Fencing

WATER POLO

A good term, on the whole, in which out of our 10 matches we won 8 and lost only 2.

The climax was the Yorkshire knockout competition in which we did not fair as well as we had hoped. After a promising start with a 10-6 win against Spenboro we were knocked out in the second round by Huddersfield Otters after a close game with a final score of 2-0.

A great disappointment to us all was our withdrawal from the Yorkshire Junior League, for which we had high hopes, due to the inability of our younger players to travel to away matches.

The full first team was this year chosen to represent York against the Yorkshire Under 18 side, and, although we were defeated 5-1, it was a creditable performance.

This year we broadened our range of matches and played against Lancaster University and St John's College whom we beat 5-1 and 6-1 respectively. We look forward to return matches next year.

Next season looks very promising as our team is a relatively young side and will remain much the same with Paul Green being the only member leaving.

C.J.D.

The Club has had a remarkably successful year, despite the fact that since all but one of its senior fencers were taking G.C.E. exams its fixture list had to be thinned out considerably.

Christmas Term

This term the School team suffered no defeats. We beat Pocklington School, Leeds Grammar School and Queen Margaret's School Escrick by comfortable margins, and narrowly defeated Leeds University, whose team included Keith Benson (formerly of Temple).

The School foil team, as the York Youth foil team, won the annual Yorkshire Youth Organisation inter-city competition's foil section. We also provided two of the three York sabreurs, who won the sabre section.

During the term Martin Black, Michael Dixon and Stephen WinrowCampbell attended training sessions for prospective Yorkshire fencers; and Martin Black captained the York senior team.

Easter Term

At the start of the term Martin Black was fortunate to be picked for a York Fencing Association team which took part in an international competition in Warsaw. Also in the team were two former School captains—Martin Muncer and Simon Atkinson. Martin had little success, fighting against some of the world's best, but he gained valuable experience.

The term was a term of individual achievements. In the Yorkshire Junior Epee Championships Martin Black came third. Stephen WinrowCampbell and Michael Dixon reached the semifinals. In the Yorkshire Schoolboys Foil Alan Tait came first in the under-sixteen with Stephen Winrow-Campbell second; Andrew Johnson came first in the underfourteen with Andrew Barrell third. Alan Tait did very well in the National Under-sixteen Foil Championships—in a fight-off for first place he came fourth. Martin Black won both the school epee and sabre competitions.

The term ended with a most enjoyable match against Hull University which we won 5-1, 5-2, 1-5.

PUBLIC SCHOOLS FENCING CHAMPIONSHIPS

This competition, held in the Easter Holidays, was our main competition of the year.

Although we had no success in the sabre, we did outstandingly in the epee and foil. In the epee Martin Black came third after a fight-off for first place. Stephen Winrow-Campbell reached the semi-finals. In the foil Stephen reached the quarter-finals, Martin the semi-finals and Alan Tait came fifth—a remarkable achievement since his opponents were two years his senior.

This is the best result the team as a whole has had at the Championships within living memory.

SUMMER TERM

The high points of the term were Andrew Johnson coming within one hit of reaching the final of the Under-Fourteen Foil Championships of Great Britain; and Alan Tait being selected for the England undersixteen foil team. This is a great honour for him and the School. In his first match he won all but one of his bouts, and was awarded his England Schoolboy Colours.

As I am now leaving after two years as captain I would like to thank our coach Paddy Power and his son, Anthony, for all the effort and enthusiasm they have put into training us; and also I would like to thank my team, who have sacrificed much of their free time: I am sure they are as proud as I am of our results.

Team Members: Andrew Barrell, Martin Black (captain), Michael Dixon, Andrew Johnson, Alan Tait, Tong Lop Bong and Stephen WinrowCampbell.

Colours: Andrew Barrell, Andrew Johnson. Re-awarded to Martin Black, Michael Dixon, Alan Tait, Stephen Winrow-Campbell.

M.P.B.