Fencing tournament an international attraction at Wright State

Fencers from around the world competed in the annual Wright Way tournament this past Saturday at the Nutter Center.

The all-day tournament included beginners and veterans, and saw fencers perform all three variations of the sport—foil, sabre and épée. Each one has its own slight rule variations, but all are fiercely competitive.

“We’re not viciously brutal,” Wright State fencing instructor Greg Paquette said. “But yeah, we like to stab people.”

Foil rules state only the torso area can be stuck to earn a point, and the point of the blade may be used to score.

For sabre, any point above the waste is the target area, and the entire blade may be used.

Épée is the third style of fencing, and while only the point of the blade may be used to score, the opponent’s entire body is the target area.

This year’s tournament also saw competitors from six countries, including Colombia, Morocco, Israel, Ukraine and Italy.

WSU graduates and former students of Paquette also competed in the tournament. Paquette has instructed fencers of all ages and calls it a lifelong sport.

While there is not an official fencing club at WSU, there are students who regularly compete, and classes are offered for those interested in the sport.

Paquette, who called the sport “physical chess at 300 mph”, competed in the NCAA championships for fencing at WSU.

“Back in my day, I could take three opponents on at once and tell them how I was going to take them out,” Paquette said.

Paquette claims fencing is the second fastest Olympic sport only behind rifle shooting, and it’s no surprise as swords cut the air at sonic speeds during competition.

“If you make a mistake, you’re going to pay for it,” Paquette said. “This sport requires you to outthink your opponent.”