On February 2nd, Apex Fencing Academy hosted their 1st-ever regional event. The Apex Challenge RYC (Regional Youth Circuit), brought together fencers from Maryland to Florida to compete for Region 6 points and chance to qualify for the USA Fencing 2018 Summer Nationals in St. Louis.
For those not familiar with regional youth events, USA Fencing has divided the nation into six geographic regions. North Carolina falls in Region 6 which spans from Maryland to Florida and west to Mississippi and Tennessee. The Regional Youth Circuit (or RYC) was developed to give Y10, Y12 and Y14 fencers a chance to compete closer to home throughout the fencing season. A points structure enables fencers to earn the right to compete at Summer Nationals. In addition, the top 3 fencers in each age category and weapon are recognized at the end of the season.
For the last several years, Mid-South Fencers’ Club in Durham has hosted the Ned-Light RYC in April. Growth in the 3-weapon tournament drove Mid-South to decide to concentrate on a single weapon, sabre. This opened an opportunity for Apex Fencing Academy to bid on a 2-weapon, foil & epee, tournament. Our move from the Town of Cary’s Middle Creek Community Center to our own 3,700 sq. ft fencing hall with 4 metal, grounded strips was icing on the cake. The geography of our region makes North Carolina an excellent location for these events. Approximately midway between Maryland and Florida, the tournament draws competitors from the entire region.
As the tournament approached, the registration numbers kept climbing. When the number of fencers approached other events in our region, we began to get nervous. When they exceeded the other regional events, we were nervous. We knew space would be an issue, so we made several adjustments to mitigate issues before they happened. We worked with Liz, our armorer, to have her arrive the day before and open equipment check Friday night. Zemi, an experienced national bout-committee person, was brought in to organize an efficient check-in and strip organization. A mix of experienced and junior referees were selected and paired up. Parents volunteered to greet and direct people, staff check-in, organize fencing bags, clean up each night — and to clean & stock the bathrooms. Without these folks, we would not stand a chance!
By the time the competition was over, there were 152 fencer-events spread over 10 events. 32 competitors showed up for Y12 men’s foil, and 31 checked in for Y14 men’s foil. Not only were the numbers impressive, but the quality was too. Y14 men’s foil became a C2 event with 4 fencers, including Mason Stanley with a new “C”, earning 2018 ratings. At the end of Y14 men’s foil, 12 of the 31 fencers had a foil rating. Full results are on askFRED.
In the end, the tight space made for long days. Decisions about when to start events and which strips to run them on contributed too. A post-tournament debrief along with our survey of the attendees identifies some good ideas for next time. While we can’t manufacture new space in our hall, we can adjust to run the tournament more efficiently.
Overall, there was a lot of good fencing. Fencing is a tight community, especially Region 6. New friendships were made and old ones were strengthened. Kruz Schembri McCord earned his D2018 in Y14 men’s foil, and later that evening, he and his friends congregated at the Long’s home for fun & games along with a celebratory cake. How’s that for sportsmanship? That’s what it’s all about — competitors on the strip, friends forever.
