2024 Bama Open

UA Club Fencing is proud to announce the 2024 Bama Open, the inaugural year of the University of Alabama’s annual fencing tournament. Preregistration closes at 11:59pm on March 22

Events

Schedule:

     Open Mixed Foil — Saturday (March 23) at 10:00am CST

     Open Mixed Saber — Saturday (March 23) at 1:30pm CST

     Open Mixed Epee — Sunday (March 24) at 10:00am CST

     **Team Epee (see the John “Trace” Rutherfurd III Team Epee Tournament section below) — Sunday (March 24) at 1:30pm CST

Times: The listed times are the registration times; events will start shortly after the close of registration. Note that all times are in Central Standard Time. If you are caught in traffic and will arrive slightly after registration closes, please email fencing@ua.edu so we can ensure that you will still be able to fence.

Venue

Location: The events will be held in the University of Alabama Student Recreation Center (the Rec), which is located at 400 Peter Bryce Blvd, Tuscaloosa, AL 35401. The Rec does not open until 9am, so you will not be able to get in the building if you arrive before this time.

Parking: There is free parking right next to the Rec; in the unlikely event that that lot fills up, parking is also available down the hill by the soccer fields

Waivers: If you are not part of a collegiate team, then see the front desk for a waiver and wristband. The waiver and wristband are also required for spectators. If you are a collegiate team captain, email fencing@ua.edu and you will get a waiver that you can fill out for your entire team.

Fees

There will be a registration fee of $10, as well as $25 per event.

College Fencers: Collegiate clubs who bring one or more scoring machine sets will get the registration fee ($10) waived for their fencers who preregistered. Additionally, if you are part of a small collegiate club which does not have strips to bring, you may also be eligible for the discount. Contact fencing@ua.edu for more information and to indicate how many strips you can bring.

Walk-in fencers: Walk-in registrations may be accepted for an additional $15 at the discretion of the bout committee.

Miscellaneous

-All fencers will be required to have a USA Fencing membership

-Masks and gloves will be checked

-All fencers are expected to comply with the standard equipment guidelines (such as wearing plastrons, having a second weapon and body cord near the strip, soft cover rule for foil chest protectors, etc.)

JOHN “TRACE” RUTHERFURD III TEAM EPEE TOURNAMENT

The John “Trace” Rutherfurd III team epee tournament will be help after the conclusion of open mixed epee on Sunday, March 24.

OVERVIEW: Teams will consist of three fencers, or four including an alternate. The direct elimination bracket will use the relay (benchmark) system, where teams compete to reach 45 total points. For more information about this format, see https://www.usafencing.org/news_article/show/1257045

POOLS: Team pools will use the "Alabama method", an abbreviated version of the relay system in which teams attempt to reach 15 total points. Each team member will fence one fencer from the other team, with the order written down by the team captains before the bout.

Note that due to this pool format, alternates will not get an opportunity to fence in this event unless the team chooses to substitute them for another fencer (due to injury, exhaustion, etc.).

Questions? Email fencing@ua.edu