Entries to all Australian Fencing Federation (AFF) events are open to eligible fencers who meet the criteria outlined below.

Australian Fencers

Australian fencers must:

• Meet the applicable age group requirements for the event;

• Hold the appropriate affiliation status:

  • Participative affiliation is sufficient for AFC Schools Championships events;

  • Capitated affiliation is required for all other national events;

• Be in good standing with both the AFF and their respective State Association; and

• Have provided confirmation of their date of birth and gender. 

International Fencers

International fencers must:

• Be affiliated with their recognised National Federation or Association;

• Meet the applicable age group requirements for the event; and

• Have provided confirmation of their date of birth and gender.

Registration and Entry Limits

The AFF accepts registrations in accordance with the Operational Protocol published on the AFF website.

There are no limits on the number of entries to AFF events, except for:

• AFC Schools (Individual) Championships, and

• AFC Schools (Team) Championships

For these events, the number of entries per State may be limited to ensure the effective organisation and delivery of the competition.

The FIE rules relating to competitor ages apply for entry to all non-school AFF events. However, o.29.1 applies only for Senior, Under-23 and Junior (Under-20s) events. Please see possible exemptions below.  An exception will be permitted for these events where the fencer has previously achieved a Top 8 final ranking at an Youth (Under15) AFC or AYC event, or a Top 16 ranking at a Cadet (Under17) event.

For Cadet (U/17) events, fencers must be a 12 years old on the first day of the tournament.

For Youth (U/15) events, fencers must be at least 10 years old on the first day of the tournament.

Exemptions for National Events

General Rule

All age exemption requests are determined by the NCC. The NCC retains the right to grant or refuse an exemption request. All requests must be made in writing to the NCC ([email protected]) at least one week before the close of Early Bird entries for the event.

Guidelines

The NCC will use the following guidelines in considering age exemptions:

National Youth Competition

• The athlete is at least 9 years of age on the first day of the tournament; AND
• The athlete has achieved a podium in an U12, U13, U14 or U15 event at State level

National Cadet Competition

• The athlete is at least 11 years of age on the first day of the tournament; AND
• The athlete has achieved a Top 8 at National Youth level event

National Junior Competition

• The athlete is at least 12 years of age on the first day of the tournament; AND
• The athlete has achieved a Top 16 at a National Cadet or Top 8 at a National Youth tournament

National Senior Level

• No minimum age exemption possible.

Further Exemption Clause

• A fencer who does not meet the above circumstances who still has a compelling case may apply to the NCC for an exemption

The AFF hosts four different types of Team events. These are shown below.

Names of the individuals comprising the team(s) for each team event entered must be lodged by the Team Captains with the Directoire Technique (DT) before the semi-finals of the relevant individual event, if relevant, otherwise, prior to roll call for the specific team event or as requested by the DT during the tournament.

Where there are at least two teams entered, the event will be run (even if both teams are from the same State or club). Where there is only one team entered, that team will be declared the winner by default.

State-based team events (at Under-15s/Cadets, Juniors, and Open Championships) - there is a maximum of two teams per State for each weapon/gender. Where other nations are competing, this rule extends to two teams per nation. These events are run as a straight direct elimination, with no ranking matches held for third place or lower.

Club-based team events (usually only at AFC3) - two teams per club are permitted for each weapon/gender. These events are also run as a straight direct elimination, with no separate ranking matches held for third place or lower.

School-based team events (at AFC Schools Championships) - each State is permitted to enter up to two Teams for each weapon/gender. All members of each team must be from the same school. However, where there are less than sixteen teams competing, any vacant places will be filled from additionally nominated teams pro rata according to State membership numbers. The event is usually run as a pool unique format. However, the specific format of the competition will be determined by the Tournament Management Commission and Tournament organisers once the number of entries is finalised.

Veteran team events (at AFC Veteran Nationals) - each State is permitted to enter up to two single gender teams. If at the time of team declaration (i.e. at the semi-finals of the corresponding individual event), there are only one or two single-gender teams entered, the event will be declared mixed. If an event is declared mixed, then (a) existing entries may be re-organised to accommodate the change, (b) additional entries may be made by any State, (c) each State is permitted to enter up to two mixed teams. Alternatively, if an event is declared as a separate Men's and Women's event, made up of single gender teams, a State that would otherwise be unable to enter a team in either event, may then elect to enter one mixed team into the Men's team event.

Individual Events

For all national circuit tournaments, including the National Championships, individual competitions will be fenced as:

• one round of pools of six and / or seven, wherever possible, all fencers to promote
• appropriate direct elimination phase (either complete or incomplete tableaux, with no repechage)
• at the final four (semi-finals), an introduction of the semi-finalists in bout order pairs and presentation of the fifth through eighth medallists, if required.
• on completion of finals, a medals ceremony of the top four finalists (according to final ranking) for presentation of finalists medals.

Team Events

Teams are seeded on the basis of the team scores. Team scores are based on the named team members’ final ranking in the comparable individual events. Any team member who did not fence in the comparable individual event, is assigned a ranking equal to the last fencer for that event plus one.

In determining the team score, only the final ranking of the top three ranked team members are totalled to determine each team’s score. Teams are placed on the direct elimination tableau according to their team score (lowest being first seed).

Each team match comprises a 45 Hit Relay format bout.

Entries for veterans events will be accepted under the following five age categories – 40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70-79, and 80+. Rules for Non-Veterans Tournaments apply with the following exceptions.

Special rules apply in relation to Veterans Individual events:

Where there are six or more fencers of both genders present, separate men's and women's competitions will be held

An exception to this is where four or five fencers of either gender are present, competitions will include fencers of both genders in the pools round only, and separate men's and women's direct eliminations will be held;

An exception to the two rules above is that competitions will include fencers of both genders in the pools round and direct elimination rounds if there are three or fewer fencers of either gender;

Separate medals will be awarded to men and women based on the current medal-to-entry ratios and structure documented below.

Where a fencer withdraws from a Veterans event at any time up to and including roll call for the reason that it will be a fully or partially mixed event, that fencer will be entitled to receive a full refund of their entry fee for that Veterans event.

Poule bouts are fenced to five hits while bouts in direct elimination are fenced to 10 hits. In both cases there are no hits handicapped for age category differences between fencers.

The format of team and individual competition will to some degree depend on the number of individual and team entries. The following formats are indicative and may be changed at the discretion of the Tournament Management Commission and the Directoire Technique (with AFF approval) once final entries are known.

Individual:
Two rounds of pools (bouts to 3 hits in 2 minutes) with no direct elimination round. Final placings to be decided by the overall results from pools subject to a barrage for medals if required.

Teams:
One round of pool matches. The format of pool bouts (hits/timing) to be decided when entry numbers are known. Pools to be seeded based on individual results. Placings will be based on overall results from pools.

All competitor numbers are taken from entries at the official close of entries excluding any late entries that may subsequently occur. For events with less than four competitors, the event will not be run.
For other events, the AFF will award medals as follows:

• for events with four or five competitors, a gold and silver medal will be awarded;
• for events with six or more competitors, then additionally two equal bronze medals will be awarded

For Veterans events, additional awards relate to age categories:

• The highest placed fencer for each age category will be awarded a certificate of recognition (1-3 fencers) or medal (four or more fencers).
• Age categories, starting with oldest, are merged down with next youngest age bracket until the cumulative number of fencers reaches the minimum number required for a medal to be awarded, repeated starting from the age category below where the medal was just allocated.
• No medal or certificate is awarded for an age category if the winner of the category finishes behind the winner of an older age category.

At all Team events, gold medals are awarded to the winners, with silver and equal bronze medals also awarded (regardless of the number of entries). Where a Veteran’s team event is mixed, a
single set of medals will be awarded.