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The modern épée derives from the 19th-century épée de combat, [1] a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword. [2] As a thrusting weapon, the épée is similar to a foil (contrasted with a sabre, which is designed for slashing). It has a stiffer blade than a foil. It is triangular in cross-section with a V-shaped groove called ...
Fencing is a combat sport that features sword fighting. [1] The three disciplines of modern fencing are the foil, the épée, and the sabre (also saber); each discipline uses a different kind of blade, which shares the same name, and employs its own rules.
A foil is one of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. It is a flexible sword of total length 110 cm (43 in) or under, rectangular in cross section, weighing under 500 g (18 oz), with a blunt tip. [1] As with the épée, points are only scored by making contact with the tip. The foil is the most commonly used weapon in fencing. [2]
Virtually all high level foil fencers use a pistol grip; in épée, both types are used. Both kinds of grip optimize hitting with the point of the sword (a 'thrust'), which is the only way to score a touch with a foil or épée. There are a number of grips which are no longer common or are currently illegal in competitive fencing.
The entire weapon is generally 105 cm (41 in) long; the maximum weight is 500 g (18 oz), but most competition swords are closer to 400 g (14 oz). It is shorter than the foil or épée, and lighter than the épée, hence physically easier to move swiftly and decisively.
The lunge is often used to deliver an attack.In sabre, the end of the attack is defined by the front foot of the lunge landing on the piste.An attack can be made with a lunge on its own, or can be made with a step-forward-lunge, which are both considered single tempo actions.
The development of reel-less scoring apparatus in épée and foil has been much slower due to technical complications. The first international competitions to use the reel-less versions of these weapons were held in 2006. [13] In the case of foil and épée, hits are registered by depressing a small push-button on the end of the blade. In foil ...
In foil, the attack is considered over when the back foot lands, and the opponent can seize right-of-way by initiating an attack. After attempting the hit, the fencer continues to move forward, running past their opponent, to avoid the riposte if he or she was parried, or a counterattack.