The British Disabled Fencing Association (BDFA) Website

2010-05-16 : National Championships 2010

The BDFA National Championships in 2010 will be held at the EIS (English Institute of Sport) Sheffield. The event will be held alongside the BFA (British Fencing Association) National Championships over the weekend of the 24th and 25th of July 2010.

Clich here for the BDFA National Championships 2010 Entry Form

2010-04-26 : GB fencers competing in Canada

The Great Britain (GB) team will be competing in Montreal host city of the recent winter olympics and paralympics. The team will be competing in the 27th Défi sportif international event that assembles athletes with all types of disabilities.

From April 27 to May 2, 2010, the 27th Défi sportif will bring together over 3,200 athletes from about 20 countries, who will face each other in fourteen sports with the support of over 900 volunteers.

The event will will see Tom Hall-Butcher, Simon Wilson and Vivien Mills looking to build on their results from the Malchow World Cup in a bid to qualify for the Paris World Championships in November.

The GB Team will also be giving a World Cup debut Justine Moore.

2010-04-15 : Frejus Training Camp - April 2010

Six fencers and two coaches attended the Frejus Training Camp and subsequent Challenge Des Joinville competition in France.

In addition to the BDFA representatives. The camp was attended by most of the French National Team and fencers from Italy, Brazil and Germany.

The Challenge Des Joinville is a mixed able bodied and wheelchair competition where all fencers fight in wheelchairs.

Results can be found here.

2009-11-26 : Photos from the Rushcliffe Open 2009

Below are photos from the Rushcliffe Open Mixed Wheelchair event held at Rushcliffe Leisure Centre in Nottingham. Organised by Notts City Fencing Club the event brought together able bodied and wheelchair fencers for a two day competition.

Above: the medal winners of the Sabre on Saturday.

Above: Sundays Epee medal winners.

Above: Mens Epee at the Rushcliffe Open.

Above: Suzanne Rockett referees womens epee direct elmination on the Sunday.

2009-11-10 : Coach of the year!

Congratulations from the BDFA to husband and wife team Laszlo Jakab (Wheelchair Fencing National Coach) and Sutera Ritrawe for winning the Coach of the Year Award at the County Durham Sports Awards.

2009-10-28 : Photos from BDFA National Championships

2009-10-21 : National Wheelchair Fencing Championships to start this weekend

Some of the nation’s top disabled athletes will be in Buckinghamshire this weekend to compete in the National Wheelchair Fencing Championships.

Twelve of Britain’s best disabled fencers will compete at the Olympic Village in Stoke Mandeville, organised by the British Disabled Fencing Association (BDFA). Amongst the competitors is a former Paralympic bronze medallist, as well as some of the sport’s rising stars.

This year there will be a female competition for the first time in over ten years and also a junior event. Winners of the national title will be considered for selection for World Cup events and additional coaching sessions with BDFA National coach Laszlo Jakab. Some of those competing have already been selected to take part in a World Cup event in Warsaw, Poland.

Justine Willmott, Performance Manager from the British Disabled Fencing Association, says:
“Wheelchair fencing is exciting to watch and we’d love to see as many local people as possible coming down to the Olympic Village to see it in action and also have a go on our ‘taster’ piste. It is a Paralympic sport and the British Disabled Fencing Association would like to see more disabled people taking part in Wheelchair Fencing and enjoying the challenges this sport has to offer.’’

A number of senior managers from Cadbury UK have been working with the organisers to help raise the profile of the sport and provide help on a voluntary, pro-bono basis. Some of those managers will be in Stoke Mandeville to help run the championships.

Alistair Gaunt, Customer Marketing Controller for Cadbury UK and who is helping with the event, says:
“A team of six senior managers from Cadbury were initially paired with the BDFA to work with them as part of a Leadership Development program. However following the program we were all inspired to voluntarily continue working with them, as we felt we could help develop the sport of wheelchair fencing. The BDFA is a small organisation that does some fantastic work, so by helping to raise their profile, and helping to make sure their national championships runs smoothly, we hope to make a real difference. We can’t wait to watch some top class fencing action, too!”

19 year old Tom Hall-Butcher, from Alfreton in Derbyshire, who has cerebral palsy, will be competing this weekend: “I’ve been fencing for six years and I’ve got to the point now where I really want to be the best in the country. More and more disabled athletes are getting involved in fencing and the sport’s getting more competitive all the time, so I’m looking forward to a tough weekend of competition. Having the Paralympic Games coming to the UK has given all of us an extra incentive to be the best we can be.”

2009-10-05 : Warsaw World Cup Photos

Above: The crowd gathers for the televised gala final on Sunday.

Above: The Great Britain Team.

Above: Alan Sheriff (GB) prepares to face Robert Citerne (FRA)

2009-09-29 : ‘STOP PRESS: National Wheelchair Fencing Championships on 24th-25th October

The BDFA are staging the National Wheelchair Fencing Championships on 24^th-25^th October at the Olympic Lodge, Stoke Mandeville. Entries are still being accepted for this event. If you regularly Wheelchair Fence and have never entered before, why not come along?

Please contact info@bdfa.org.uk or Caz Walton on 07803 407260 for more information if you are interested in attending or entering’

2009-04-12 : The Nottingham Open 2009

The BDFA ran a training camp and competition at the Nottingham Open 2009. The Nottingham Open is a 6 Weapon competition that runs on the first weekend in March. Around 300 fencers compete over two days.

2008-11-08 : September 2008 Riposte (Newsletter of the British Disabled Fencing Association)

Click here to open the September 2008 edition of the BDFA Riposte newsletter.

2008-11-04 : Wheelchair Fencers "On Guard" for Open Day

News story on Oxfordshiresport.org

2008-09-01 : Images from the pre-Beijing Training Camp in Nottingham

The major from Rushcliffe wishes Lee luck

2008-07-31 : National Wheelchair Fencing Championship

The National Wheelchair Fencing Championship is being held this weekend (1st, 2nd and 3rd of August). The venue is Stoke Mandeville Stadium the "home of wheelchair sport".

The championship is electric and runs in all three weapons Foil, Epee and Sabre with prizes for each of the weapons and a master at arms trophies for the best overall fencer.

2008-05-03 : BDFA website development

The British Disabled Fencing Association (BDFA) website now includes a news feature.

News Archive