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Saber Rule and Equipment Changes for 2016-17 Season

05/12/2016, 7:15pm CDT
By USA Fencing

The USA Fencing Board of Directors recently approved two rule changes for saber fencers beginning on Aug. 1 at the start of the 2016-17 season in accordance with decisions made by the Federation Internationale d’Escrime.

Both of these rule changes will be in effect for ALL sanctioned USA Fencing tournaments.

New On Guard Line 

Official FIE language in Summary of Decisions from Congress: For sabre, the referee places each of the two competitors in such a way that the back foot of each is 2 m from the centre line of the piste (that is, in front of the "on guard" lines). Application as follows: the tests have to be done after the Olympic Games and until December 31, 2016 and, according to the ad hoc Commission, the Executive Committee will decide if the rule will be applied for the rest of season 2016-2017.

NOTE: This has been approved for TESTING only and is for SABER only. Foil and epee’s rules regarding the on guard line remain unchanged. The testing will begin at USA Fencing events on Aug. 1 and at all FIE competitions from October – December 2016. After the testing period, the FIE COMEX will make an analysis and decide whether to keep the change.  

  • In case the change is maintained, then it will continue immediately (Jan. 2017 through the remainder of the season) with the FIE Congress needing to ratify the rule change in November 2017.
  • If the COMEX decides to not continue with the reduced distance, then the old system will be applied from January, 2017.

Should the FIE decide to not continue with the new on guard line at the end of the testing period (December 2016), USA Fencing will return to using the current guard line in conjunction with the FIE.

New Timing

Official FIE language in Summary of Decisions from Congress: After a hit has been registered, a subsequent hit made by the other fencer will only be registered if it occurs within a maximum of 170 milliseconds (± 10 ms tolerance). Application as follows: starting with the season 2016-2017.

NOTE TO CLUBS: In order to update your scoring machines to reflect the new saber timing, please contact the appropriate representative for your machine type as listed below.

SG
Absolute Fencing Gear® has exclusive rights for all upgrades in the United States.

Absolute Fencing Gear®
E-mail: info@absolutefencinggear.com
Phone: 732.868.9003
Website: http://www.absolutefencinggear.com/shopping/customer_service.php 
(It is under "Scoring manuals.” You will see "Upgrade Procedure" as well as "Machine Pictures.”)

Favero
Chips will not be available to authorized dealers until end of May.

Three (3) authorized dealers in the United States can assist in upgrades of these machines:

Swordmasters
E-mail: Gary Spruill, gary@swordmasters.com
Phone: 1.866.SWORD4U (Press 1)

Blue Gauntlet
E-mail: Vicky Chen, chen@blue-gauntlet.com
Phone: 1.800.819.5180

Absolute Fencing Gear®
E-mail: info@absolutefencinggear.com
Phone: 732.868.9003
Website: http://www.absolutefencinggear.com/shopping/customer_service.php
(It is under "Scoring manuals.” You will see "Upgrade Procedure" as well as "Machine Pictures.”)

Allstar/Uhlmann
Three authorized dealers in the United States that can assist in upgrades of these machines

Blue Gauntlet
E-mail: Vicky Chen, chen@blue-gauntlet.com
Phone: 1.800.819.5180

Absolute Fencing Gear®
E-mail: info@absolutefencinggear.com
Phone: 732.868.9003
Website: http://www.absolutefencinggear.com/shopping/customer_service.php (It is under "Scoring manuals.” You will see "Upgrade Procedure" as well as "Machine Pictures.”)

Fencing Post
E-mail: Saul Mendoza, Saul@thefencingpost.com
Phone: 1.800.459.7207

Leon Paul
E-mail: Bill Murphy, sales@leonpaulusa.com
Phone: 404.325.7272

Note: Please contact Leon Paul directly for instructions on upgrading any machine purchased from Leon Paul. The newer Leon Paul Pebble (C630) machines will need to be sent to LPUSA in Atlanta to be reprogrammed and the older (C620) machines will require a new chip which can be installed by the owner. Earlier models are not upgradable. When the wireless is released, it will come with new timing installed. Please have the serial number on the back of the scoring machines when contacting Leon Paul.

Eigertek
American Fencer’s Supply is an authorized dealer for Eigertek scoring equipment. Please note that the change will only be available for Rev D, E and F Eclipses since they use programmable microcontrollers as the earlier microcontrollers are no longer being manufactured.

Phone: 415.863.7911

Tag(s): News  Updates