Protective equipment and clothing
Main rules
The main requirement for protective gear is the capability of receiving a clear thrusting or slashing hit without any consequences for the duelist’s health.
A duelist must wear a mask, body armor, kneepads and padded gloves. Groin protection is also required.No part of the body may be open.
Protection is every duelist’s personal responsibility.
Any non-historical protective gear (sport gear, motorcycle gear or other plastic protection), must be concealed under the clothes or otherwise covered by garments.
All protective gear will be checked for safety compliance before the Tournament.
Personal hand and leg armor is required. Duelists can share protective gear, but no extra time is given for the exchange process.
In case a duelist’s equipment has not passed the check, he can try to improve it on the go, but if it fails the check again, he is forbidden from using it.
In case a duelist’s protective gear goes out of working condition during the Tournament, the owner must resolve the issue as soon as possible without waiting for a request from the referees.
Head
A 1600 Н Fencing Mask is a necessary part of protective gear. It is imperative to have nape protector on the mask. The latter must be capable of protecting the back of the head from a slashing hit.
Body
Any historical body armor is accepted (gambeson, jerkin, doublet), if it is thick enough, has a high protective collar and no openings, especially over armpits and elbows.
The main requirement for body armor is the capability of receiving a clear thrusting or slashing hit without any damage.
Body armor with openings may be accepted only in case it has additional protective layers over those zones and the Main referee agrees on its usage.
Other
Both knees protection is imperative
Construction of the protective gear is allowed to be variable: sport plastic knee-pad, gamboised or any else. The main requirement for other armor is the capability of receiving a clear thrusting or slashing hit without any damage.
Groin protection is imperative(as an exception, a duelist may have body armor that protects the groin completely, but this cases must be agreed upon with the organizers. The main requirement for groin protection is the capability of receiving a clear thrusting or slashing hits without any risk of trauma).
Legs and feet armor is highly recommended.
Main weapon
The main weapon is a steel “brette” (court sword, Renaissance rapier).
Maximum weapon length from the point of the blade to the pommel of the hilt is120 cm.
Weapon weighmust be between 1000 gram to 1300 gram.
The blade must bend in case of a thrusting hit. The only accepted material is steel.
The «tip» of the blade must be equipped with a safe point d'arrêt.
The blade must be free of chipping, barbs or sharp zones.
Secondary weapons
Buckler
Buckler – a wooden or metal shield (maximum diameter is35 cm).
A wooden buckler must have proper edging, while a steel buckler must have a rolled edge. The edging of a buckler must be free from chipping, barbs or sharp zones.
Buckler must not have any peculiarities of shape that can break the weapon or armor of the opponent.
Buckler can only be used for defence.
Any offensive moves with a buckler are forbidden, unless they are not directed at the opponent.
Main gauche
Main gauche – a fencing dagger (maximum lengthfrom the point of the blade to the pommel of the hilt is60 cm).
Main gauche blade must be free from must be free from chipping, barbs or sharp zones.
The «tip» of the maine gauche blade must be blunt, or equipped with a safe point d'arrêt.
Main gauche must not have any peculiarities of shape that can break the weapon or armor of the opponent.
Main gauche can only be used for defence.
Any offensive moves with a main gauche are forbidden, unless they are not directed at the opponent.
Gauntlet
Maximum gauntlet gaiter length is20 cm, maximum width – 15 cm (around its curvature).
Hits into the gauntlet do not score.
A duelist can block or move away the opponent's hits with his gauntlet.
In case the palm of the gauntlet is equipped with chainmail, the duelist can use it to block, move or grab the opponent's weapon.
Without such protection, hits into the palm score.
The gauntlet can only be used for defence.
Any offensive moves with a gauntlet are forbidden, unless they are not directed at the opponent.
Cloak
Only cloaks made of leather, thick wool or other thick fabric are accepted. In case the material is thin, the thickness of the cloak must be at least 2 mm, achieved by layering or additional lining.
A hanging cloak does not count as protection from hits.
In case the cloak is completely wrapped around the duelist's arm, it counts as arm protection and can be used to block hits into the arm.
Regardless of how the cloak is wrapped, the arm is only protected up to the elbow, so hits into the zone between the elbow and the shoulder score.
The cloak is the only secondary weapon that can be used in offensive manner regardless of the target – not just to bind the weapon, but also to disrupt the opponent's vision.
In case a duelist's secondary weapon does not pass a safety check, he can use the weapon provided by the organizers, of there is one.
II. Dueling rules
Main rules
Every competitor chooses the secondary weapon he wants to use in a duel with secondary weapons.
The arena is rectangle shaped, 4х6 metres.
Before commencing the duel, the participants must stand in front of each other on starting positions, with their front leg behind the special starting marks.
The duel starts after the “Fight” command and stops after “Stop” command, issued by the main referee. The timer starts on the “Fight” command and stops after “Stop” command.
The participants must stop after hearing the “Stop” command.
A winning duelist gets 2 points.
A losing duelist gets 0 points.
After three mutual “touche”, both duelists are considered losing and get 0 points each.
Mutual “touches” are both scoring and both the duelists get the points depending on the hit zone.
Hit zones and scoring
Thrusting hit into the “Head” zone – 3 points;
Thrusting hit into the “Torso” zone (chest+belly) – 2 points;
Slashing hit into the “Head-Neck” zone – 2 points;
Thrusting hit into the gorget of the mask (not the neck) – 2 points;
Thrusting / slashing hit into “Main weapon hand” zone – 2 points;
Slashing hit into the “Torso-Limbs” zone – 1 point;
Thrusting hit into the limbs – 1 point;
Losing the main weapon – 1 point to the opponent;
Moving out of the arena with both legs – 1 point to the opponent.
Falling on more than three fulcrums – 2 points to the opponent
Exceptions:
- the duelist strikes a “touche” before falling on more than three fulcrums;
- extra fulcrums are a result of a planned maneuver (rolling, etc.);
- in case of a full lunge, when one of the legs is completely landed (on foot and knee) and one hand is on the ground.
Afterblow
An “Afterblow”(further in the text – “AB”) is a “touche” performed after opponent’s “touche”. A retribution hit. Time limit is 1 “fencing tempo”. Fencing tempo is a time right after an opponent's scoring hit, but before or during the “stop” command. AB is used for making duel fencing techniques better and oppose Olympic fencing principle “perform a hit half-second earlier and take the victory”.
3 Rules of Afterblow
1) Score for performing AB is gained according to a formula: “Hit zone -1”.
Duelist gain the differencein score regardless of who performed “touche” first.
For example:
- Thrusting into the “Torso” (2) vs slashing into the “Torso” AB (1) will be counted as: 2 - (1-1)(because of AB) = 2 point to the duelist who performed thrusting into the “Torso”;
- Thrusting into the “Torso” (2) vs slashing into the “Head” AB (2) will be counted as: 2 - (2-1)(because of AB) = 1 point to the duelist who performed thrusting into the “Torso”;
- Thrusting into the “Limbs” (1) vs thrusting into the “Head” AB (3) will be counted as: 1 - (3-1)(because of AB) = 1 point to the duelist who performed thrusting into the “Head” AB.
2) AB is not a mutual “touche”. If the counted score is equal (For example, thrusting into the “Limbs” (1) vs slashing into the “Head” AB (2) will be counted as: 1 - (2-1)(because of AB) = 1 vs 1), nobody gets any score.
3) AB does not trigger after a “touche” into the “Head” or “Neck” zones.
Duelists who come to the arena with a noticeable delay, caused by taking too much time for equipping themselves, may get a penalty.
It’s strictly forbidden to:
- Duel without a complete set of protective gear in compliance with safety rules.
- Duel with weapons that didn’t pass the safety check.
- Move or attack before the “Fight” command.
- Move or attack after the “Stop” command.
- Hold the weapon with two hands.
- Attack the opponent with the secondary weapon.
- Hit the opponent in the groin, back of the head or main hand (the hand holding the main weapon).
- Bend the opponent’s blade while grabbing it with the gauntlet.
- Use any hand-to-hand combat moves, (except for grabbing the hilt of the opponent’s weapon).
- Tackle or push the opponent.
- Attack with legs or arms.
- Come to the arena in a non-adequate state, regardless of reasons.
- To consume alcohol or drugs.
III. Referees and judging
Main rules
The tournament judging is conducted by the judging committee. It appoints Head referees of every arena and Side referees, choosing the latter from the experienced participants.
Judging on every event is conducted by at least two referees – one Head referee and one Side referee. In case of judging difficulties, the number of Side referees may be increased.
The side referees stand in the places where they are able to clearly see every valid hit on the opponents. When a hit occurs, a Side referee signals the Head referee by raising a hand or a flag (without any “stop” commands, whatsoever).
The Head referee of the arena estimates time and processes the signals from Side referees, sorts out fencing moments and makes the final decision on points to be given.
Only the Head referee is authorized to give «START» and «STOP» commands.
Disputable judging moments are dealt with by the Main referee of the tournament.
A participant can appeal to the organizers for a change of Main or Side referees.
In case a critical violation of the rules was missed by the judges, the participant will still be disqualified when it is discovered.
The referees are authorized to administer comments, warnings and disqualifications (Exclusion of the participant from the competition).
The judges have the right to check and recheck all the participant’s equipment for compliance at any time.
Referees will reprimand on:
- Applying too much force in attacks.
- Delays in appearance on the arena.
- Delaying other participants or any event of the tournament.
- Rude behavior.
- Starting the duel before “Start” command or continuing after “Stop” command.
Referees will give warnings for:
- Hit into an off-limits body area;
- An offensive action with the secondary weapon directed at the opponent;
- Using prohibited techniques and submission moves of any martial arts;
- Any provocation of the opponent aimed on creating a conflict situation;
- Disputing with referees;
- Deliberate change of equipment characteristics out of compliance with the rules.
Disqualification is administered by the Main referee of the tournament, in case of:
- Participant being in the state of alcohol or drug abuse;
- Violating the moral and ethic standards of behavior;
- Unreasonable dispute with a referee;
- Insulting other participants or spectators of the competition;
- A participant having three warnings throughout the tournament (may be replaced by technical loss, depending on the warnings reason);
- Reluctance to change the equipment that doesn’t comply with the rules.
- Deliberately causing a trauma.
3 comments may be equal to 1 warning;
3 warnings may cause disqualification;
3 disqualifications are the ultimate disqualification from all the tournaments of the Guild of Duel Fencing.
The judges can administer more than one warning for a violation of the rules, depending on the violation severity.