USA Fencing

Clarification: This article has been updated to reflect how points will be awarded at the National Championships and the July Challenge based on the 2021-22 team selection criteria updates released on June 17.

(Colorado Springs, Colo.) – The USA Fencing summer competition season will include two additional tournaments in July and August, following the USA Fencing National Championships and July North American Cup which will be held at the Pennsylvania Convention Center in Philadelphia from July 3-12.

Summer Nationals will include 11 National Championship events as follows:

• Division I National Championships (Individual, Team)
• Division IA National Championships
• Division II National Championships
• Division III National Championships
• Y14 National Championships
• Y12 National Championships
• Y10 National Championships
• Junior Olympic Championships (Junior, Cadet, Junior Team)

All National Championship events are open to U.S. citizens and permanent residents only. Rolling and team points will be awarded as follows:

• The Division I events at the Summer National Championships will count for team and rolling points for all cadet and junior weapons.
• The Junior and Cadet events at the Summer National Championships will count for rolling points only for all cadet and junior weapons.
• The Division I events at the Summer National Championships will count for rolling points only for all senior weapons.

In addition, the July NAC will be held in Philadelphia with competitions taking place in veteran age group and senior team events. The veteran age group competition will serve as the first of two qualifying events for the 2021 Veteran World Championships. 

Please Note: All individual events at the National Championships and July NAC will be capped at 210 competitors.

Following Summer Nationals in Philadelphia, the July Challenge and Parafencing National Championships will take place from July 22-25 at the Salt Palace in Salt Lake City. The Parafencing Nationals will serve as the final competition opportunity for Team USA prior to the Tokyo Paralympic Games. The July Challenge will include junior and cadet events held as well as a junior team competition. The July Challenge  will be conducted utilizing birth years for the 2021-22 season. The Junior and Cadet events held at the July Challenge will count for team and rolling points for all cadet and junior weapons.

During the coming weeks and months, the Tournament Committee will assess any potential maximum field size for the July Challenge as well as the potential admission of international competitors into the event.

The final national tournament of the summer will take place at the Veteran National Championships which will be held from Aug. 27-29 at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta. This event will see the crowning of National Champions in age categories for fencers 40 and up and will serve as the final qualifier for the 2021 Veteran World Championship Team.   

The qualification paths below for Summer Nationals and July Challenge were developed by the Tournament Committee, in conjunction with the National Office. The qualification paths both reflect historic pathways as well as include opportunities for athletes who have had limited opportunities to compete in the current season the ability to use results gained during the 2019-20 season or the 2019 National Championships.

Due to the reduction of competition opportunities related to COVID-19, a petition process with requests reviewed by the National Office will be announced in the coming months. The number of petition slots available will be assessed after the maximum event size is determined.   

Division I National Championships

• Fencers must meet eligibility requirements AND

• Be on the current, or frozen as of March 11 2021 Senior National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Be on the current, or frozen as of March 11, 2021 Junior National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Be on the current, or frozen as of March 11, 2021, Cadet National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Have placed in the top 8 in the 2018-19 season’s Division IA National Championships OR
• Have placed in the top 4 in the 2018-19 season’s Division II National Championships OR
• 2021 NCAA National Championships Individual Competitors (24)
• For EPEE ONLY: the top 3 (on Modern Pentathlon Point Standings) USA Fencing Modern Pentathlon fencers will be eligible to compete in the Division I epee events without qualifying by any other means. USA Modern Pentathlon fencers MUST be USA Fencing members.

Division IA National Championships

• Fencers must meet eligibility requirements AND
• Be on the current or 2019-20 season’s Div IA ROC Regional Point Standings OR

• Be in the top 8 of the current or 2019-20 season’s Division II Regional Open Circuit point standings at the regular fee entry deadline

Division II National Championships

• Fencers must meet eligibility and classification requirements as of the entry deadline AND
• Place in the top 25 percent of the current, or 2019-20 (if held), season’s division qualifying competition OR
• Be on the current or 2019-20 season’s Div IA ROC Regional Point Standings OR
• Be on the current or 2019-20 Div II ROC Regional Point Standings

Division III National Championships

• Fencers must meet eligibility and classification requirements as of the entry deadline AND
• Place in the top 25 percent (round up) of the total number of “D”, “E”, or “U” fencers competing in the current, or 2019-20 (if held), season division’s Division II Qualifying competition (when Division II and Division III qualifying competition held together) OR

• If separate Division III qualifying competition in the current, or 2019-20 (if held) season held by  division, then top 25 percent of the field will qualify for Division III National Championships OR
• Be on the Division IA or Division II Regional Open Circuit point standings for 2019-20 or 2020-21, if classification eligible, at the regular fee entry deadline for these Championships OR
• Place in the top 40 percent at a Div II or Div III NAC of the 2019-20 season, if held
• Qualified for Division II National Championships in current or previous season, if classification eligible

Y10 National Championships

• Participate in a NAC, SYC or RYC in the current season or the 2019-20 season. 

Y12 National Championships

• Be on the Y12 National Point Standings at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Earn at least 70 Y12 Regional Points during the current 2020-21 season or  the 2019-20 season (Total points in one season = an athlete’s top three point results) OR
• Earn at least 150 Y14 Regional Points during the current 2020-2021 season or  the 2019-20 season (Total points in one season = an athlete’s top three point results) OR
• Rank in 40 percent of the Y12 Regional Point Standings list during the current season

Y14 National Championships

• Be on the Youth 14 National Point Standings at the regular entry fee deadline OR

• Earn at least 150 Y14 Regional Points during the current season or  the 2019-20 season (Total points in a season = an athlete’s top three point results) OR
• Rank in top 25 percent of the Y14 Regional Point Standings list during the current season

Junior Olympic Championships (Cadet)

• Fencers must meet eligibility AND

• Be on the Cadet National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Earn at least 110 regional points on either the Cadet or Junior Regional Point Standings (Total points = an athlete’s top two point results) OR
• Be in the top 25 percent (round up) of their division’s Cadet JO qualifying competition for the 2019-20 or 2020-21 season OR
• Be in the top 25 percent (round up) of their division’s Junior JO qualifying competition for the 2019-20 or 2020-21 season. (Junior event must occur first) OR
• Rank in top 25 percent of the Cadet Regional Point Standings list during the current season OR
• For EPEE ONLY: the top 3 (on Modern Pentathlon Point Standings) USA Fencing Modern Pentathlon fencers will be eligible to compete in the JO epee events without qualifying by any other means. USA Modern Pentathlon fencers MUST be USA Fencing members

Junior Olympic Championships (Junior)

• Fencers must meet age eligibility AND
• Be on the Junior national rolling point standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Earn at least 110 regional points on the Junior Regional Point Standing (Total points = an athlete’s top two point results) OR
• Be in the top 25 percent (round up) of their division’s Junior JO qualifying competition for the 2019-20 or 2020-21 season OR
• Rank in top 25 percent of the Junior Regional Point Standings list during the current season OR
• For EPEE ONLY: the top 3 (on Modern Pentathlon Point Standings) USA Fencing Modern Pentathlon fencers will be eligible to compete in the JOI epee events without qualifying by any other means. USA Modern Pentathlon fencers MUST be USA Fencing members

Vet 40, Vet 50, Vet 60, Vet 70+, Vet 80+

• Must meet age eligibility requirements

Cadet

• Fencers must meet eligibility AND

• Be on Cadet NRPS OR
• Be in the top 50 percent of the Y14 National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Earn at least 65 regional points on their regions Cadet Regional Point Standings in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 season OR
• Earn at least 65 regional points on their regions Junior Regional Circuit Points in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 season OR
• Rank in top 40 percent of the Cadet Regional Point Standing list during the current season at the regular fee entry deadline for this event

Junior

• Fencers must meet age eligibility AND
• On Junior NRPS by entry deadline OR
• On Cadet NRPS OR
• Earn at least 65 regional points on your regions Junior Regional Point Standings in the 2019-20 or 2020-21 season OR
• Be in the top 25 percent of the Youth 14 National Rolling Point Standings (NRPS) at the regular fee entry deadline OR
• Rank in top 40 percent of the Junior Regional Point Standing list during the current season at the regular entry deadline for this event