First off, congratulations to Martin! He earned his E rating in foil at the Charlottesville tournament. Way to go!
This weekend (March 13 and 14) is the official C-and-Under Ratings Rally for Virginia Fencers Only in Richmond! Don't like how crowded regular ratings rallies are? Then this is the event for you! The official name of the tournament, the VA Division II/III Championships, scares away a lot of fencers. But the only reason it has such an official name is because Virginia has to have an official event to determine how many Virginia fencers can then go to the Summer Nationals. (And that really is a big event!) You see, if only a handful of people enter the Division Championships, then only one or two fencers can go to Summer Nats. But if a whole bunch of people enter the champs, then Virginia can send a lot of people to Summer Nats! So this is a doubly-cool event: It's a ratings rally that isn't wall-to-wall fencers AND you get to help send people to Summer Nats. Joy! (Note: There are no mixed events. Each weapons is broken out by gender.) Tournament info is here and you can see who's already signed up -- including your clubmates -- here.
The following weekend, March 20 and 21, is the annual Conomikes-Gutenberg Open in Williamsburg. This is traditionally a good-sized open with a wide variety of skill levels represented. Plus it's held in a very large gym so it's easy for spectators to wander around and see everything. Click here for tournament information. I strongly encourage everyone to spend at least a little while at this tournament so you can see what competitions are like! If you've never been to a tournament before, read 'How to Go to a Fencing Tournament' for an idea of what to expect. Fun stuff, Maynard!
This one's a biggie! Virginia Beach will be hosting a North American Cup event April 23 through 26 at the Convention Center. Div I means 'C rated and higher' so you'll get to see some of the best fencers in the country, including former and potential Olympians! And Scott will be in the thick of it all, competing in men's epee! w00t! (Yes, I still say 'w00t'. Hush.) And in addition to the Div I fencers, Y10, Y12, and Y14 competitions will be held as well. Set aside some time to go to this one, it's well worth it!
Additional tournaments on the way: VA Division Youth Championships, Southeast Sectionals (in Greensboro, NC, this year), Virginia Division Championships
Whew! There's a bit more I wanted to cover but I think that's plenty for now.
