Have you already heard of para fencing? It is a physical activity which combines finesse, dexterity, and strategy. Whether you use an foil, an épée or a sabre, each game is a showcase of technical and agility prowess. Put yourself in the shoes of an exceptional athlete whose keyword is self-surpassing and find out about the history, the rules of this sport as well as the equipment used by these exceptional duellists.
Where does para fencing come from?
The history of para fencing starts in England, more precisely at Soke Mandeville’s hospital after the end of the Second World War. In the beginning, it was simply a physical rehabilitation solution for the soldiers suffering from a motor disability and notably from spinal cord lesions. Over time, wheelchair fencing turned into a sport practice.
It appeared for the first time at the 1960’s paralympics. The existence of this discipline proves that the physical limits are not an obstacle to a successful sport experience. Nowadays, there are as many passionate people who practice in a leisurely way as people who take part in para fencing international competitions.
Who practices wheelchair fencing?
Wheelchair fencing is an inclusive and open discipline. It welcomes both men and women in adaptive competitions or for a leisurely practice and they either have paraplegia, tetraplegia, or hemiplegia. Fencers duel with a foil, a épée or with a sabre and they only use the upper part of their body.
In a competition such as the paralympic games, each para-athlete plays in a category depending on their physical capability. There are 3 categories:
- Class A gathers duellists who have a good torso balance. They can use their body to attack and parry,
- Class B gathers athletes who have a more limited central stability. But, despite their more severe disability, they show great dexterity and technical adaptability.
- Class C gathers players who are generally tetraplegic. Even though their mobility is reduced, they have exceptional technical qualities which allow them to compensate their movement restrictions.
Note that in France, wheelchair fencing is also open to people with a disability affecting the vision. Only the épée is used in that case. To guarantee that all duellists play on the same page in competitions, all fencers are blindfolded.
The practice of this sport demands an optimal physical form. Indeed, the player needs to have precise gesture coordination. They must master the extension of their arm when they strike and control the movement of their body when it bends backwards.
The nature of the fencer’s disability naturally affects their performance. But in any case, players show optimal strength and dexterity.
What is the specialised equipment duellists use in para fencing?
In para fencing, the player’s equipment allows to ensure their security and to offer them the most freedom of movement. Each fencer thus has:
- A stuffed jacket;
- An under armour;
- A full-face helmet;
- Gloves.
Every player sits in a sport wheelchair which is immobilised on the ground with a fixing device. This prevents any backward or forward movement. The wheelchairs made for competitive play offer a stability and a mobility adapted to the intensity of the duels.
PlayMoovin’ designed a sport light sport wheelchair which offers an excellent base to leisurely practice wheelchair fencing. The comfortable seat width can adapt to all sizes. On that note, the wheelchair comes in two versions:
- The FreeMoovin’ is adapted to adults;
- The KidsMoovin’ is adapted to children.
This wheelchair is easy to maintain and was made to be used in many cases. It is adapted to a variety of pitches and provides excellent stability and flawless safety to the athletes who want to start leisurely practice fencing.
What are the rules of para fencing?
The rules of wheelchair fencing are not completely different from the rules of more traditional fencing.
Duels take place following a precise protocol.
First of all, the player who moves first is positioned on the referee’s right. For the pitch configuration to be fair, the rules mention that the distance between the two players must be established according to the reach of the smallest arm.
The zone of the body the players can touch depend on the weapon used:
- With a foil, it is limited to the torso.
- With a sabre, it also goes over the waist.
- With an épée, it covers the whole upper part of the body above the waist and includes the helmet.
The amount of points a fencer must score to win varies depending on the phase of the competition:
- During the qualifying phase, the first fencer who gets 5 hits in 3 minutes wins the duel.
- In the final phase of the competition, a fencer must get 15 hits in 9 minutes (3 periods of 3 minutes each) to win.
- For team competitions, the team who gets 45 hits in maximum 9 relays wins the duel.
The “priority” principle plays a key role in foil and sabre duels. It gives the right to attack and thus decides the way the points are given. Priority is given to the duellist who starts the attack. If the other fencer parries it, they get the priority, allowing them to counter with the advantage.
In épée duels, every hit matters and the fencer who starts the attack is not taken into account. Thus, if the two fencers get a hit on each other simultaneously, the points are given to both of them without the need to give priority. This makes the bouts more direct. The objective is simply to hit the opponent before being hit, without worrying about who has the priority on the attack.
You will have understood that para fencing is a brilliant example of sport inclusion. It combines strategy, precision, and agility. The FreeMoovin’ is an ideal wheelchair to start practicing. If you want your students to test it or if you are a parasport association looking for a less expensive alternative to a professional sport wheelchair, we can help you. So you can call us at 04 73 24 60 86 or contact us through our website to meet us!
