Club Bulletin # 010518: McNeill Cup Result Epee Champ For April Sabre Workshop Success Saturday Juniors: New Look Junior Eagles Web Page Video: Sabre At Its Best

Hello Fencers!

• The McNeill Cup winning team for April was Jarno Boggia, Cyrus and Anna A.  It was a hard fought competition, as I can attest from personal experience.  I was reminded how much fun these matches are.  
• Our Epee Championship was won by Jon Mason, with Sion in second and Tim and Jack in equal third.
• Saturday's sabre workshop was a great success.  Led and planned by Anna Grodent, ably assisted by Robert Greenwood, students were taken through the basics of fencing the weapon and a couple of them were on the second time around.  Several of the graduates are planning to come along to the club this week or next and I'm sure we'll all give them the traditional White Eagle welcome.
• Our Junior sessions on Saturdays have been revised to give more focus to training.  Maestro Martin Dale will be giving individual lessons at all three weapons to adults and juniors.  This is your chance to get some serious tuition.  Games, footwork and skill groups will be delivered by the rest of our coaching team in the first part of the session, with electric fencing in the second.  The emphasis will be on focus and fun.
• We now have a page on the club website dedicated to our Junior Eagles.  It's long overdue and can be found here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/junior-eagles-club/
• For a dash of inspiration I recommend our slashers cast an eye over this from 2013: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9UxCVAR-tlI .  It's 50 minutes into the YouTube video, in case the link does not, as it should, take you there automatically. Even our prodders should enjoy it.

See you soon,
                     John

Club Bulletin # 240418: Sabre Workshop Excalibur Results McNeill Cup Epee Champs Local Competitions Coming Up

Hello Fencers!

• This Saturday (28th April) we are holding the next of our sabre workshops.  A great chance to catch up or be introduced to the essential basics of the weapon, you can sign up here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/courses/
• Gloucestershire's county team came third in last weekend's Excalibur inter-county championship, ahead of Somerset - which matters.  White Eagle and associated fencers were in the teams: Anna Grodent, in her second consecutive year of representative fencing was in the Women's Sabre team while Ruth Taylor made a welcome return at Foil.  Luke and Jon Mason were part of the strong Men's Epee team.  Well done to them and to all of our county fencers.
• The McNeill Cup team sabre championship for March will be contested this week (25th April). It's our oldest competition and is always fun and exciting.
• Our epeeists can have their say in the argument of blades on Saturday (28th April) when the Epee Championship for this month will be decided.  Our ever growing epee cadre will fight it out in the usual poule unique.
• Two good local competitions are in the offing: The Wellington Open will feature Sabre on the 19th and Foil and Epee on the 20th of May.  Details and entry forms can be had from me on request.

See you soon,
                      John

Club Bulletin # 180418: Sabre Workshop Weapons Maintenance Class Group Footwork CLF/White Eagle Junior Sabre

Hello Fencers!

• On Saturday 28th April we will be running a sabre workshop for those interested in taking up or refining their knowlege of the weapon details are on our club website here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/courses/
• Coach Martin Dale has very kindly agreed to take a class in armourer's skills, as requested by several of our fencers.  If you are interested, please let me know and I'll arrange a date and a venue.
• The voluntary group footwork session on Wednesdays has proved popular and will continue.  It's a great way to warm-up in the modern style.
• Last Saturday (14th April), our club and our Cabot Learning Federation affiliate put on a junior sabre event.  It was a great success and I was greatly impressed by the standard of fencing and sportsmanship displayed.  Everyone seemed to have fun and I had a fine time myself.  I've pasted the report of CLF coach, Nigel Cooley below my signature.

See you soon,
              John
 Saturday April 14th saw the annual CLF Fencing Academy & White Eagle Fencing Club Sabre Championship. A total of 32 fencers came from BMA, JCA, Bristol White Eagle, Bristol White Eagle Inner-City Fencing Academy and associated primary schools. Hosted at BMA, results were as follows:
 
U16 Boys
Cyrus Bond (Gold) and Maciej Oledzki (Silver) BMA
U16 Girls
Aishat Ayinde (Gold) BMA
U14 Boys
Rueben Hillier (Gold) and Xaxier Hillier(Silver) WE
Joe Hayes-Lynch WE & Jamie Honeywill BMA (Bronze)
U14 Girls
Khanh Pham  (Gold), Esme Tromans (Silver) and Hannah Bufton (Bronze) BMA
U12 Boys
Luke Burfoot (Gold) WE
U12 Girls
Mia Nutbeam  (Gold), Lucia Furr (Silver) WE
U10 Boys
Raul Blasco Mitcell (Gold) Arlo Hugh Jones (Silver), Xavier Stockhausen & Michael Silence Davis (Bronze)
U8's
Alonzo Earl (Gold) BWEFC-IFA Savana Earl (Silver)BWEFC-IFA , Ernest Boggon - Colston's - & Dexter Grodent (Bronze) WE

All the students were a great credit to their Academies and clubs.
 
Many thanks to John Rohde, Head Coach of White Eagle Fencing Club. His support, loan of essential equipment and expertise.

Special thanks to the referees John Dawkins, Martin Dale, Patrick Durant, Robert Greenwood and John Rohde.

Special mentions to Stephen Findlay,  Anna Grodent, Rosemary Greenwood and Rachel White for helping out in various ways. It was greatly appreciated!!!
 
Finally, many thanks to Glenis Hills, my partner, who has supported this Saturday festival again.
 
Kind Regards
 
Nigel Cooley
 
CLF Fencing Academy

Club Bulletin # 100418: Extended Saturday Sessions CLF/White Eagle Sabre

Hello fencers!

• The experiment of the last month of extending the club's Saturday morning session will now continue for the foreseeable future.  The junior class will still run from 10am to 12pm but the club will be open from 9.30am to 12.30am and all fencers are welcome to take advantage of the extended time for lessons and fencing.
• A reminder that the CLF/White Eagle Sabre Championship is on Saturday, 14th of April at Bristol Metropolitan Academy, Snowdon Rd, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 2HD.  This is our own tournament so we should see a near full turnout from our fencers in categories from Under 8 to Under 16. Entry forms will be available at the club and can be had from me by email. Registration opens at 1.30pm. Fencing to commence from 1.45pm; Awards Ceremony about 4.15pm.

See you soon,
             John

Club Bulletin # 030418: March Epee Championships Luke Mason At Cadet Worlds McNeill Cup Result CLF/White Eagle Championship

Hello Fencers!

• Luke Mason, talented son of our talented coach, Jon Mason took part on Tuesday in the Cadet World Championsips in Verona. A 13:15 match ended within the first period saw Luke go out to an Israeli fencer in the round of 64. This is an excellent performance by Luke in his first season of international competition and his first World Championships, confirming his progess as a force on the World stage.
• Closer to home, Jon Mason came first in the club epee championship for March. Nick Scott-Samuel was second and Jack White third. Saturday morning epee continues to prosper in terms of both quality and numbers.  Well done to all concerned.
• The McNeill Cup team sabre championship for March was won by the team of Gianna Colligiani, Ed Barnett and Patrick DiCamillo.  It was particularly gratifying to see Patrick back at the club: one of the first of the few at White Eagle.
• Nigel Cooley, coach of our Cabot Learning Federation affiliate club, is hosting CLF/White Eagle Championship on Saturday, 14th of April at Bristol Metropolitan Academy, Snowdon Rd, Fishponds, Bristol, BS16 2HD.  This is our own tournament so we should see a near full turnout from our fencers in categories from Under 8 to Under 16. Entry forms will be available at the club and can be had from me by email.

Registration opens at 1.30pm. Fencing to commence from 1.45pm.

Sabre   U16 Girls                              Sabre U16 Boys
Sabre   U14 Girls                              Sabre U14 Boys
Sabre   U12 Girls                              Sabre U12 Boys
Sabre   U10 Girls                              Sabre U10 Boys
Sabre   U8 Mixed

Awards Ceremony about 4.15pm.

See you soon,
             John

Club Bulletin # 280318: McNeill Cup Today! Epee Champs Saturday

Hello Fencers,
 

• Today (Wednesday, 28th) we contest the McNeill Cup team sabre championship for March.  It comes hard on the heels of the delayed February competition, which was a ripsnorter.  Always fun for all levels, pile in and lay on and bon chance!
• Saturday will see the epeeists at odds for the March Epee title.  A poule unique with plenty of matches, this feast of foining has become a monthly highlight of the prodders calendar. 

See you soon,
                         John

Club Bulletin # 210318: Jayne Rohde Rose Bowl Who Is For Extended Sessions On Saturday?

Hello Fencers!

• Bristol White Eagle Fencing Club hosted the Jayne Rohde Bowl, the inter-school sabre championships for School Years 2, 3 & 4. This was also the T4 contest for those age groups. The trophy went to Colston's Primary in a close and exciting contest. Thanks to the referees: Gianna Colligiani, Nigel Cooley, Dan Wilkinson, facilitator Rosemary Greenwood, organiser Anna Grodent and tournament referee, Jon Dawkins.Coaches Anna Grodent and Robert Greenwood taught a large group of students, teens and Years 5 & 6, under difficult conditions.  They and the self-governing collective that is the epee group when coach Jon Mason is away, made the packed hall hum with fencing.  Thanks to all who helped.
• For the last two Saturdays we have had extended adult sessions, running from 9.30 to 12.30. That allows more time for fencing and gives coaching members a chance to get in some fencing.  I intend to continue that for one more week and invite opinions.

See you soon,
                     John

Club Bulletin # 130318: McNeill Cup Result Trevor Johnson Plate Zorro: The Musical Level One Coaching Course

Hello Fencers!

• An eventful week has passed.  February's McNeill Cup was belatedly decided on Wednesday (7th March), with a tense final won by the team of Ed Barnett, Jarno Boggia and Mikołaj Ciezkowski, with Ruben Hillier substituting in the first marches of the first round.  Well done to them!  
• Saturday saw the inter-school, Trevor Johnson Plate contested with individual medals also up for grabs.  The School Years 5 & 6 fencers displayed some brilliant fencing, with deep lunges, compound attacks, textbook parries and a particularly scintillating stop-cut to wrist from White Eagle, Julia Karlinska that will have gladdened the heart of her coach.  The Plate was won by Elmlea Juniors who have an exciting crop of young stars in those age groups and presented by its donor and John Cabot Learning Federation coach, Nigel Cooley.  Amid the skill and courage, what stood out was the courtesy with which these children fenced: courtesy to each other and to referees.  Even those vexed temperamental issues, rallied and bore down to show respect and appreciation to all.  That is the White Eagle ethos at it's best and makes me proud to be a part of it.
• Year 6 medallists were: Gold: Peter Scott-Samuel (BWEFC/BGS); Silver: Sam Polkinghorne (Elmlea Juniors); Bronze: Morgan Blandford (BWEFC/Shirehampton Primary) & Harry Myland (Elmlea Juniors).
• Year 5: Gold: Max Ingham (Elmlea Juniors); Silver: Teagan Welland (Elmlea Juniors); Bronze: Jamie Dennis (Holy Trinity) & Monty Guy (Elmlea Juniors).
• Saturday evening a devoted coterie paid homage in the temple of the Muses that is the Redgrave Theatre, to see three of our best tread the boards.  Jon Dawkins, Patrick Durant and Tim Wye outshone the divas and tenors, the gypsy dancers and singing campesinos to bring depth, style and elegance to their roles as dashing soldados, defending law and order in Old California.  Zorro: The Musical https://redgravetheatre.com/event/2018/03/zorro/240/ was a toe-tapping, heel stamping, hand clapping festival of brio, enlivened with a youthful, vivacious cast, good voices, high stepping dancers and three White Eagle fencers.  The thirteen Bristol White Eagle stagedoor Janes and Johnnies had a terrific time and were regaled by the backstage tales of their thespian heroes at the Alma Tavern after.  A dazzling night out: parricide was never more entertaining.
• Those who missed the boat for our last Level 1 Coaching Coaching might like to enroll in the one coming up in Bath (Bristol's dormitory suburb).  Details are given here: http://www.britishfencing.com/courses/upcoming-courses/BFITCFSWBath0405042018   All possible support will be forthcoming from the club, as ever.

See you soon,
               John
 

Club Bulletin # 070318: Return To Normalcy MCNeill Cup Team Sabre Schools Championships An Extra Hour On Saturdays: 9.30 to 12.30 Zorro The Musical: Update Wellington Age Groups

Hello Fencers!

• At last the elements have relented and the club is back meeting in its usual venue.  In the spirit of the Windmill Theatre, our boast has been that we never close but this blitz of exams and weather has meant a prolonged hiatus.
• The disruption has meant that the McNeill Cup for February will take place this evening (7th March).  Let's have a bumper turnout to whistle defiance to adversity.
• On the next two Saturdays (10th & 17th March) we will have our inter-school sabre championships.  School years 5 & 6 will compete for the Trevor Johnson Plate on the 10th, years 2, 3 & 4 on the 17th, for the Jayne Rohde Bowl.  Helpers and referees would be welcome.
• To facilitate the competitions, I have booked the Sports Hall from 9:30 to 12:30 for the next two Saturdays.  It's also by way of an experiment to see if it might be worth permanently extending our Saturday hours.  So, turn up and enjoy your extra hour of fencing!
• The coterie of our three thespians who are in Zorro are to rendezvous at the Redgrave Theatre before the 7:30 curtain up on Saturday evening.  I'll be there, with the tickets, from 7:00.  There will be some sort of social activity afterwards but the details aren't clear.  I'll keep you posted.  
• Our younger fencers have just time to register for The Wellington Age Groups, an excellent competition for the Under 18's.  Details are here:https://www.facebook.com/groups/466238123555915/

See you soon,
                     John

Club Bulletin # 260218: Apologies For Last Week One Night In Westbury-On-Trym McNeill Cup February Epee Champion Hats Off To Anna & Gianna

Hello Fencers!

• Abject apologies to all for the semi-shambles of last week's cancellation of the Wednesday, 21st February session. A burst water main meant that there was no running water in the school and the owners of the site were prevented by regulations form opening the school in that condition.
• We won't have access to our venue again this week, due to a parents' evening at the school.  We have secured an alernative venue for the evening at Newman Hall, Westbury-On-Trym.  Click  here for directions. It will for the usual 7:30pm to 10pm.  We'll be back to normal from then on.
• February's McNeill Cup team sabre championship for February will be contested on Wednesday. 
• Our Club Epee Championship was resolved on Saturday and the winner was Jon Mason, with Patrick Durant in second and Paul Dougall in third.
• Hats off to coaches, Gianna Colligiani and Anna Grodent.  They ran our first, and their first, beginners' sabre workshop ;last Saturday and took their nine students through the fundamentals of that weapon.  A successful and joyous event!

See you soon,
                       John