Welcome to the official Event Page of Baltic Sabre Swordsmanship. Here you will get all information you need. Take a look at the workshops, timetable, tournament ruleset and equipment required to join the tournament. Date: 03.05.- 04.05.2024 / Location: TBA (Rostock)
Ruleset Tournament (German)
Ruleset Tournament (Englisch)
Workshops
The Tactical Paradox
No plan survives first contact with the enemy” – this military proverb rings true for the fencing hall as for the battlefield, for the 18th century cavalryman as for the modern HEMA fencer, even 150 years after
Helmuth von Moltke first put it into words. Without a plan, however, every assault can become a game of chance and circumstance and historical manuals often give little guidance how to adapt your techniques in the course of a free match.
In this workshop we will try to imbed a tactical element into our fencing by breaking down parts of the fight into assessable segments, exploring concepts like invitations and second intention attacks, and
actively experimenting with initiative, distance, tempo and rhythm. This is intended to work with any historical style or sabre you are using and will provide you with a conscious framework that supports you in planning and choosing your own techniques during an exchange, pressing your opponent to play your game!
Double-Cuts, and what they can do for you
For most systems of sabre fencing, it is standard practice to recover after you have made a cut. While German Covered-Cut Fencing generally also works like that, there are some ideas on double-cuts, i.e. making two attacks directly after one another.
For this workshop, we are going to look into the typical cutting mechanics of this style, how they lend themselves to double-cuts, and in what situations they can be useful.
TBA
Does it have to hurt that much ? That is a common question when a cross-cutting sabre practitioner clashes with other fencers. This is a truly deep and mysterious topic. One would have to delve deeper into historical sources on Polish sabre fencing to discover what German and Italian masters say about it – and how it can possibly differ from other arts of European fencing. Even though there are no primary sources specifically about this kind of fencing, there are numerous mentions in other manuals.
The works of Balthasaro Cramonio Polnauiensi Pomerano, Heinrich Von Gunterrodt or Franceco Anonio Marcelli, in spite of not dealing directly with sabre fencing, give glimpses into the art – possibly enough to make an attempt at a reconstruction. This task has been undertaken, among others, by the Sieniawski brothers and this workshop is heavily based on their findings as well as results of the research.
At the end of the workshop, having looked at the historical context, some theory and practical exercises of select elements of Polish cross-cutting, we will be able to answer some deep and philosophical questions. Does a rapier always win against a sabre ? Do only real sabres have curves ? Why is a dog backwards god ?
Time Schedule
| Saturday | |||
| 9:00 | Entrance & Warm-Up | ||
| 10:00 | Official Welcome | ||
| 10:30-12:30 | Seminar 1 (Dirk Sebastian) | Open Ground | |
| 12:30-13:00 | Lunch | ||
| 13:00-15:00 | Seminar 2 (Mariusz Pankiewicz) | Open Ground | |
| 15:00-17:00 | Seminar 3 (Tobias Zimmermann) | ||
| 17:00-19:00 | Group Games (Capture the Ship) | ||
| 19:00 | Official End and Clean Up | ||
| Sunday | |||
| 8:00 | Entrance | ||
| 8:30 | Gear Check | Warm Up | |
| 9:00-10:30 | Pool 1 (Open) | Open Ground | |
| 10:30-12:00 | Pool 2 (Open) | ||
| 12:00-12:30 | Lunch | ||
| 13:00-14:00 | Elimination (Open) | ||
| 14:30-15:30 | Finals | ||
| 16:00 | Open Ground | ||
| 16:00-18:00 | Offizial End and Clean Up | ||
Tournament Equipment
The sabre must have the following characteristics:
Blade length: Must not exceed a length of 90 cm.
Overall length: Must not exceed a total length of 105 cm.
Basket size: Must not enclose more than 50% of the hilt (e.g. Scottish basket hilt)
Weight: Must not be less than 750 grams and must not exceed 950 grams.
Bending behavior: The blade must yield visibly at a test weight of 12 kg.
Fencing mask & rear head protection: a fencing mask FIE standard level 2 with a stab resistance of at least 1600N.
A neck protector made of a hard material that covers the entire larynx and protects the neck from impacts.
(compulsory for women) A chest protector made of a hard material that protects the upper body from blows and stabs.
An upper body protector with a stab resistance of at least 350N, which covers and protects the upper body from the hips to the neck.
A protector made from a hard material that protects the forearm and elbow joint on both arms from impacts.
Gloves made of a hard material that protect fingers and wrist from blows. (min. Red Dragon)
(compulsory for men) A groin guard made of a hard material that protects the genital area from blows.
A thigh protector with a puncture resistance of at least 350N, which protects the thighs from punctures and blows.
Leg protection made of a hard material that protects the knees and shins up to the ankle from impacts.
