Fencing Pan Am Style

The Pan Am Games ticket brochure came out today. I'm hoping to get a ticket to fencing, if my volunteer schedule, as Props Assistant, allows. See my other blog- Pan Am Volunteer

What shocked me, was how different Pan Am Fencing is from ordinary fencing.

In Pan Am Fencing there are three players:

• the front fencer who is given the sword
• the middle fencer who is given the glove 
• and the wing fencer who is given the helmet

Pan Am logo on ticket brochure

Based on what I've learned from the brochure, the wing fencer kicks the middle fencer towards the front fencer who then tries to impale the middle fencer before he himself is hit in the head. 

The middle fencer is allowed to defend using his hand, but only hitting the target area above the neck. 

The bouts last a full minute and points are scored when the sword goes clean through the middle fencer. Bonus points if the sword also goes through the wing fencer at the same time. 

Yellow cards are given for excessive kicking or dancing after the referee calls halt.

Gotta get me a ticket to that!

I fence, therefore I am

KK