It's that time of the year, Penn State fencing enthusiasts. Those of you that have been going through fencing withdrawal since the NCAA championships last April will be able to catch your first glimpse of the 2002-2003 Penn State fencing team when it hosts the Garret Penn State Open this weekend.
What's that you say? You didn't know Penn State had a fencing team? You don't know the first thing about fencing? Don't fret. Use this handy guide to help you learn the basics of fencing.
First, there are three kinds of weapons -- the foil, sabre and epee.
The foil may be the most complicated of the fencing events. To score a point, a fencer can only use the tip of the blade. The area that a fencer can strike is limited to above the waist, but not including the arms and head. To score a point, a fencer must have the "right to attack," which is determined by the first competitor to extend his arm. The "right to attack" is a concept similar to pre-rally scoring volleyball in which a team can only score if it is serving the ball.
The sabre event is very similar to the foil event in that the upper body is the target. Unlike the foil, however, the arms and head are fair game. In the sabre, a fencer can use the whole blade and traditionally scores a point by swinging in a chopping motion.
The epee is probably the least complicated of the fencing events. In the epee event, a fencer can hit his opponent anywhere (yes, anywhere). As in the foil, a fencer can only use the tip of the blade to score a point. Like the foil and unlike the sabre, a fencer cannot score a point by hitting his opponent with the side of the blade. Unlike both the foil and sabre, it does not matter which fencer attacks first, and if both strike at the same time, each will receive a point.
In a fencing competition, there are preliminary rounds and there are direct elimination rounds. In the preliminary rounds, the first fencer to five points is the winner. In the direct elimination rounds, the first fencer to 15 points is the winner.
Now you know the basics of fencing events, but who's who on the Penn State fencing team?
Head coach Emmanuel Kaidanov, now in his 21st season at Penn State, has led the fencing team to nine championships in 13 years, including seven titles in the last eight years. In more than 40 years as a fencing coach, he has posted a remarkable 514-37-1 record. Honored as United States Fencing Coaching Association (USFCA) Coach-of-the-Year in 1990, 1991 and 1996, Kaidanov has guided the men's team to top-three finishes in 17 out of 19 seasons and the women's team to six first-place finishes in the '90s.
This season's captains, junior Alex Weber and senior Jessica Clark, lead a younger fencing team than in years past.
En route to a fourth-place finish at the NCAA Championships and All-American status last season, Weber nearly went undefeated in the sabre, posting a 20-1 dual-match record. Weber competed in the 2000 Olympic games in Germany and the 2003 World Championships, winning the Bronze Medal in both events. An exceptional competitor on both the national and international levels, Weber will try to guide the men's team to the success that it enjoyed last season.
Known for her hard work and determination, Clark, who joined the team as a walk-on for the 1999-2000 season, has established herself as a team leader. A competitor in the sabre event, Clark has lettered all three years that she has been a member of the fencing team.
