Fencing

From the match point of view this has been a good term and our scores have been on average the highest we have achieved : this is certainly true of the `‘Staniforth" result. The following have shot for the School this term: L. M. Creer ('Capt.); S. Mackinder, P. J. G. C. Bleach, G. W. Harding, S. G. Smith, Bavister, A. G. Bird, P. R. Taylor, P. R. Morris, J. R. Young.

St. Peter's Opponents Result v. Monmouth 772 759 won v. Leeds G.S. 763 746 won v. Merchiston 772 771 won v. 'Pocklington 777 Our "Staniforth" score of 776 placed us 14th out of 136 competitors.

CHRISTMAS 1967

This has certainly been one of the best seasons even enjoyed by the fencing club, both as a team and in individual competitions. The only defeat suffered by the team was the first one of the season against a strong Y.F.A. team and indeed the score, 10-6, could probably have been reversed had we not had three colours missing. The most important team match of the season was against Westminster School, who came up to York from London. Against these very notable opponents, considered to be one of the country's foremost fencing schools, the team excelled themselves winning 16-2 overall. Miller was awarded his School Colours.

Other team matches were against : York University, won 10-6, Sheffield University, won 11-6 and a team from Hull University, won 15-1.

The School were distinguished by having two of the three members of the Y.F.A. team which won the North of England Senior Team Championships. They were Wood and Lockwood. In the Ashton-Under-Lyne Senior Tournament Wood reached the last 10 in the foil and Miller the quarter-finals of the sabre. In the North of England Under 20 championships at the same place Wood lost his title, coming third, and Miller fought well to come sixth.

Wood reached the last twelve in the Under "20" championships of Great Britain, but was knocked out in the direct-elimination. The Yorkshire schoolboys was the last competition of the term and in this Miller and Lockwood were knocked out in the semi4mals and Wood finished second. These were good results for the team because it was fought in steam-foil, a strange weapon to the School who always use the electric apparatus.

We can now look forward to the Easter Term and the Public Schools Championships which is always the climax of the fencing season. The first team are certainly up to the required standard for this, but some of the other experienced fencers must get down to training if we are to win the overall competition.

Once again we thank Messrs. P. and A. Power for their valuable coaching and time spent on making St. Peter's one of the strongest senior fencing teams in the North and certainly the strongest school fencing team. C.A.W.