Individual Events
A minimum of five fencers (of both genders) are required to be entered into an event for it to be considered as viable. Alterations to this policy, where it is felt that it is to the benefit of the fencers and the sport, that the competition goes ahead with less than 5 fencers, are at the discretion of the Fencing Victoria Executive. Any alterations to the format of the competition, due to an Executive ruling that fewer than 5 fencers can compete, will be at the discretion of the Competition Manager.
Competitions will be “mixed” (include fencers of both genders) in the poule round and direct elimination rounds only if there are three or fewer fencers of either gender subject to the consent of the participants.
Initial rankings for Poule Allocation, will be at the discretion of the Tournament Director and will be based on the following:
- the current calendar year-to-date results for fencers who have previously competed in the either FV or AFF events in the current calendar year
- the final FV rankings for the calendar year preceding the current calendar year for fencers who have not previously competed in FV or AFF competitions in the current calendar year
- where a fencer is based interstate or previously outside of Australia and has no competition history at either FV or AFF events, consideration will be made with regard to their interstate or overseas results
- any other considerations that the Competition Manager may deem appropriate to balance the poules for competitive equality
At all times, the Tournament Director holds the sole discretion to allocate fencers to poules in the initial round. Following the completion of poules, rankings used in the Direct Elimination phase will be as per the result from the poules phase.
Where four or more fencers of one gender are present, competitions will be mixed in the poule round only.
Summary: There must be 5 fencers for there to be a competition. In the event that there are 3 or fewer of one gender in a larger competition, the competition will be mixed all the way through. If there are 4 fencers of one gender in a larger competition, there will be mixed poules, with separate DEs, with only a gold and silver medal awarded. If there are at least 5 fencers of each gender, they will be separate poules and DEs.
Direct elimination bouts in Under 9, 11, Schools League events and Veterans events will be competed to 10 hits, all other direct elimination bouts will be competed to 15 hits.
In Veteran events, a handicap will be awarded at the beginning of each bout, to each fencer based on their age as at the date of the competition, as follows:
- For fencers aged 50-59 – 1 hit (pools); 2 hits (DE)
- For fencers aged 60-69 – 2 hits (pools); 4 hits (DE)
- For fencers aged 70-79 – 3 hits (pools); 6 hits (DE)
- For fencers aged 80-89 – 4 hits (pools); 8 hits (DE)
- where both fencers have a handicap, these cancel out. If both fencers have a +1 handicap, then the fencers both start at 0 points. If one fencer has a +3 handicap and the other a +1 handicap, then the score starts at 2-0.
On-piste weight (Foil/Epee) and travel (Epee) tests will be compulsory at all Open events and age-based State Championships at the direct elimination round.
Individual competitors will fence off for third and fourth places.
Where there is a B elimination tableau, third and fourth places will be awarded based on rankings at the semi-final stage of the B tableau.
Except in a B tableau, the number of medals awarded will be determined by the number of fencers entering the DE round as follows:
- Where there are 4 fencers in the DE round, a gold and silver are awarded.
- Where there are 5-9, a gold, silver, and bronze are awarded. Where there are 10+, a gold, silver, and equal bronzes are awarded.
- Where there are greater than 64 entries, Top 8 medals are awarded.
In a B tableau, a Gold medal will be awarded for the First place only.
Medals will not be awarded for gender positions if the DE rounds were not as separated by gender – i.e. in the case of a Mixed Poules/Mixed DE competition, medals will only be awarded according to final classification and no gender specific medals will be presented.
Event Timing Conflicts
Where an individual is entered in two competitions and they overlap in timing, the fencer must inform the Tournament Director before the commencement of the roll call of the second competition which event they wish to complete. Where no nomination is made, the Tournament Director will deem the fencer to have withdrawn from the later event, without further consultation with the fencer.
Team Events
No event will be conducted if less than three teams are present.
Teams Competitions will be conducted in a manner to be determined by the Tournament Director on the day.
Unless otherwise indicated, Team Events are OPEN Competitions and the Equipment Rules pertaining to OPEN competitions will apply.
For Team Events, a Gold medal will be awarded to each member of the winning team.
If 5 or 6 Teams compete in the same event, a Silver medal will also be awarded to each member of the second place team.
If 7 or more Teams compete in the same event, a Silver medal will also be awarded to each member of the second place team and a Bronze medal will also be awarded to each member of the third placed team.
School Team Events
Schools Events follow the rules above for Team Events, with some additional requirements:
- Teams may be mixed gender. If three or more entries of each gender are received, the event will be split by gender. Otherwise, teams will fence each other, mixed or single-sex.
- All team members must come from the same school (but not necessarily the same campus).
(Excerpt from the Fencing Victoria Procedures Manual, passed by Council on 21 Oct 2009 and as amended)
Interim Transgender Competition Policy
Fencing Victoria is currently in the process of completing a policy around trans fencers competing in Fencing Victoria competitions. Fencing Victoria is also awaiting the release of the Australian Fencing Federation Policy regarding trans fencers competing.
While this is being done the Fencing Victoria board has agreed to allow trans fencers to enter Category 2 competitions based on the gender they identify as.
If you have any issues entering competitions please get in touch with Robyn at operations@fencingvictoria.org. If you have any appropriate questions regarding this matter please contact Tuulia at diversity@fencingvictoria.org or Emily at communications@fencingvictoria.org.
Heat Policy for Competitions
The Fencing Victoria Heat Policy is attached in a PDF below.
Podium Standards
SCHOOLS LEAGUE COMPETITIONS – Fencers must wear EITHER School approved clothing (jacket/polo/sports top or as mandated by the respective school) OR fencing whites (Jacket) zip done up.
FENCING VICTORIA COMPETITIONS – Fencers must wear EITHER Club or State approved clothing. If a fencer is not able to present in these approved clothing items, they may wear fencing whites, breeches & jacket with the jacket zip done up.
When the broadcast curtains are up at the State Fencing Center, only non black face masks are allowed.
SHOES MUST BE WORN ON THE PODIUM
These standards are effective May 6 2019.
Black Card Policy – https://fencingvictoria.org.au/?page_id=298
FV Heat Policy – https://fencingvictoria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/heat-policy-1.pdf
Age Verification Policy – https://fencingvictoria.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Age-Verification-Policy-2.pdf
