves you having to type it in each week. We’ll make you refill the form once a year and of course the form is securely stored and only available to the relevant people on the committee.

Club equipment amnesty – Do any of you have any club kit or equipment in your fencing bag or lying around at home? Please have a look for wires, gloves, weapons, anything that belongs to the club.  No questions asked, please just bring them back and let Armourer Bird know.

EXTERNAL EVNTS

The HFA Senior County Championship is happening here in St Albans on Sun.19th April – further details HERE

It’s the Eastern Region Senior Championship (& GB qualifier) on Sunday 8th May.

Venue TBC, more details HERE

And finally…. a bit of fun – caption this:

How about ‘absence of blade’ as a starter for 10, but let us have your efforts.

We’ll put it on our Facebook page for you to comment.

Welcome to 2020!

Fencing restarts this Thursday, 9th Jan and we look forward to seeing you there.

In the meantime, let’s catch up on the highlights of our last night’s fencing way back in 2019:

SAFC won the 3 Counties League overall for 2019!

Dacorum’s captain Ian received the inaugural Pam Price Trophy for winning the Epee.  Watford took the foil honours.

Young Chris won himself a Leon Paul Magne-Tin for the ‘Best Attendance’ award for 2019.

And last but by very no means least…  TGFBO result:

Armourer Bird took the honours with some frankly amazing doughnuts… mmmm, delicious

And with 2019 done and dusted, it’s time to move on with events in 2020:

• The Club Ladder League will be restarting this week and will run through to end of March – more details to be announced at training.
• Next week Thurs 16th Jan is our first Epee Night of 2020.  Coach Lajos will be taking the group warm up and be available for individual lessons.
• Our Beginners will be on their 7th week of their course, as it draws to a close at the end of January.  And speaking of Beginners….
• Our next Beginners Course is planned for the start of February – taster session(s) available in advance.  Dates are TBC, please contact us if you would like to know more!

>>SAVE THE DATE – SAFC AGM – Tues. 18.02.2020 @ 8pm<<

The Club’s Annual General Meeting will be on Tues. 18th Feb.

All are welcome to attend and have a say in the running of the club.   Members paying quarterly or monthly are entitled to vote.

The club doesn’t run itself and a surprising amount of work happens behind the scenes to make it all happen as smoothly as it does.  So we welcome any opportunities for people to get involved and help share the load.

20.00 at the The King Harry pub, St Albans ( 2 King Harry Ln, St Albans AL3 4BL).  Food provided.

Please let us know if you are coming, so we can plan catering & seating accordingly; either let a committee member know, or go our Facebook page

See you at Practice – don’t be late for the warm-up and announcements!

SANTA IS ALMOST HERE… AND HE LOVES EPEE (YES HE REALLY DOES)

The bad news is… tonight 19th Dec is our last night fencing in 2019.  Boooooo!

The good news is… it’s Epee Night followed by the Great Fencing Bake Off.  Yaaaaaay!

We’ll be announcing various results from the year.  There *will* be prizes.  Don’t for-get your bag-uettes.

SAFC wishes all of our members and visitors a happy Christmas and New Year…. see you in 2020!

Fencing resumes on Thurs. 9th Jan

Jingle bells at the ready:  En garde…. ready….. BAKE!!!!!!

A month ago we reported on the British Fencing requirement that an 800N / CEN2 level glove must be used for sabre fencing – this is not something new, it has in fact been mandatory for some time:

URGENT SAFETY NOTICE – SABRE GLOVES

We’ve found a deal at Leon Paul for a compliant glove for just £30!!  That’s £15 cheaper than you’ll find anywhere else.

Armourer Bird is making a trip to LP this Wednesday (18th Dec) so if you’d like him to collect a glove for you (and therefore save £10 postage) please visit the LP size guide and make sure you choose the right size, then email stalbansfencingclub@googlemail.com with your name, glove size and specify RH or LH… and bring your £30 along on to practice on Thursday.

The glove is a club and national comp standard glove, it is not suitable for international comps because the lame material does not extend all the way back under the cuff.  The glove is full 800N standard and absolutely fine for club and national comps.

NB: This is a special price, we’re not sure how long it will be available for, so if you’re interested don’t hesitate.  The gloves are not being advertised on the LP site at this price.

THIS WEEK

On Monday SAFC visited University of Herts. Fencing Club for a friendly foil & epee team relay match.

SAFC won the foil 45:36 but in the epee UHFC were ahead with a score of 26:12 at stoppage time when the sports centre closed.  SAFC were pulling it back though….

Thanks to Anna and Billy from UHFC for hosting us and a great turn out from SAFC:  Giles, Simon, Flash Gordon, Bird, Bryant, Philip, Sir John of Broxbourne & Hazel.   We look forward to another match next year!

We’re going to run a club team relay comp at practice this week – should be fun…!

NEXT WEEK

It’s the SAFC Christmas bash on Friday 13th December: don’t miss out as there’s only a limited number of places remaining

>>Visit the shop for tickets, menu choices and more info<<

THE WEEK AFTER

19th Dec. is our last fencing for 2019 so we are going out with an ‘En Garde, Ready, BAKE!’