Wheelchair fencing, by Eloïse Giry

Wheelchair Fencing

The rules :

-The two athletes are installed face to face in a wheelchair that is fixed on the ground.The distance between them is determined by    whoever has the shortest arm. -Athletes have standard fencing equipment, plus extra leg protections. Those who lack grip on their weapon can fix it with a tape or    similar device. Each key reports a point. The validity of a key depends on the weapon: - Foil: the trunk, except the head and arms. The button must be made with the tip of the blade. -Sword: any part of the body above the hips. The button must be made with the tip of the blade -Saber: any part of the body above the hips. The key can be made with the tip or the side of the blade.

-In an individual event, shooters compete for 3 periods of 3 minutes, the first totaling 15 keys winning (or the one with the highest   number of keys). In the group event, the teams are composed of three players. The first to total 45 keys is victorious History :

Since France's participation in the world games of Stoke-Mandeville in 1957, and then to the 1st Paralympic Games in Rome in 1960, France ranks among the top three nations. Wheelchair fencing is now present on all continents. It has developed in number of shooters and in technical, physical and tactical qualities

Equipment :

Fencing is a mixed discipline which, in competition, is practiced in a wheelchair with a foil, a sword and a saber. The chair must be adapted to the fencer's morphology and meet regulatory standards such as the height of the seat, the width of the chair, the position of the foot rests, the size and texture of the cushion if the fencer Uses one.

Classification : Fencing is an activity open to all, in which the fencers are classified according to their handicap: - First category: Shooters with trunk balance - Second category: Shooters without trunk balance - Third category: tetraplegic shooters

Dates : Wheelchair fencing was created in 1957 with their participation in Stoke Mandeville games after wheelchair fencing, participated in    the first Paralympic Games in 1960