Facts

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

  • Bob Anderson - Fencing Master

    Bob Anderson (1922-2012) was the fencing master who coached and acted as a stunt double in almost every modern film which contains any fencing. He also coached the British fencing team for 30 years. From Star Wars to James Bond; from Highlander to The Mask of Zorro; and from The Princes Bride to The Master of Ballantrae - he helped make them all. Reputedly during some rehearsals, he once slashed Errol Flynn in the thigh by accident, drawing blood, while the star was being distracted by a passing beauty. This led to Anderson's reputation among Hollywood insiders as "the man who stabbed Errol Flynn".

  • Early Fencing Writing

    The earliest known surviving treatise on fencing, stored at the Royal Armouries Museum in Leeds, England, dates from around 1300 AD and is from Germany. Written in medieval Latin and German, it describes a system of using the sword and buckler (small shield) and is illustrated by over 100 ink and watercolour drawings.

  • 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.

  • Leon Paul's Fencers

    Leon Paul Fencing Equipment has always been a company run by competitive fencers. Members of the family have competed in 20 Olympic Games and 30 World Championships and have won 25 national titles.

Gold for Women's Foil
Gold for Women's Foil