What is right-of-way?
Right-of-way (or priority) is the set of rules used to determine who is awarded the point when there is a double touch in foil or sabre (ie. both fencers hit each other in the same fencing time). It is detailed in the FIE Rules of Competition, Articles t.56-t.60 (old 232-237) for foil, and t.75-t.80 (old 416-423) for sabre. The core assumption behind right-of-way is that a fencing bout is always in one of three states: — nothing significant is happening — the fencers are conceiving and executing their actions simultaneously — one fencer is threatening, while the other is reacting to the threat. Since no points will be scored in the first situation, we can ignore it. In the second situation, the fencers’ actions have equal significance, and it is impossible to award a touch. Both touches will be annulled and the bout will be resumed where it was stopped. The third situation is the important one. The first fencer to establish a threat has priority (right-of-way), even if the other rea
In foil and sabre, certain conventions must be satisfied before a fencer can earn a point— the fencer must take the right of way, or seize priority, in order to score a point. An offensive action, such as an attack, must be defended against (usually with a block or “parry”) in order to gain priority before a following offensive action can be delivered. These conventions were initially developed as a tool to teach young gentlemen preparing for duels to protect their lives. In a duel it is not good to simply thrust into an opponent’s attack, since both fighters would simply be killed! In a modern fencing bout, the referee decides who has priority when both fencers land hits. There is no priority in epee fencing—whoever hits first, gets the point. Epee fencing simulates rapier dueling in a later period when duels were fought to first blood instead of to death or serious injury.
Right-of-way (or priority) is the set of rules used to determine who is awarded the point when there is a double touch in foil or sabre (ie. both fencers hit each other in the same fencing time). It is detailed in the FIE Rules of Competition, Articles t.56-t.60 (old 232-237) for foil, and t.75-t.80 (old 416-423) for sabre. The core assumption behind right-of-way is that a fencing bout is always in one of three states: — nothing significant is happening — the fencers are conceiving and executing their actions simultaneously — one fencer is threatening, while the other is reacting to the threat Since no points will be scored in the first situation, we can ignore it. In the second situation, the fencers’ actions have equal significance, and it is impossible to award a touch. Both touches will be annulled and the bout will be resumed where it was stopped. The third situation is the important one. The first fencer to establish a threat has priority (right-of-way), even if the other reac
In foil and sabre fencing, points can only be scored by the competitor who has right of way. To establish right of way, a competitor must perform an offensive manuever, while forcing him opponent into a defensive manuever. The most basic form of right of way is that an advancing fencer has right of way over a retreating fencer. To capture right of way, a retreating fencer would have to perform a successful defensive manuever, such as parrying the advancing fencer’s attack with his own blade. Right of way is probably the most complex aspect of fencing, but with a small bit of instruction and study, it can be understood fairly quickly.
