Triple Threat Fencing Academy’s competitive fencers have the opportunity to compete in tournaments at the local, regional, and national level. Competitions take place throughout the year and there are competitions that can accommodate anyone from a competitive first timer entering a tournament for the first time to a more seasoned veteran, competing at Summer Nationals or Junior Olympics. Descriptions and calendars for each type of event can be found below.
National Competitions
National competitive events organized by USA Fencing offer the highest level of competition for our fencers. Often referred to as “North America Cup” or “NAC” tournaments, national competitions occur seven to nine times a year in locations across the United States and attract the best fencers in the nation. Signature events include Summer Nationals and Junior Olympics. USA Fencing maintains a calendar of national events on their website.
> View National Events Calendar
Regional Competitions
USA Fencing has organized the geographic United States into six different regions, through which a large amount of regional competitions are hosted by fencing clubs in a variety of locales. Triple Threat Fencing Academy is located in Region Six and our fencers often partake in competitions from as far north as Virginia all the way down into Florida. Our fencers compete in Regional Open Circuit (ROC) tournaments, Regional Junior Cadet Circuit (RJCC) tournaments, and Regional Youth Circuit (RYC) tournaments, honing their skills and ultimately earning USA Fencing rankings and classifications. USA Fencing maintains a calendar of all regional events, searchable by region, date, or other criteria.
> View Regional Events
Local Competitions
Local competitions are hosted by a number of different clubs and take on a variety of different formats, including mixed gender and open events. Local tournaments take place year round, offer a great opportunity for our fencers to sharpen their skills, and can be found by using the “FRED” (Fencing Results and Events Database) system>
> View Local Events (via FRED)
Layman’s Guide to USA Fencing Classifications & Rankings
Per the 2024 USA Fencing Athlete Handbook, “classifications provide provide an objective scale for the seeding of fencers in competitions. Fencers are classified into the following letter classifications: A (highest), B, C, D, E and U (unclassified, lowest) as well as by national ranking. Classifications are written A23, B22, C21, etc. with the letter indicating the most recent year in which the classification was earned or re-earned. Classifications provide a measuring standard for fencers as they progress through the sport.”
Layman’s Guide to USA Fencing Categories (i.e. “Cadet”, “Junior”, “Youth”, etc)
An athlete’s age (relative to the current year’s Junior Olympics tournament date) and classification (along with other potential factors) determine their eligibility to compete in different categories at USA Fencing events. Categories include Youth 8 (Y8), Youth 10 (Y10), Youth 12 (Y12), Youth 14 (Y14), Cadet, Junior, various Veteran age groups, Senior, Division 1, 1A, 2, and 3. More detail can be found in the 2024 USA Fencing Athlete Handbook but if you’re wondering what categories that you or your fencer are eligible to compete in, don’t guess, just ask your coach!
