When One Hobby is not Enough...

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Again I competed in the US Fencing Nationals NC Qualifier (held at UNCG today), and managed to finish tied for 3rd. Thus I qualified to compete in the Division 2, 3, & Veteran 40-49 Men's Epee events. I had to finish in the top four to qualify for all three, out of a field of 16. I lost in the semi-finals 14-15, having led by 2-3 points the majority of the bout. I achieved my goal going into the event, but it would have been nice to make the finals and have a chance to win the whole event.
 
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Today the initial seeding for the events that I am competing in at the US Fencing nationals were posted. Ratings go U (unrated), E, D, C, B , A, and I will show the numbers of competitors in each rating in the events I am competing in. Having lost my C rating a couple years ago (ratings must be renewed within 4 years of obtaining them to retain them), I am now a D rated Epee fencer.

Veteran (40-49) Men's Epee has 58 entrants, and I am seeded 38th initially.
15 A's, 12 B's, 10 C's, 8 D's, 8 E's, & 6 U's

Division 2 Men's Epee has 235 entrants, and I am seeded 138th initially.
2 A's, 15 B's, 94 C's, 67 D's, 46 E's, 11 U's

Division 3 Men's Epee has 192 entrants, and I am seeded 38th initially.
6 B's, 11 C's, 83 C's, 66 E's, 26 U's

The format is every competitor fences in seeding pools of 5-7 based on how the number of competitors breaks down. Using the pool results competitors are placed into direct elimination brackets, but only the top 80% advance to direct elimination normally. Youth events (Y14, Y12, Y10) and Veteran events (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and up) promote 100% direct elimination. Therefore my first event will promote everyone to direct elimination, and the other two will only advance 80% (191 & 153 respectively). I have fenced well enough to make the promotion to the direct elimination brackets every event in the last 17 US Fencing Nationals. Still have yet to make the top 8, but strive for it each time.

Awards go to the top 8 fencers in events. There are no awards within the classifications. I'll try to update with results when I can. I have some time before I have to be at the nationals, but I wanted to post this since I had the chance.
 
Blueridge said:
Today the initial seeding for the events that I am competing in at the US Fencing nationals were posted. Ratings go U (unrated), E, D, C, B , A, and I will show the numbers of competitors in each rating in the events I am competing in. Having lost my C rating a couple years ago (ratings must be renewed within 4 years of obtaining them to retain them), I am now a D rated Epee fencer.

Veteran (40-49) Men's Epee has 58 entrants, and I am seeded 38th initially.
15 A's, 12 B's, 10 C's, 8 D's, 8 E's, & 6 U's

Division 2 Men's Epee has 235 entrants, and I am seeded 138th initially.
2 A's, 15 B's, 94 C's, 67 D's, 46 E's, 11 U's

Division 3 Men's Epee has 192 entrants, and I am seeded 38th initially.
6 B's, 11 C's, 83 C's, 66 E's, 26 U's

The format is every competitor fences in seeding pools of 5-7 based on how the number of competitors breaks down. Using the pool results competitors are placed into direct elimination brackets, but only the top 80% advance to direct elimination normally. Youth events (Y14, Y12, Y10) and Veteran events (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70 and up) promote 100% direct elimination. Therefore my first event will promote everyone to direct elimination, and the other two will only advance 80% (191 & 153 respectively). I have fenced well enough to make the promotion to the direct elimination brackets every event in the last 17 US Fencing Nationals. Still have yet to make the top 8, but strive for it each time.

Awards go to the top 8 fencers in events. There are no awards within the classifications. I'll try to update with results when I can. I have some time before I have to be at the nationals, but I wanted to post this since I had the chance.
Click to expand...
Good Luck !!!
 
Perhaps an alumni can pull the yearbook and get the name if the coach.
 
Now that I recovered (both physically and mentally) from the US Fencing Nationals held in St. Louis MO, I decided to post how things went.

On July 2nd I competed in the Vet40 (40-49) Mens Epee event that had 56 fencers. I came into the event the 36th in a tough field (as you would expect at a national championship), and came out of seeding pools 1-4 with a -5 indicator (Touches scored minus touches received, and -5 is not good). I only had 5 pool bouts, as one fencer medically withdrew due to a knee injury. I went into the direct elimination brackets 42nd, and faced the 23rd seed. The bout was close, but I lost 8-10, and in the final results finished 43rd. Not as good as I had hoped, but as tough as the competition was I fenced well.

On July 3rd I competed in the Division 2 Mens Epee event that had 226 fencers. Unlike the Veteran event, only 80% advance to the direct elimination brackets (180 in this case). I came into the event 108th in another tough field (as you would expect at a national championship), and came out 1-5 with a -16 indicator (abominable). This put me 215th out of pools, and failing to advance into the direct elimination brackets for the first time having competed in 17 US Fencing Nationals. I was disheartened by this, and still had one more event to go at Nationals. As I think I mentioned early in this thread, I have qualified for 18 of the 19 US Fencing Nationals starting in 2000 and competed in 17 in at least 2-4 event competitions.

On July 5th I competed in the Division 3 Mens Epee event that had 183 fencers. This event allowed only 80% advance to the direct elimination brackets like Div2 (147 in this case). I came into the event 49th in a strong field, but not as tough as the previous two events. I came out 3-3 with a -2 indicator (decent). This put me 100th (maybe it was as tough as the other events after all o_O). I faced the 29th seed (who was approximately 13-15 years old [1/3 my age]:rolleyes:), and took an early 2 point lead (elimination bouts are to 15 or the fencer with the highest score after 9 minutes). After the first break the young man adjusted and slowly caught up and pulled away, with the final score being 9-15. After failing to make the "cut" into the direct eliminations in the Div2 event, it was nice to at least finish well in last event I had.

With the fencing season beginning in August, it will be time for me to prepare for the 2019 US Fencing Nationals that will be held in Columbus OH. More strength and endurance work ahead of me. :confused: I gotta do what I gotta do to make it to my 18th US Fencing Nationals, because the competition is getting tougher and younger (for the most part). Making the top four in the state to qualify and then being prepared for the level of competition that I just faced will be task.
 
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