By Matthew Pak
When people think of fencing, they often think of royal French aristocrats sword fighting in the Palace of Versailles, or the famous fencing scene from the Princess Bride, and the unforgettable quote “Hello. My name is Inigo Montoya. You killed my father. Prepare to die.” Although fencing may have been representative of that in the past, the modern sport of fencing has evolved into more than just a sword fight. It is an Olympic sport where two people wit and strength go head-to-head, and it has made its way to Ponte Vedra High School (PVHS).
Fencing became the sport we recognize today in Europe during the 18th and 19th centuries, making its Olympic debut in 1896. Modern fencing is composed of three main disciplines: Sabre, Foil, and Épée. Sabre is the fastest discipline, allowing people to slash their blades in any part of the body above the waist. Foil is the most famous of the three, a bit slower than Sabre, but equally action packed and strategic. Foil requires the tip of the blade to be stabbed rather than slashed into the lamé and can only count if hit in the torso area. Épée is the slowest of the disciplines, but the most strategic. The blade is heavier and larger than both the foil and saber, requiring immense strength for the user to make such fine movements. Similarly, to foil, in order to score, the fencer must stab the tip into their opponent, but instead of being limited to the torso, Epeé fencers can hit anywhere on the opponent, including their shoes. Additionally, unlike Sabre and Foil, Epeé does not follow the rules of “right of way” which gives the fencer on the offensive, the right to a point in the situation that both hit at the same time. Epeé is unique in that matter, as both fencers can score if both hit simultaneously, even if one was on the retreat.
Junior, Simone Rigert-Johnson has been fencing foil for eight years and is extremely passionate about it. “I enjoy fencing because I have gotten to meet many amazing people as well as travel to many new places. When I’m on the strip, I have learned to stay calm and focused. I am more of an offensive fencer, relying on my lunges. I work on one touch at a time rather than the whole bout. I’ve learned to develop a better response to stress and manage my nerves better on and off the strip.” Simone is seventh in the region 6 (AL, DC, DE, FL, GA, MD, MS, NC, SC, TN, VA, and WV) and second in the state for her age group. She recently competed in the Junior Olympics, placing 118th nationally, and second in cadet and third in division II at regional competitions, making her a dominant fencer.
“I enjoy fencing because of the challenge and that there is no single right way to succeed. The bouts require both physical and mental endurance, staying sharp and patient in crucial moments, but every fencer has their own style and mindset.”
Vai Miller (11)
Junior, Vai Miller is also a foil fencer and Simon’s teammate. With three years of fencing experience, Vai has experience, discipline, and consistency. “I enjoy fencing because of the challenge and that there is no single right way to succeed. The bouts require both physical and mental endurance, staying sharp and patient in crucial moments, but every fencer has their own style and mindset.” Vai attributes her experience on the strip to her resilience. “On my first few tournaments, I found myself dwelling on mistakes I made, rather than reflecting and learning. Over time I began to realize that reflecting on my mistakes is not enough, and in order to change my outcome, I must change my target and footwork as well. I focused on the source of that mistake and committed myself to improving.”
From movie features to Olympic medals, fencing only continues expanding, and Vai and Simone will be the tip of the spear at PVHS, inspiring many to explore a unique and intriguing sport. Looking towards their future, Simone and Vai will keep moving forward, competing and dominating on the strip.
Pictured: Simone (11) and Vai (11) with their fencing coach
