Youth League Rules

1. Eligibility:
   Fencers must be under the age category as at 1 January 2006 e.g. for U10 the fencer must be 9 or younger as at 1 January 2006, if the fencer’s birthday is 1st January and, in this example, 10 years old on 1 January, then the fencer should be in U12. If his/her birthday is 2nd January and they are 10 on that day then they can fence in U10. Fencers may only enter this league where they have their home address in the Yorkshire Region, OR where they regularly attend a fencing club within the Yorkshire Region.
2. The competitions are run under FIE/BFA Rules, subject to changes outlined in these rules. The formula is two rounds of pools with nobody eliminated followed by Direct Elimination without repechage and equal third place. Where a high or low number of entrants or circumstance dictate, the Organising Committee reserve the right to change the format, for example, to one round of pools followed by Direct Elimination or the running of a pool unique medal pool. Normally the pool matches will operate with 3 minutes 5 hits limits. However the Organising Committee reserve the right to change the format to 2 minutes 4 hits.
3. In the U12 & U14 Competitions:
   1. The maximum blade sizes are: Foil - size 3, Epée - size 2 and Sabre – size 2.
   2. The piste for all weapons may be the shorter length of 12m.
4. In the U10 Foil Events the maximum blade size is size 0
5. In the U10 and U12 Events:
   1. In the DE Tableau, fights are to 10 hits in 3 bouts of 2 minutes, with a gap of 1 minute.
   2. In the U10 event the pool fights are for 5 hits with a time limit of two minutes.
6. Equipment used must comply with the safety guidelines of British Fencing. Fencing will be electric unless circumstances on the day dictate that that it will be steam. This is a decision reserved by the Organising Committee.
7. ALL fencers must be members of British Fencing. Fencers will have the opportunity to join British Fencing on the day of the event. Membership cards will be checked at the event. Any fencers found to have competed in the League without the appropriate membership, are liable to be disqualified. No refunds will be made with respect to disqualified fencers.
8. The winner of the league in each weapon, age group, boys and girls will be based on the fencer in their category with the highest number of points from the sum of their 3 best results at the end of the league season. Points are awarded on the following basis: 30 points for the winner of an event; 28 points for finishing in 2nd place; 27 points for 3rd place; 26 points for 4th; and so on to 1 point for placing 29th. No points for placing 30th or lower. In the event of a tie on points at the end of the season the winner will be the fencer who placed first in one of the events. Where there is still a tie after that consideration the fencers’ next best result will be compared and the one with the highest placing will be declared the winner. Should there still be a tie after this the tied fencers will be declared joint winners. The winner of the league will be declared by the Organising Committee. Any appeal against the Organising Committee’s decision will be heard by the Yorkshire Fencing Committee whose decision will be final.
9. Medals will be awarded to fencers placing 1st, 2nd and 3rd. Yorkshire Youth League trophies will be presented to the winner of the league in each age group, weapon, and gender (other than U10 which is of mixed gender). Trophies will be held by the winner for the period of one year after which the trophies must be returned to the Organising Committee.
10. *** A Man-at-arms and Lady-at-arms trophy - Rule updated 2006 - will publish shorlty.