2024 CADET AND JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS

Age Groups:

Juniors – under 20 on 1st January 2025, i.e. born 2005 and at least 13 on the day of the event.

Cadets – under 17 on 1st January 2025, i.e. born 2008  and at least 11 on the 1st January 2025.

Membership Level Required: Compete

Check your BF membership and log into the platform here.

Entries: 

Entry Open: 11th June 2024 (09:00)

Entry Close: 30th August 2024 (12:00) Mid Day

ENTER HERE

Entry Fee Support Scheme: BF is mindful of the rising costs of attending fencing events and the potential barrier to participation this creates for some members of our community. As a result, BF is offering a limited number of free entries. These will be offered based on financial need, not on ability.  This scheme will cover 100% of the entry fee cost.

Applications must be completed per athlete. For multiple athletes from one household, please complete separate application forms.

Applications close Wednesday 14th August 2024 at 5pm

All applicants will be told the outcome of their application by close of play Friday 16th August.

Applicants will then be contacted by the BF Events Team with further information on how to enter the event.

Saturday 14th September – Cadet National Championships

Sunday 15th September – Junior National Championships

Check-In: There is no check-in at this event.  Fencers must report to the referee on their piste, ready to fence, 15mins before the scheduled start time.

Poules will be drawn and displayed online at 6pm the day before the competition.  Information will also be displayed at the venue.

Fencing can start a maximum of 10 mins before the official start time if all fencers for the competition are present at their piste.

These events are a pre-requisite event for any athlete wishing to be selected for Great Britain at Junior and/or Cadet FIE or EFC competitions, more information here.

Equipment: All fencers must wear the correct kit as per British Fencing rules. This will include FIE chest protectors (m.25 4(c) ) and 800N sabre gloves (as per the rule at https://www.britishfencing.com/urgent-safety-notice-sabre-gloves/).

Masks with 2 rear safety systems are required -see further information here.

Weapons Control:

Weapons control will be in operation for the Individual Foil and Sabre events, focussing on conductivity testing.

The following items ONLY will be required to be presented to weapons control:

• Foil lame
• Foil mask bib
• Sabre glove
• Sabre lame
• Sabre mask

For Foil and Epee, masks, gloves, weights and gauges will be checked on the piste by referees.

Please note that the weapons control is not intended to act as a full safety check. The primary purpose of the check is to ensure equipment meets the conductivity requirements – i.e. scoring hits are registered. However, equipment may still fail due to safety reasons.

It remains the fencer’s responsibility to ensure that personal fencing kit meets safety standards.

Weapons Control Opening Times:

Friday 13th September 2024 – 18:00 – 20:00

Saturday 14th September 2024 – 07:45 – 12:30

Sunday 15th September – 07:45 – 13:00

We recommend that Women’s Foil and Sabre Athletes use the Morning weapons control slot prior to the start of their competition, as due to the earlier Men’s Foil and Sabre start time, it is likely that the majority of Men’s Foil and Sabre Fencers will use the Friday and first few hours of the Saturday/Sunday Slot.

Media:  Please note there will be filming and photography including live streaming at this event for BF purposes. If you do not give photography/filming permission for yourself or your athlete, please contact [email protected] before the event.

Photography Policy:  Photography and video using smartphones for personal use only (including coaching and social media) is permitted.

Please be mindful of the age of participants, and read our photography safeguarding policy: https://www.britishfencing.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/04/8_photography_policy.pdf

‘Live streaming’ or broadcasting video in any way, from any device including smartphones, is not permitted.

Anyone wanting to take photographs using any kind of professional or semi-pro camera equipment must apply for media accreditation in advance of the event – accreditation will not be available during competition. This means any kind of camera with a detachable lens, and/or using any kind of tripod or monopod. Media accreditation is for still photography only – no pro or semi-pro video equipment is permitted. Media accreditation does not gain you access to the Field of Play at any point of the event.

British Fencing reserves the right to refuse or withdraw photographic accreditation at any time without giving a reason.

NOTE: Any person taking photographs of any kind with any device must follow any instructions given by the BF media representatives, the Event Director, and / or the referees. 

Accreditation: Accreditation will be in place for access to the Field of Play (FoP) at the event. There will be no access to the Field of Play without an accreditation.

Why is there an accreditation system in place?

There are several reasons why an accreditation system has been introduced at BF events. Field of Play (FoP) accreditation was in part introduced to control and improve the quality of the immediate environment around the fencer when they compete. Over the years an increasing number of parents, coaches etc have wished to support fencers by occupying spaces closer and closer to the piste which causes safety issues and makes refereeing more difficult.

Importantly fencers tell us that they do not like this overcrowding and it makes it harder to concentrate.

Accreditation is also an important part of us managing the experience for young people and helps us uphold the Fair Play Code which we expect everyone to follow for the event.  (You can find an article on coaching and supporting fencers at U14 events here, and the role of a parent during a match here.)

Do I need FoP accreditation if I am just coming to the event?

No. There is spectator seating and standing room in both halls with space to view all pistes. Spectators are able to view the actions from behind the FoP barriers, which will be only a few meters behind the end of the piste.

Rule Changes: The new passivity rule introduced on the 1st January 2023 by the FIE will be implemented at the event.

Shop: Leon Paul Stand will be at the venue throughout the weekend.

Welfare: There will be a dedicated welfare officer at the event who will be clearly visible throughout. All welfare issues that arise at the event must be reported to the welfare officer present.

Sustainability: As part of BF’s commitment to reducing the environmental impact of our sport, no single-use plastic bottles will be permitted on the field of play. We hope that the community will support efforts in this area and ensure that everyone brings re-useable bottles to the event.

Prayer Room: There will be a prayer room available at the venue. Please ask at reception or speak to a member of the team and they will direct you.

Disabilities: BF recognises that many disabilities are hidden and participants in competitions may need additional support throughout the event. Any disability information that you provide in your membership profile (provided that you have given permission to share) will be passed to the organising team and a member of the event welfare team will get in touch to discuss how we can help. Alternatively you can contact us in advance either by emailing the events team directly [email protected], or the BF safeguarding lead ([email protected]). Finally, you can ask speak to a member of the onsite team at check-in. Please note the earlier you raise any additional support needs the better able we are to make reasonable accommodations.

Clubs are required to provide a referee based on the number of Fencers they enter:

• 1-4 fencers   – no referee
• 5-9 fencers    – 1 referee
• 10+ fencers  – 2 referees

Note that is quota is based on per weapon per day. For example, a club entering four fencers into Men’s Epee and four into Women’s Foil are not required to provide a referee, however, if a club is entering five fencers into Men’s Epee and three into Women’s Foil, the club are required to provide one referee.

BF wants to work with clubs where they are required to provide referees in accordance with their club entries, in a collaborative manner.

Where clubs are required to provide a referee(s), they must inform BF of their referee name by Monday 2nd September 2024

BF are able to offer clubs a rate for accommodation costs where club provided referees can stay in the official BF hotel, where accommodation is required. Please get in touch with [email protected] as soon as possible to discuss this.

BF is not looking to fine clubs but will fine £250 in the following circumstances:

• • A club does not engage or respond to BFs communications and fails to provide referees.
  • A club agrees to provide support (Referee or other agreed support) following a conversation with BF and then fails to do so (excluding force majeure reasons).