CFFA Update 6.7.26

Membership fees for USA Fencing are going up for next season.  Not tons, but about $10 per membership.  However, they don’t technically go up until August 1.  So, if you get your membership before then, you actually still pay this year’s fee. $10 is $10.

 

They are also drastically changing the qualification paths for Cadet, Junior, and Division 1 NACs and Championships starting August 1.  It creates a two tier system for these events.  It is a bit complicated (and the article is a bit vague) so hold on tight.  First, this only applies to National Div 1, Cadet, and Junior events.  It does not apply to eligibility for any local or regional events, or any National Youth, Vet, Div II, or Div III events.  I don’t see any explicit statements about whether this applies to Div 1A events.  It also has no bearing on the current way that National Teams are chosen, although that may change in the future.  At National events, if the field for any of the above three events goes over 168, then it will be split into an Elite event (with 112 fencers) and a National event (with up to 224 fencers).  It does not explicitly say whether A) once there are 336 fencers entered whether higher ranked fencers can enter and push out lower ranked fencers, B) exactly when in the process the split is set as people may be able to up their qualifying point count during the registration process, and C) if fencers withdraw after the registration deadline, if and how replacement fencers will be selected, other than how fencers in the National event could be promoted into the Elite event.  Looking at the upcoming Nationals, all the Cadet and Junior events are over the 168 fencer threshold.  Right now, both Div 1 epee events, and Men’s Div 1 foil are over 168.  Men’s sabre is short by 3 and Women’s sabre is short by 4.  On the other hand Junior men’s sabre and Junior and Cadet epee are all over the 336 fencer upper limit.  Cadet Men’s sabre is at exactly 336, and both Junior Men’s foil and Junior Women’s epee are close to 336.  Your rating as to whether you are Elite or National, your seeding within those events, (and rating to get in?) will be based on your best 6 results in any event, all the way from International competition down to a local competition.  It looks to be based on a system similar to the way points are awarded in national and regional competitions.  Winning gets you a certain points total and where you finish down the line gets you a percentage of that total.  International events get 4000 points for winning, Elite gets 1000. National gets 200, regional gets 100, and local events start at 75 and goes down to 25 depending on what the event is rated.  I want to see the computer program (and computer) that will keep the thousands of competitive fencers’ results totally up to date.  I will do my best to keep you up to date as things become clearer.