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Health & Fitness

Wine, Women, & Swords

A holiday party with swords and wine at Rockville Fencing Academy. En gard and salute!

Last Saturday, the holidays suspended the usual very full schedule of classes and practice time at Rockville Fencing Academy (RFA). But thanks to one member’s organizational efforts, several female fencers got together for a wonderful time at the first annual (we sure hope) Wine, Women, & Swords party.

Since this was a fencing party, we fenced. And since it was a party, we toasted each other and the holidays.

A newer fencer got a chance to get a taste of competing at a no-pressure just-for-fun event. A returning fencer got a reason to pull her equipment out of the back of the closet. And all the participants enjoyed the low-key practice against other female fencers.

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While national and international competitions have separate events for each gender, not too many local or regional competitions have enough entrants to offer separate events. In our small sport, female fencers generally have to compete in mixed gender events—fighting against the guys. Now, this does not always mean we gals can’t win. I’ve fenced in mixed events where young women took the gold. But generally speaking, teenaged guys are my least favorite opponents—some just haven’t learned that this is a game of finesse rather than brute strength. And sometimes it’s not just the teenaged ones that don’t get that.

All-in-all, Wine, Women, & Swords was an excellent way to close out 2012. We could use some new recruits to start training for the second annual Wine, Women, & Swords event. Join us, ladies! And you guys, organize a men’s event and join the fun. Maybe Brews, Bros, and Blades?

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(Thanks to Esperanza for organizing, permission to use her photos, and cool event names.)

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