Elite Fencers

As fencers become more experienced, they may aspire to State and National representation.

State Representation

The Australian Fencing Federation holds National Team Championships at the Open, Under-20 (Junior), Under-17 (Cadet), and Under-15 National Championships.

Each state may enter up to two teams in a team event.

NSW teams are selected by the NSW Selection Commission. Selections are made in accordance with the NSW Fencing Association Selection Policy. In general, only those fencers who have entered the relevant individual event at the National Championships will be considered for the team event.

The NSW High Performance Commission may select a state squad, consisting of those fencers considered to have the potential to be selected for the NSW Team at the Australian Open National Championships. From time to time, other fencers may be added to the Squad, if they have been achieving quality results at State or National competitions.

Special training sessions may be held throughout the year for Squad members.

Any questions regarding selection should be directed to the convenor of the High Performance Commission.

National Representation

FIE Events

The Federation Internationale d'Escrime (FIE - the international fencing body) endorses a number of events on the international circuit. These include:

• Fencing event at Olympic Games
• Fencing World Championships
• Grand Prix and World Cup Fencing Tournaments
• Zone Fencing Championships
• "Satellite" tournaments

All Australian entries to these events are via the Australian Fencing Federation (AFF) and very strict eligibility requirements apply to all events except "satellite" tournaments. Fencers who aspire to represent Australia in any of these events are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the AFF Selection System, which is available as a .pdf document on the Australian Fencing Federation website.

Fencers should also be aware of the equipment requirements for FIE events, as these may be more stringent than those applied within Australia. They should also note that an FIE licence is required before entering these events: this can be arranged through the AFF.

Note that most years, Australia hosts an Epee Grand Prix or World Cup event: Challenge Australia. Entry requirements for this event are less stringent, but must still be made via the AFF. Equipment and FIE Licence requirements are the same as for other FIE events.

Other Events

In addition to the events endorsed by the FIE, there are a number of other events at which fencers may represent Australia. These include (but are not limited to):

• Commonwealth Fencing Championships
• Oceania Fencing Championships
• National/Regional events held by other countries

The level of AFF involvement in entering for these events varies. Where there is a restriction on the number of entries per country (e.g. Commonwealth Fencing Championships) the AFF is responsible for selecting the Australian Team. In other cases (e.g. national/regional events held by other countries) fencers are free to make their own entries and arrangements. Competing in such events can provide valuable experience to fencers who aspire to future AFF selection.

As with FIE tournaments, all fencers seeking to compete in overseas events should familiarise themselves with the AFF selection system. Any questions should be directed to the AFF Selection Commission.