Fencing

subtlety of a threshing machine, and Pete Rivers failed to level the scores and the Club XI eventually succumbed for something over a 100. However, we were well content with our moral victory and were by no means convinced by the result proclaimed in the score book, which is no reflection on the efficiency of Richard Long, whom we thank for acting as scorer. Thanks also to Albert Hills for daring to umpire and to all who played.

Finally, on behalf of all those who are leaving, may I wish the Club great future.

J.A.M.

InIn the Easter holidays, the School took part in the Public Schools' Fencing Championships, held annually in London. We started well when three of our sabreurs got through to the second round. Although David Taylor was knocked out in this round, John Woodcock and Simon Atkinson got to the semi-finals, the latter going out on indicators.

On the following day, Martin Black excelled himself to reach the quarter final of the Junior Foil event and John Woodcock, after scraping through the second round of the Senior Foil, went from strength to strength and was eventually placed sixth in the Final. _

Although we achieved some excellent results in the foil and sabre events, our epee was disappointing. Richard Haiell, Andrew Corser and Paul Spencer got to the second round, but no one got any further.

At the beginning of the Summer term, we sent up four fencers to compete in the Yorkshire Schoolboys epee and sabre championships. Meeting with no strong opposition, Kevin Mendham won both the Junior sabre and epee, whilst Simon Atkinson secured the Senior sabre title.

Undoubtedly the most interesting and rewarding event of the Summer term was the much publicised match against Oxford and Cambridge. Both Universities sent their strongest teams to York for a weekend's fencing.

On the Saturday, the School fenced a team of the combined Universities. Rather surprisingly, this proved no easy victory for the talented Universities' side. We lost the foil 5-3; we were narrowly beaten in the epee by 5 bouts to 4, and the sabre was a cliff-hanger, the match being lost on the last hit!

The performance of our side was outstanding as the opposition held within their ranks an International, an Under Twenties champion and a fencer who had reached the finals of all three weapons at the Public Schools.

On the Sunday, certain members of the School represented the Y.F.A. against the Universities in the Guildhall. This occasion was graced by the presence of the Lord Mayor and his Lady. The match was lost by 7 bouts to 5. Both Universities have invited the School back for matches in the Christmas term.