Swords Club shows strength

Varsity Swords once again showed its apparently indomitable strength when its A teams won all their matches in the Wellington provincial learns tournament held recently.

While some clubs could not even field one team, Victoria entered two teams in every weapon and came first and second in every event.

Though this was to some extent due to the lack of serious competition, a similar result would have probably eventuated anyway.

With only half the season gone Varsity fencers have already had considerable success. This is not really surprising as the club is well represented at all levels of competition.

Members include the 1968 national foil champion. George Stratigopoulos about ten fencers of provincial standard, and numerous intermediate and junior fencers.

The first major event this season was the tour by an Australian national team. In the Wellington provincial match four Varsity fencers, G. Firth, V. McLean, Strati and Z. Apathy, were selected and all helped in the province's victory, Later Strati performed well in the Australia-New Zealand match to again ensure Australia's defeat.

The next important tournament was the North Island Open championships at New Plymouth.

Ten fencers from Victoria entered but only five made the finals. The best placing was that of Strati who came third in the sabre.

It was a great disappointment that none of our women managed to get into their final.

This could have been because some of our fencers had to travel to New Plymouth on the morning of the tournament.

The Swords Club has had an eventful season so far in other ways. Operations were commenced this year with a display and two demonstrations which were as good an excuse as any for a little bloodletting in the form of some bare-backed sabre. This attracted quite a few students to come along to see what fencing is all about. Social life is as enjoyable as ever.

The club is well represented in other aspects of fencing. Many members run or help run some of the secondary school clubs in the Wellington area.

Four of the nine committee members make up two-thirds of the provincial council.

The Club's healthy stale makes it likely that its teams will again win the Winter Tournament fencing.

But it is a pity that while some of our top fencers may have a chance to represent New Zealand at the 1970 Commonwealth Games, the 1969 nationals will be held during exams and may preclude potential university representatives from attending.