Club Bulletin # 290818

Hello Fencers!

• It's back to business as usual as we return to our Oasis Academy Brightstowe home. For those who have forgotten or never knew where we were, look here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/find-us/ 

• As a fitting start, we have our McNeill Cup Team Sabre competition for August.  It's the quintessential White Eagle event and goes back to our beginnings.  It's fun; it's mayhem.

• The month's deferred Epee Championship will be until Saturday (01/09/18).  There's still plenty of prodding to be done though, as spadassins wend back from their Summer resorts

• There is comforting continuity and there is exciting change: A beginner's sabre course starts on Wednesday, September 5th (7:30pm to 9pm).  It's a chance to get those basics really nailed down.  I'll be taking the course, so expect the usual digressions, reprised anecdotes and indecipherable diagrams on the whiteboard: classic coaching.  Details and enrolment form are here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/courses-and-workshops/

• On 12th December (6pm to 7:30) we begin the Bristol Fencing Academy: a training session for juniors who would like to develop their  There will be training games, individual progress logs and focussed tuition - as well as fencing.  Details and enrolment are here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/courses-and-workshops/

• Coach, Martin Dale will be leading foil he club at our Wednesday sessions, giving that weapon the support its growing popularity deserves.

• Our happy sojourn at Ashton Park is captured in these photographs from Saturday's session: from the Durant powerbeat-fleche to some excellent sabre skills - yes, it's Prime! (photography: Anna Grodent).

Club Bulletin # 220818

Hello Fencers!

We have two more sessions (22nd & 25th August) at our temporary venue at Ashton Park Sports Centre.  Fencers and coaches seem to be making the most of our new surroundings. 
We return to our Oasis Academy venue for the 29th.

Our epeeists pursue their business as usual but the Epee Championship for August will be moved to September 1st to allow it to take place in its customary venue.

And foil continues to prosper under the Maestro's hand (L to R: Stephen Findlay, Martin Dale and James Taylor):

Thanks to our coaching team of Anna Grodent, Martin Dale and Jon Mason for  keeping the flame burning bright.

See you soon,
                         John

Club Bulletin # 140818 Urgent Update on Venue

Hello Fencers!

Contrary to last week's bulletin, we shall be fencing at Ashton Park Sports Centre for the rest of August, including tomorrow (15th August).  Wednesday sessions will run from 8pm to 10pm and Saturdays from 10am to 12:30pm. If you need help or directions, call or text me on 0981927787.
 
We will return to our normal venue and times in September.
This is an awful fuss but with numbers picking up from the holidays, the Newman Hall would have been too small and we can have our picnic in September as a full fledged club social. 
With that settled we can focus on an action packed August and a glorious return in September to our refurbished eyrie.

Club Bulletin # 080818 Hawaiian Night At White Eagle FC Exile From The Oasis: Coaches Captured

Hello Fencers

There was, for reasons as yet unexplained, an Hawaiian theme to last evening's footwork warm-up: probably to do with the heat.
Thanks to Dan - presumably "Danno" for the day - Wilkinson for taking the picture and Rosemary Greenwood for the delicious brownies.

On a more prosaic level, there are shades of Nabonidus in reverse as we are exiled from the Oasis Academy for the sessions of 15th, 18th, 22nd & 25th of August.  The site is being refurbished and there is no access to be had to it.  Please note: We are still in the Oasis Academy on the 8th and 11th of August. 
As a difficulty can be just an  opportunity in disguise, we will be having a fencing picnic in the grounds of Kingsweston House, nearby to our normal venue.  I'll be there from 7pm.  In the event of rain, we shall adjourn to the charming Lamplighters Inn, by the river.  I'll keep members posted on the state of the weather on the day.
On the 18th, 22nd & 25th of August we shall be at Newman Hall, in Westbury-On-Trym.  We fenced there back in February in a similar emergency. All sessions  will run at the normal times.
We shall be back in our usual haunts from the 29th of August.
Kanda Lee kindly shared these images of some our brilliant Saturday coaches in action:




See you soon,
                          John

Club Bulletin # 010818 McNeill Cup Result Epee Champs For July T6 Teens

Hello fencers!

• On Wednesday a close and exciting McNeill Cup team sabre championship for August saw victory go to the team of (left to right) Rory Kelly and Anna Grodent. Well done to them and to all who took part.
• There was a fine turn out in these dog days for our Epee Championship for July. Podium places were: 1st: Jon Mason, 2nd: Sion Wilson, 3rd: Michael Papantoniou.
• Saturday also saw the final of our Term 6 Schools Championship. A match to ten points left Dario Blandford with Gold and Lucia Furr with Silver. Dario deployed his usual deft counter attacks and parried with precision. Lucia maintained pressure by relentless attacks, delivered with her customary determination. Well done and roll on Term 1 for our ever improving teens and tweens.

See you soon,
                         John

Club Bulletin # 240718: McNeill Cup For August August Epee Championships Commonwealth Bronze For Luke Mason Richard Kruse World Championships Silver

Hello fencers,

• A big week for Bristol White Eagle as we contemplate the McNeill Cup Team Sabre Championship for July. 
• On Saturday the epeeists have their fling in their August Championship.
• From the Commonwealth Junior & Cadet Fencing Championships in Newcastle, here come's a report from our epee coach, Jon Mason:

"Luke Mason 17' competed in the mens cadet epee 2018 commonwealth games in Newcastle today.
"He started well winning 5 out of 6 bouts in his pool giving him a 5th seed placement.
"He had a bye in the first D.E, then he fenced a welsh cadet winning 15 -9. Next up a fellow England fencer and friend, this was fairly close all through but Luke managed to get ahead an won 15 -13.
"A Canadian next, this was fairly one sided with Luke dominating all through winning 15 -10.
"The semi now, up against a fast aggressive though shorter Indian fencer. Luke had difficulty from the beginning letting the other guy push and score with fast well executed fleches, I was surprised there weren't more doubles. Luke changed tactics near the end and started having some success but he was too far behind losing 15-8.
"My pulse rate has just started dropping and we're both very happy with a Bronze."

• More good news for British fencing as Richard Kruse has won Silver at Men's Foil in the World Championships.  It's a well earned reward for Kruse and his coach Ziemek Wojciechowski.

See you soon,
                         John

Club Bulletin # 180718 Three Weapon Wednesday T6 Primary Sabre Championships Sabre Workshop An Ace From The Pack

Hello fencers!
 

• This Wednesday's session will be our usual mixture of foil, epee and sabre, with lessons available at all three. 
• Saturday (21st July) will see our T6 Primary School sabre competition  in full swing but there will be normal service at all three weapons for teens and adults.  The Secondary School championship for T6 will be on the 28th (28/07/18).
• I've had a query from a foilist keen to drop in to our session on the 21st.  Could I have some confirmation from the devotees of the subtle blade that they'll be on hand that day?
• A sabre workshop of the fencing World will be running on Saturday 28th of July, in the Assembly Hall at our usual venue.  It's perfect for beginners and all those looking to hone their basic skills - which is pretty much everyone.  The previous workshops were great fun and highly popular.  You can book your place here: https://www.bwefencing.co.uk/courses/
• As a bonbon to devotees of the slashing blade, here is a champion's performance from the Olympics of 2012: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGearEu2PlU
  
  See you soon,
                          John 

Club Bulletin # 030718 Epee Champion For June McNeill Cup Winners British Youth Modern Pentathlon Championships

Hello Fencers,

• June's laurels at epee went to Sion Wilson, who came top of a tough field in sweltering heat.  Well done Sion and well done to all who fought out the contest.
• The winning team in the month's McNeill Cup team sabre championship was made up of Jarno Boggia, Stephen Findlay, James Taylor and Tim Wye.   All the teams taking part fought hard, with matches going down to the last point of forty five: torrid stuff.
• I was privileged to attend the British Youth Modern Pentathlon Championships at the University of Bath.  It was a fiercely hot day and the gruelling aspect of the sport was never more apparent.  Our own Jack White put in his usual dominating performance in the pool and rode an almost faultless ride. An excellent 6th place improvement on last year, doesn't come close to reflecting the potential of the Bristol White Eagle fencer, who fought through an indifferent day on the piste and a punishing run and shoot with the grit and self-possession that mark the best type pf competitor.  A credit to the club, as ever.

See you soon,
                        John

Club Bulletin # 260618: Back Home McNeill Cup Team Sabre Epee Champs For June Slomo Segment

Hello Fencers!

We are back home for the forseeable future, from our sojourn in Bedminster Down School.  It was an excellent session, with an improvised team sabre competition, into which piled the epeeists once they had completed their internecine quarrels.  It was a most enjoyable morning. 
With the last Wednesday in the month, comes the McNeill Cup team sabre competition.  It's one of the cherished traditions of the club.  I'll try to remember the cup itself this time. 
Our Bristol White Eagle epee championship for June takes place on Saturday (30th June).  It's always hard fought and increasingly competitive, without ceasing to be fun.
For those looking for a little inspiration, here's a minute and two thirds of why we do this thing: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBCQFAYm2XM

See you soon,
                      John

Club Bulletin # 200618 Temporary Venue For 23rd June Only Euros From Novi Sad

Hello Fencers!
 

• For Saturday 23rd June only, we shall be at Bedminster Down School rather than ou usual venue. We will be in our usual time-slot.  From the 30th we will be back to our normal home. 
• The European Championships are currently taking place in Novi Sad.  For live coverage and previous days' matches, look here and there abouts.

See you soon,
                        John