Fencing

The School Fencing Club has enjoyed another successful wint season, training in conjunction with the York Fencing Association.

At the end of the Summer Term we said goodbye to Richard Hazel a competent foilist and an excellent epeeist. In his time at the School he helped us to many victories and he will be remembered for hi legendary performance last year in the Public Schools' Epée Champion ships, where, after a barrage, he came second. We shall remember, to his thoughtful and lightning-quick style and, I hope, learn from it.

CHRISTMAS TERM

Simon Atkinson, staying on into the Upper Sixth Form, handed ov the captaincy to Martin Black.

Our first match of the term was against our friends and consta opponents, Bootham School. We train with Bootham so often that th results of our matches appear random: for as our teams are of coin parable standard, the result depends upon the morale of each team an the health and worries of its members. If winning is two-thirds skill. th other third is attitude; so to add sparkle to a good team, team spirit essential. Hence that favourite maxim of fencers, "GO IN TO WIN' In this case our team was on form and won easily.

Next we fought Leeds Grammar School, whom we beat. It w pleasing to field a junior team in the match; they lost, but gained valuable experience. Against the Army Apprentices' College, Harrogate, we had an easy victory, as we did against Stonyhurst and Ampleforth College, whom we beat 9-0 and 7-2 respectively. In our run of victories we also beat York University, with whom we have spent many enjoyable afternoons fencing.

Several School fencers fought for the York Fencing Association, of which our teams are an integral part. Simon Atkinson, Martin Black, Paul Spencer, Graham Langton and Stephen Winrow-Campbell fenced for the York Youth team against Huddersfield; and at a ceremony conducted by the Lord Mayor of York, Alderman Wood (who is the President of the Y.F.A.), more than a dozen senior and junior School fencers received their York Youth Colours. Unfortunately, with the reorganisation of local government, there will be no more York Youth colours in the future. I hope some similar way of encouraging and rewarding young sportsmen and women is found.

Four School fencers took part in the Yorkshire team epee and sabre competitions. Martin Black fought in the York epee team which, after five hours' fencing, gave up having reached the final six. After a long wait the York sabre team—Simon Atkinson, David Taylor and Stephen Winrow-Campbell—reached the same position and gave up, hoping to return home before midnight.

The last match of the term was against Huddersfield Polytechnic. Thi we won 9-0. After the match Mrs. Power made a presentation to Simo. Atkinson in recognition of his services to School fencing. He was a fin captain, always leading his team with gentle firmness (to victory). Hi foil was good and his sabre was a sight never to be missed, while hi epee often surprised us all. An excellent captain and fencer, we wer 46

sad to see him leave, in a blaze of glory, to the Railway, where he is now kicking his heels waiting to go up to Oxford ... or was it Cambridge?

We were also sorry to lose Graham Langton, who was a good allround fencer ever present in our teams, and an invaluable armourer. We, too, lost Paul Spencer to the Boat Club. I hope he is as useful to them as he was to us.

EASTER TERM

In this term we prepare for the Public Schools' Fencing Championships—our main match of the year. So the emphasis is on individual competitions.

In the Yorkshire Schoolboys' Foil, which we were honoured to be hosts for, Gordon Tait won the Under 14, Alan Tait the Under 16 and Martin Black came second in the Under 19. In the Yorkshire Schoolboys' Epée, Martin Black came second again and Stephen Winrow-Campbell did extremely well to come fourth. David Taylor, with his usual finesse, won the Sabre.

Photograph reproduced by kind permission of the Yorkshire Evening Press.

S. Winrow—Campbell receiving his shield from the Rt. Hon. The Lord Mayor of York, Alderman J. M. Wood, watched by his sister and fencing coach.