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Épée
The épée (/ˈɛpeɪ, ˈeɪ-/, French: [epe]; lit. 'sword'), also rendered as epee in English, is the largest and heaviest of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. The modern épée derives from the 19th-century épée de combat, a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword.
As a thrusting weapon, the épée is similar to a foil (contrasted with a sabre, which is designed for slashing). It has a stiffer blade than a foil. It is triangular in cross-section with a V-shaped groove called a fuller. The épée also has a larger bell guard designed to protect the user’s arm. In addition to the larger "bell" guard and blade, the épée weighs more than the foil and sabre which contributes to its reputation of being the slowest form of fencing. The techniques of use differ, as there are no rules regarding priority and a lack of right of way. Thus, immediate counterattacks are a common feature of épée fencing. The entire body is a valid target area.
While the modern sport of fencing has three weapons — foil, épée, and sabre, each a separate event — the épée is the only one in which the entire body is the valid target area (the others are restricted to varying areas above the waist). The épée is the heaviest of the three modern fencing weapons. As with all fencing disciplines, épée require concentration, accuracy, and speed. Since the entire body is a target, a successful épée fencer must be able to anticipate the opponent's moves and strike the opponent at the correct time.
In the highest-level competitions, an electrically grounded (earthed) piste is used to prevent floor hits from registering as touches. In épée fencing, unlike in the other two disciplines, there are no right-of-way rules regarding attacks, other than the aforementioned rule regarding touches with only the point of the weapon. Touches are awarded solely on the basis of which fencer makes a touch first, according to the electronic scoring machines. Also, double-touches are allowed in épée, although the touches must occur within 40 milliseconds (1/25 of a second) of each other.
A special aspect of the épée discipline is an increased emphasis on the counterattack, a tactic employed in response to an attack. Some specifications include two varieties, the stop-thrust and the time thrust, which are (respectively) a simple counterattack and a counterattack on the opposition. With the absence of right-of-way, following an attack and landing a counterattack correctly can be a highly efficient way to score a touch, hence the counterattack's ubiquity in épée fencing. Due to this rule, (and the entire body being a target), épée is considered the slowest of the 3 fencing disciplines.
A modern épée, of size 5, for use by adult fencers has a blade that measures 90 cm (35 in) from the guard to the tip. The total weight of the weapon ready for use is less than 770 g (27 oz), with most competition weapons being much lighter, weighing 300–450 g (11–16 oz). Épées for use by smaller children are shorter and lighter (e.g. size 0), making it easier for them to use.
The blade of an épée is triangular in section, whereas that of a foil is rectangular, and neither blade has a cutting edge. Wires may run down a groove in épée blades fitted for electric scoring, with a depressible button capping the point. In competitive fencing, the width of any of the three sides of an épée's blade is limited to 24 mm (0.94 in).
The guard has numerous forms, but all are essentially a hemispherical shield, the section of which fits in a 10–13.5 cm (3.9–5.3 in) cylinder. This is frequently called a bell guard. As the hand is a valid target in competitive fencing, the guard is much larger and more protective than that of a foil, having a depth of 3–5.5 cm (1.2–2.2 in) and a diameter more likely to be toward the maximum of 13.5 cm (5.3 in).
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Épée
The épée (/ˈɛpeɪ, ˈeɪ-/, French: [epe]; lit. 'sword'), also rendered as epee in English, is the largest and heaviest of the three weapons used in the sport of fencing. The modern épée derives from the 19th-century épée de combat, a weapon which itself derives from the French small sword.
As a thrusting weapon, the épée is similar to a foil (contrasted with a sabre, which is designed for slashing). It has a stiffer blade than a foil. It is triangular in cross-section with a V-shaped groove called a fuller. The épée also has a larger bell guard designed to protect the user’s arm. In addition to the larger "bell" guard and blade, the épée weighs more than the foil and sabre which contributes to its reputation of being the slowest form of fencing. The techniques of use differ, as there are no rules regarding priority and a lack of right of way. Thus, immediate counterattacks are a common feature of épée fencing. The entire body is a valid target area.
While the modern sport of fencing has three weapons — foil, épée, and sabre, each a separate event — the épée is the only one in which the entire body is the valid target area (the others are restricted to varying areas above the waist). The épée is the heaviest of the three modern fencing weapons. As with all fencing disciplines, épée require concentration, accuracy, and speed. Since the entire body is a target, a successful épée fencer must be able to anticipate the opponent's moves and strike the opponent at the correct time.
In the highest-level competitions, an electrically grounded (earthed) piste is used to prevent floor hits from registering as touches. In épée fencing, unlike in the other two disciplines, there are no right-of-way rules regarding attacks, other than the aforementioned rule regarding touches with only the point of the weapon. Touches are awarded solely on the basis of which fencer makes a touch first, according to the electronic scoring machines. Also, double-touches are allowed in épée, although the touches must occur within 40 milliseconds (1/25 of a second) of each other.
A special aspect of the épée discipline is an increased emphasis on the counterattack, a tactic employed in response to an attack. Some specifications include two varieties, the stop-thrust and the time thrust, which are (respectively) a simple counterattack and a counterattack on the opposition. With the absence of right-of-way, following an attack and landing a counterattack correctly can be a highly efficient way to score a touch, hence the counterattack's ubiquity in épée fencing. Due to this rule, (and the entire body being a target), épée is considered the slowest of the 3 fencing disciplines.
A modern épée, of size 5, for use by adult fencers has a blade that measures 90 cm (35 in) from the guard to the tip. The total weight of the weapon ready for use is less than 770 g (27 oz), with most competition weapons being much lighter, weighing 300–450 g (11–16 oz). Épées for use by smaller children are shorter and lighter (e.g. size 0), making it easier for them to use.
The blade of an épée is triangular in section, whereas that of a foil is rectangular, and neither blade has a cutting edge. Wires may run down a groove in épée blades fitted for electric scoring, with a depressible button capping the point. In competitive fencing, the width of any of the three sides of an épée's blade is limited to 24 mm (0.94 in).
The guard has numerous forms, but all are essentially a hemispherical shield, the section of which fits in a 10–13.5 cm (3.9–5.3 in) cylinder. This is frequently called a bell guard. As the hand is a valid target in competitive fencing, the guard is much larger and more protective than that of a foil, having a depth of 3–5.5 cm (1.2–2.2 in) and a diameter more likely to be toward the maximum of 13.5 cm (5.3 in).