CFF - Championships

The Commonwealth Championships is held every four years, in the same year as the Commonwealth Games, and is sanctioned by the Commonwealth Games Federation.

One of the objectives of the Commonwealth Fencing Federation is to have Fencing included in the Commonwealth Games, but at present the event is run independently.

The inaugural Commonwealth Junior Championships, for fencers under the age of 20, was held in January 2006: the intention is to hold this event every three years.

The Commonwealth Veterans' Championships is held every two years, and is for fencers aged 40 and over.

Upcoming Championships

2009 Commonwealth Junior Fencing Championships

The next Commonwealth Junior Fencing Championships will be held in 16 to 21 February 2009, in Penang, Malaysia.

2009 Commonwealth Veteran Fencing Championships

The next Commonwealth Veteran Fencing Championships will be held in 2009, in Jersey.

2010 Commonwealth Fencing Championships

The CFF has called for Expressions of Interest in hosting the 2010 Commonwealth Open Fencing Championships. Any country willing to submit an EOI should do so by 31 August 2008. The EOI notice is available as a Word document or an Adobe Acrobat document - it contains a list of the information that must be contained in the submission.

2014 Commonwealth Fencing Championships

Formal bids have not yet been called for the 2014 Commonwealth Fencing Championships. However, Scotland has indicated that they will be seeking to host the event at around the same time as the 2014 Commonwealth Games.

Hosting the Championships

The CFF Competition Handbook provides guidance to organisers from the initial bid through to the actual event.

Format of the Championships

The Commonwealth Fencing Championships consists of Individual and Team events for all the three weapons: foil, sabre and epee.

Commonwealth Championships

Competitors

Member countries may send five fencers per weapon per gender. Each of these fencers may compete in the relevant individual event. Team events consist of three fencers plus one reserve. The team manager selects the team from the permitted five fencers, and may vary the team as desired between matches.

Awards

Official Commonwealth Games medals are awarded at the Commonwealth Fencing Championships.

Medals are awarded for first, second and third place in the individual events. Since 1994, two third place medals have been awarded for each event, in line with FIE competition rules.

Medals are awarded for first, second and third place in team events. In line with FIE competition rules, there is no "equal third" - after the semi-finals, the two losing teams fence off for third place. All five members of a placing team receive medals, regardless of whether or not they actually fenced in the team event.

The Wilkinson Sword Trophy is awarded to the Nation with the best overall results.

The Commonwealth Fencing Federation also gives out up to six Awards for Significant Performance to fencers competing at the Championships. Information about these awards is available as an Adobe Acrobat document.

Rules

The Rules for the Commonwealth Championships are available as a webpage, a Word document or an Adobe Acrobat document.

The Rules consist of:

Introduction

General Rules

Entry Details

Seeding

Championships Schedule

Wilkinson Sword Trophy

Junior Championships

At the 2006 Junior Championships the format was the same as that of the Commonwealth Championships, with the following exceptions:

Competitors

A maximum of 4 athletes per nation per weapon.

Age limit as per FIE regulations: athletes must be less than 20 years of age on 1st January of the year in which the event takes place.

Veterans' Championships

Format of the event may be varied slightly at the discretion of the host federation. However, in general the format is the same as that of the Commonwealth Championships, but with the following exceptions:

Athletes must be 40 years or over on the day of the competition.

Age categories normally work in increments of 10 years (40-49, 50-59, 60-69, 70+)

Individual events are normally fenced as a single competition, across all age categories

Gold, silver and bronze medals are awarded based on overall result, but in addition the two highest placed fencers in the 50+, 60+ and 70+ categories will fence off for age medals

Prospective competitors in a Veterans' Championships are strongly advised to familiarise themselves with the details provided by the host federation, to ensure they are aware of all exceptions to the standard format.

Previous Championships

A set of medal winners for Commonwealth Championships since 1978 is available as a webpage, a Word document or an Adobe Acrobat document.

Commonwealth Championships Junior Championships Veterans' Championships

2006: Belfast, Northern Ireland 2006: Chennai, India 2007: Toronto, Canada

2002: Newcastle, Australia
Eleven countries: Australia, England, India, Isle of Man, Jersey, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Wales.
Commonwealth Games held in Manchester, England.
2005: Edinburgh, Scotland

1998: Shah Alam, Malaysia

Twelve countries: Australia, Canada, England, Jersey, Malaysia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, St. Vincent, Scotland, Singapore, South Africa, Wales.

Commonwealth Games held in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
2003: Sydney, Australia

1994: Whistler, Canada

Eleven countries: Australia, Canada, England, Hong Kong, Malaysia, New Zealand, Northern Ireland, St. Vincent, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago, Wales.

Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, Canada.

1990 Commonwealth Fencing Championships - Manchester, England

With the sponsorship of the Manchester Olympic Bid.

Fourteen countries: Australia, Canada, England, Guyana, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Jersey, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Singapore, St. Vincent, Trinidad & Tobago, Wales.

Commonwealth Games held in Auckland, New Zealand.

1986: Cardiff, Wales

Thirteen countries: Australia, Barbados, Canada, England, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Trinidad & Tobago, Wales.

Commonwealth Games held in Edinburgh, Scotland.

1982: Barnstaple, England

Event renamed Commonwealth Fencing Championships.

Eight countries: Australia, Canada, England, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Scotland, Wales.

Commonwealth Games held in Brisbane, Australia.

1978: Glasgow, Scotland

Eight countries: Australia, Canada, England, [Hong Kong], Isle of Man, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales.

British Commonwealth Games held in Edmonton, Canada.

1974: Ottawa, Canada

First independent British Commonwealth Fencing Championships.

Seven countries: Australia, Canada (2 teams), England, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales.

British Commonwealth Games held in Christchurch, New Zealand.

1970: Edinburgh, Scotland

Included in British Commonwealth Games.

Twelve countries: Australia, Canada, Dominica, England, Guernsey, Hong Kong, Jamaica, Malaysia, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales.

1966: Kingston, Jamaica

Included in British Commonwealth Games.

Seven countries: Australia, Canada, England, Jamaica, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales.

1962: Perth, Australia

Included in British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Seven countries: Australia, Canada, England, Isle of Man, New Zealand, Scotland, Wales.

1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games - Cardiff, Wales
Ten countries: Australia, Canada, England, Hong Kong, Northern Ireland, New Zealand, Rhodesia, Scotland, South Africa, Wales.

1954: Vancouver, Canada

Included in British Empire and Commonwealth Games.

Six countries: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Wales.

1950 British Empire Games - Auckland, New Zealand

Fencing included in British Empire Games for the first time.

Five countries: Australia, Canada, England, New Zealand, Scotland.