foil
| foil | |
|---|---|
| Information | |
| Weapon type: | Bladed weapon |
| Designations: | foil |
| Use: | Sports weapon, training weapon |
| Creation time: | circa 1800 |
| Working time: | until now |
| Region of origin / author: |
France |
| Distribution: | worldwide |
| Overall length: | Max. 110 cm |
| Blade length: | Max. 90 cm |
| Weight: | approx. 550 g |
| Handle: | Wood, metal, plastic |
| Lists on the subject | |
The foil is a fencing weapon .
history
Historically, the foil was purely a training weapon. It was made from ordinary sharp rapiers , which were disarmed for practice by putting a blunt so-called bud (French: fleuret → foil) over the point and wrapping a foil around the blade. Although in the past edged weapons duels were mostly fought with swords or sabers , there were also duels with sharp foils in France, in which only hits on the torso of the duelists were taken into account. A sharp foil is a stabbing weapon , a blunt foil is a thrust weapon .
present
Today the foil is one of three common weapons in sport fencing . It is 110 cm long, of which the blade can be a maximum of 90 cm, and weighs a maximum of 500 g. For fencers up to the age of 11, a smaller version, the mini foil, is used, the length of which is approx. 77 cm. There are three different types of grip : the - hardly in use - "Italian" grip (a long, rough staff with quillons, quart and third bow, see photo above right), the "French" grip (a simple straight smooth grip) and the " Belgian "or" orthopedic "grip, also called" pistol grip ". The latter is the most common grip in top sport, as it enables the safest possible use of the weapon. The blade is made of stainless steel (usually maraging steel in competitive sports ) and is very flexible. Although extreme forces act on the sporting weapons in a combat today and blades can break in combat, no dangerous splinters arise when they break, so that there is hardly any danger for the fencer. Nonetheless, it is sports equipment that can cause significant injuries even when intact without special protective clothing and rules. Accordingly, sport fencers are taught how to handle the blade with respect.
The price for an electric competition floor made of maraging steel is around € 100. Purely mechanical training florets can be considerably cheaper.
Foil fencing differs from epee fencing in that it has the right to hit (see below) and the hit area, which in sport fencing with foil only consists of the torso and the lower part of the mask bib. Here hits are only scored up to the groin at the front and up to the hips at the back. The head, arms and legs do not count. The difference to saber fencing is that the foil is a pure thrust weapon and therefore only hits with the tip of the blade count. With the saber, the hit area also includes arms and the entire mask, with the trunk only above the hips.
Visually, the sport floret differs from the epee in the rectangular cross-section of the blade, a normally stronger curvature of the blade (up to a centimeter at the discretion of the fencer) and the smaller, more disc-shaped bell, as the metal handguard is called. Epee have a triangular cross-section and an almost hemispherical bell.
In addition to being in a very good physical condition, sport fencing requires the ability to see through actions of the opponent in good time and to use them tactically. It also requires excellent reflexes and actions that have been practiced up to automation. In sports medicine tests, fencers have proven the shortest reaction times alongside table tennis players . Tournaments with dozens of fights present a great challenge to the condition and concentration of the fencer. Inexperienced observers can hardly follow the blade movements, especially of a top fencer.
Rules of foil fencing (simplified)
In foil fencing, the torso and, since January 1st, 2009 at FIE level, also the masked area are considered meeting areas. Only hits with the blade tip are valid.
In foil, as in the other weapons, swords and swords are fought on a 14 meter long and approximately 1.5 meter wide fencing track , usually with 5 hits in rounds and 10 or 15 hits (depending on the age group) in direct eliminations. A referee (called chairman) directs the battle, in international tournaments formally in French. A battle lasts up to 3, 6 or 9 minutes depending on the number of hits (pure fighting time, not counting interruptions). It ends earlier when the number of hits has been reached. If there is no fencer in the lead when the time has elapsed, a draw will be drawn to determine an advantage for a fencer and the fight will continue for a maximum of 60 seconds. The first valid hit within this time decides the battle. If there is no valid hit during this time, the fencer with the draw advantage wins the battle.
Nowadays, hits are displayed electronically in competitions. The fencers wear an electrically conductive e-vest over their protective clothing ; A line is drawn into the foil blade ("strand"), which ends in the point where a spring mechanism is located. If the tip of the foil exerts a force along its blade axis that corresponds to at least the weight of 500 g (approx. 4.9 N ), the otherwise permanently closed circuit is interrupted and the hit indicator lights up. If the tip hits the e-vest, a second circuit is closed and the hit indicator lights up "valid"; if the tip hits other parts of the body or other surfaces, the hit indicator lights up "invalid". On the other hand, hits on the fencing piste do not trigger any display, as this also conducts the current of the primary blade circuit. Before the introduction of the electronic hit display, there were judges in competitions who, when asked by the umpire, decided on which side a valid or invalid hit had been made.
Any hit, including an invalid one, interrupts the battle. The fencers then move back into position at the point of the last action (display, French en garde ), and the fight continues. If both fencers are hit at the same time (valid or invalid), the right to attack decides whether or who gets the hit counted.
The first to attack has the right to attack. An attack is characterized by the fact that the fencer stretches his weapon arm, then moves forward and continuously threatens the target area of the opponent. In the event of a simultaneous hit by both fencers, the one who scores a valid hit with the right to attack. However, he only retains this priority until his attack is ended by a parry . When parrying, the defender must use the strong part of his weapon to fend off the weak part of his opponent's weapon that is close to the tip. He really has to knock out the attacker's weapon to the side, sliding against each other like in a blade attack is not considered a parade. After a successful defense, the defender has priority and can start the riposte . If the original attacker successfully parries the riposte, he regains priority and can proceed to the contrariposte. If both fencers attack at the same time and hit both (regardless of whether they are valid or invalid), neither will receive the hit. This is known as simultané .
Anyone who crosses the rear end of the fencing track with both feet receives a penalty hit. Anyone who crosses the fencing track to the side has to step back one meter. Certain violations, such as leaving the lane sideways to avoid a hit, are sanctioned with a yellow card the first time they are violated. Any further offense to be sanctioned with a yellow card in the same battle is sanctioned with a red card , which leads to a penalty retraction.
literature
- Emil Beck : Fencing. Foil, rapier, saber. Falken-Verlag, Niedernhausen im Taunus 1995, ISBN 978-3806804492 .
- Emil Beck (Ed.), Berndt Barth (Author): Fechttraining. Meyer-Verlag, Aachen 2004, ISBN 978-3898991162 .
See also
- Fédération Internationale d'Escrime (FIE International Fencing Federation)
