Facts

Some quite interesting facts about fencing ... or they may just be rumours or actual lies.

  • Leon Paul - "London Lights"

    For the London 2012 Olympics, Leon Paul created the "London Lights" - over 640 meters of LED color changing light rope with 38,400 individual LED’s and more than 5km of cable were used to make this spectacular visual effect.

  • Fencing in the Olympics

    When the Olympics Games were revived from antiquity in 1896, fencing was on the program. It is one of just four sports to have been part of every Summer Games since then. Men's foil and sabre were part of the first Games; epee was added in 1900. Women competed in Olympic fencing for the first time in 1924.

  • Modern swords

    The foil has a blade made of pure steel, the swords maximum length is 3 feet and is not allowed to weigh more than 1.1 pounds. The sabre is a sword from the 18th century and is similar to the foil but weighs slightly less and is about one inch shorter.

  • George Peppard

    George Peppard was a fencing instructor before becoming famous in ‘The A-Team’ TV series.

  • Fencing and Ballet

    Many of the ballet positions are derived from fencing.