PENANG FENCING CHAMPIONSHIP 2011

Girl's Foil with Dato Dr Kenny Ong and Mr Lim Peng Jin

The Penang Fencing Championship 2011 was held at the Prince of Wales Island Internationl School (POWIIS) inthe 22 & 23 October 2011.

This 2 days event saw more than 50 fencers between ages 7 and 18 years swashbuckling out in 6 categorys - Men's Foil, Men's Epee, Women's Foil, Women's Epee, Boy's Foil and Girl' s Foil. It was an exciting day for the fencers especially the below 11 years age group and their parents.

Girl’s Foil (below 11 years)
A total of 7 girls participated in this event.
The finals saw 2 cousins, Tan Ching Li and Neoh Chia Wern competing against each other for the gold medal.

Earlier during the break, when they were admiring the medals, I asked Chia Wern... " which color medal you are aiming to get?" She points to the Silver Medal. I than asked her...." why not the Gold?". She did not answer but just smile and looked at her cousin Ching Li.

On completion of the Preliminary Round, Chia Wern was ranked 1st while Ching Li was ranked 3rd. In the Semi Finals Chia Wern beat Chloe Jonedy Tan 15/8 to proceed to the Finals while Ching Li beat Gwendolyn Chuah Lie Yee 15/4 to enter the Finals.
At the start of the Finals, Tan Ching Li, a medalist in last year’s competition and Chia Wern, who has not won any medals previously, were fighting point for point. Chia Wern shows she has more determination and courage, and was further encourage by shouts from her sister, Chia Ti, a Penang State fencer. Finally, Chai Wern break through to win 15/12 against Ching Li to take the Gold.

Boy’s Foil (below 11 years)
A total of 8 boys participated in this event.
Another exciting upset of the day after the Girl’s Foil event.
Patrick Lee Kuan Yan (11) from St Xavier Branch School, who only took up fencing early this year cause an upset by beating last year’s bronze medalist, Toong Jyh Yang (11). Jyh Yang, who started fencing at 8 years, is determined to prove that he is still the best even though has been laid out due to illness for the past 6 months. Jyu Yong took up fencing 3 years ago together with his sister and elder brother.
In the Quarter finals, Jhy Yang beat Roger Lee (Patrick’s brother) 15/9 while Patrick Lee beat Cheah Tien Ern 15/6. In Semi Finals, Jhy Yang beat Kim Zhi Lin 15/9 and Patrick Lee beat Jyh Yong (Jhy Yang’s brother) 15/3.

It was indeed a very exciting finals match between them. Like the girls, they fought point for point with cheers of encouragement from their respective parents and friends. At the end of 3 minutes in the 3rd bout they were tie at 14/14. Both the fencer doesn’t look tense at all but it’s their parents who are excited wondering who will be the winner.

The Officials than explained the FIE Rules to the fencers and parents, the scoring machine will determine which fencer gets the priority. After that the fencers will be given 1 minute to fence. The fencer who scores the first hit will be the winner. However, if there is no hit when the 1 minute time is up, the fencer who gets the priority wins. After the explanation, the referee than pressed the priority button of the remote control and Patrick Lee receive the priority.
The match resumed with both fencers approaching each other cautiously, with clanking of the blades. Suddenly the green light, lights up indicating Jyh Yang scores the hit and his parents jump with joy with applause. But the referee said “No Hit”, because the attacker was Patrick but his hit went off target as indicated by the white light which lights up first before the green light. The match resumed with both trying their outermost to make a clean “hit”. With less than 30 seconds to go, suddenly the red light, lights up but this time not shout of joy from the parents but silence, until the referee hand signal indicate that Patrick Lee made the “hit” and is the winner. Partick Lee gets the Gold and Jyu gor the Silver.

Overall Results:

Men's Foil

Gold : Karmugilan

Silver : Tan Jun

Bronze : Phang Aik Wei & Tang Kah Thean

Men's Epee

Gold : Mohamad Najmi

Silver : Muhammad Iqhwan

Bronze : Choo Sing Yeah & Muhamad Azwan

Women's Foil

Gold : Leong Whye Ye

Silver : Tan Xing

Bronze : Ong Kher Nee & Saw Sheue Ru

Women's Epee

Gold : Leong Chia Ti

Silver : Tan Ching Ean

Bronze : Nur Sarah & Shubanath Thejani

Boy's Foil

Gold : Patrick Lee Kuan Yan

Silver : Toong Jyu Yang

Bronze : Kim Zhi Lin & Toong Jyh Yong

Girl's Foil

Gold : Neoh Chia Wern

Silver : Tan Ching Li

Bronze : Chloe Jonedy Tan & Gwendolyn Chuah Jie Yee

Medals and Certificates were presented by Dato’ Dr Kenny Ong, President Persatuan Lawan Pedang Pulau Pinang and Mr Fredrick Tan, Pengarah Majlis Sukan Negeri Pulau Pinang.

Fore more photos on the competition, visit us in fb - Penang Fencing Association

Penang Amateur Fencing Association would like to thank POWIIS for allowing us to hold this event at their school's hall.

FENCING FOR KIDS

MUSKETEERS FENCING CHAMPIONSHIP 2011


INTRODUCING THE SPORT TO PARENTS
The sport of fencing is a uniquely classic sport. It has history, drama, romance, style, art, plus all the advantages of an active physically demanding sport. Mentally it is mind consuming, allowing not a moment's break. Fencing is also fast and athletic, a far cry from the choreographed bouts you see on film or on the stage. Instead of swinging from a chandelier or leaping from balconies, you will see two fencers performing an intense dance on 1.5 – 2 meters wide and 14 meters long foot strip. The movement is so fast that touches are scored electrically - more like Star Wars than Errol Flynn.
Fencing is an exciting, wonderful, and productive sport that will give your child realistic life experiences, maturity, and physical and mental training for life! Come prepared, enjoy the process, and encourage your child to keep trying.

The mind is the most powerful weapon that any fencer can wield. The ability to control the mind and your body’s response to a situation is fundamental. Imagine standing there facing your opponent who is holding a sword just like you. Suddenly they dart toward you with the tip of that sword pointed at your chest. What do you do? How do you react? Tell your feet to retreat, your hand adjusts your grip on your sword tightly to block the oncoming attack, you tell your mind to stop racing and focus on what it’s going to take to stop this attack, and what you're going to do after that?

As a fencer, you will learn to have the self-control over your body to react to these actions all at the same time. (Now we're talking multi-tasking!) If you compare this to other sports where the child merely tries to kick or hit the ball, the strategy and self-control is an afterthought. In fencing, self-control and body-control come first. And most importantly, it’s what keeps you from getting hit by that attacker.

By fencing, your child will gain greater self-control and increase concentration. Soon enough, this self-control will begin to extend to other aspects of their life.

YOUTH PROGRAM
The youth program of the Penang Amateur Fencing Association (PAFA) is designed to provide an introduction for your child to one of the most fascinating, exciting and safest sports. Fencing develops discipline, balance, coordination, and sportsmanship. Fencing helps the youth develop quicker reflexes and an ability to make lighting fast analyses of tactical situations.
The youth fencing program has developed a very large foundation for our pyramid of fencers, the apex of which cannot be higher than the base is wide, meaning the wider the base the higher we can reach.
Fencing is fast gaining as an alternative to the all-time favorite sport in Penang and Malaysia. There is no predetermined method to pre-select great fencers so all fencers must be given equal chance and attention. Children develop at different mental, emotional and physical rates and their goals change accordingly. There are those who exhibit no talent during their first four or five years of fencing and then become dynamite competitors, while others may show the competitive spark from the first day.

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS
There are many benefits to participating in youth fencing. Children learn good sportsmanship and self-discipline. They learn to compete independently as well as for a team; they learn to enjoy winning and profit from defeats, while becoming physically fit and healthy; and, most importantly, they learn to make complex decisions, analyze problems, and think fast. These ideals help children reach their potential in many areas other than fencing.
Remember that the primary motivating factor for entering sports, particularly among adolescents, is the desire to have fun. We will help you assist them in reaching this goal. Don't forget, Olympic Champions have fun too.

RIGHTS OF YOUNG ATHLETES
We believe youth have the right to:
Ø be treated with dignity by all involved.
Ø fence as a child and not as an adult
Ø fence regardless of skill level
Ø fence in a safe and healthy environment
Ø have proper preparation for fencing
Ø have qualified adult leadership
Ø share in leadership in fencing
Ø have equal opportunity to strive for success
Ø have fun fencing

Lim Peng Jin PKT, PJK
Hon. Secretary, Persatuan Lawan Pedang Pulau Pinang
State Coach, Majlis Sukan Negeri Pulau Pinang
Development Coach, National Sports Council. Malaysia
Development Coach, Malaysian Fencing Federation
Website: www.penangfencing.50webs.com
Contact: 012 482 3255

PENANG AMATEUR FENCING ASSOCIATION

PENANG AMATEUR FENCING ASSOCIATION

(PERSATUAN LAWAN PEDANG PULAU PINANG)

THE ASSOCIATION
Formed in January 2001 and registered with the National Sports Council of Malaysia (NSC) and the Malaysian Fencing federation (MFF), the governing body of fencing in Malaysia.

ABOUT FENCING
Fencing is an art of dueling swords. It has changes from a deadly combat to a complex sport. The speed, movements and intricate strategy of dueling are still very much part of this modern sport.
Fencing is a combat sport but differs from all other combat sports as no physical body contacts are made.
Elegance and courtesy are the required qualities for all fencers, which explains why the ritual opening and closing salutes before each bout is executed.
Fencing helps to develop our reflexes and keep our mind mentally alert and also our cardiovascular fitness and leg strength. Like other combat sports, fencing has physical and mental demands and can improve both your fitness and intellectual approach. That is why fencing is also referred to as ‘physical chess’. A probable advantage in fencing is that there is no age limit to the sport and both men and women can fence with each other.

THE WEAPONS
There are three (3) weapons, namely:

FOIL – This is most commonly used in fencing, especially for beginners. Its blade is rectangular in cross-section. It is a trusting weapon. Fencers score “hits” when the tip of the blade touches the opponent’s torso, including the groin. Chest and back but not the arms, hand, leg and head.
The total weight of a foil is 500gms and is 110cm in length.
EPEE – This is the descendant of dueling swords, like the rapier as used by the Musketeers. It has a large hand guard and a V-shape (triangular) cross-section blade. It is also a trusting weapon like the foil but “hits” are scored at any part of the opponent’s body from head to toe including the arm, hands and legs.
It is similar in length as the foil but weighs slightly heavier – 700grms.
SABRE – Unlike the foil and epee, sabre is more a slashing weapon and had a different style of fencing. It is also the fastest of the three (3) weapons. It has a basket-shaped hand-guard that completely covers the hand and a blade which is V-shaped in cross section. Sabre fencer can score with the tip of the blade (trust) but more commonly use the edge of the weapon to make a “cut” to the target. “Hits” are scored when any part of the opponent’s body from the waist up is touched or cut.

WHY WE FENCE?
Endurance – Your first defense is an intelligent use of distance, so you will learn footwork, lunges and
escape moves.
Dexterity – Your opponents can be good in footwork, lunges and escape moves, so your hand and point
Control must be dexterous.
Tactics and Strategy – You will learn how to defend against attacks and how to penetrate your opponent. You will
gain satisfaction with each skill mastered and thrill of swashbuckling.
Competition – Like all sports, the end goal of fencing is to win tournaments/competitions be it local, national
or international.
Confidence – Put it all together, you will be surprised what you learn and what you can do.

IS FENCING DANGEROUS
Every sport is dangerous depending on how we put it. If it is done properly i.e. wearing proper clothing and follows the rules of the sport, fencing is not dangerous and does not hurt. Although execute with appreciable energy, a good clean fencing attack hurts no more than a tap on the shoulder. The force of the blow is normally absorbed by the reflex of the blade. Reckless and over aggressive fencers can occasionally deliver painful blows. However, fencing is a combat sport and one should expect minor bruisers and welts every now and again. There is a risk of being injured by broken blades but if a fencer wears proper protective gears, changes of serious injuries are slim. A fencer must check his/her weapon regularly. Avoid using rusty blades and mask. Fencing is an extraordinary safe sport considering its heritage and nature.

HOW FENCING IS PLAYED
The object of the game is to score touches (hits) on your opponent. They are scored only when the touches landed on the target area (depending on the weapon used). Off target touches does not score but the bout is stopped. The first to score five (5) touches (in the Preliminary Round) or fifteen (15) touches (in the Direct Elimination Round) wins the bout. Due to the speed of fencing, touches are registered electronically. When a valid touch is scored, a colored light (red for fencer on the right and green for fencer on the left) will show. It the touch is off target, the white light will show. With such designed system, fencer need more than physical speed to score touches. Video referring is also being used nowadays. It is a matter of tactics based on the fact that every attack can be parried, but every parry can deceived. Therefore, a split second attack or defense to out smart your opponent, is the name of the game. It is this uncertainty that creates the challenge and the excitement of this combative modern Olympic sport.
This is also played by a system of priority. To score a fencer must first obtain priority. The first fencer to extend the arm straight while threatening the target has the priority or ‘Right of Way’. When two touches are scored at the same time, regardless of who touched first, the fencer with the priority scores the touch. When you are attacked, you must defend or parry the attack. The parry gives you the priority to hit back, called the riposte.

COURSES AVAILABLE
Courses are drawn up to suite individuals on the three (3) weapons – Foil, Epee and Sabre, be it for sport, fun or competition. Training courses consist of:-

Ø Theory – Characteristics of modern foil, epee and sabre fencing. Concept of priority of attacks. How priority is gain and lost during a bout.
Ø Technical Preparation – This include basic fencing movements, technique of handling the weapon. What is change of lines, flicks, prise de fer and simple attacks, parries and ripostes.
Ø Tactical Preparation – How a fencer gain ground, establishing priority, continuation of attack etc.
Ø Free fencing and refereeing.
Ø Selective Test

CONTACTS
MR. LIM PENG JIN PKT, PJK
Hon. Secretary – Persatuan Lawan Pedang Pulau Pinang
Executive Committee – Malaysian Fencing Federation
Penang State Coach – Majlis Sukan Negeri Pulau Pinang

SUKAN MALAYSIA XIV 2011 KUALA LUMPUR

Huam Hooi Ming Coach PJ with the Women's Sabre Team

The 14th edition of Sukan Malaysia or Malaysian Games was held in Kuala Lumpur from June 01 to 12 2011. Fencing was one of the 16 sports selected for this Game.

A total of 12 States comprising of 36 Officials (Team Managers and coaches) and 204 athletes competed in 12 events over 5 days competition.

The competition was held at Gim 3, Komples Majlis Sukan Negara, Bukit Jalil.

Penang team comprise of 1 Team Manager, 2 coaches and 20 athletes competing in 10 events.

Ms Huam Hooi Ming won a bronze medal in the Women's Foil Individual event and our Women's Sabre Team (Ms Jaslyn Saw, Sheue Ru, Ong Kher Nee and Tan Xin) also won a bronze medal.

A good outing for a up and coming team.

PED 5386
Goodbye to you my trusted friend

We have known each other since 1998

Together we climbed hills and mountains

Learned to do treasure hunt

Skinned out hearts and skinned our knees

We had joy we had fun we have travel all around

But the hills that we have climb are memories now

For 11 years you have been my family's faithful car

Taking us here and there without any breakdown

It's sadden us to let you go, but we have no choice

You have been our "unser" in our prayers.

Goodbye & Good Luck

KENDO - WAY OF D SWORD

KENDO - Way of D Sword

Kendo means "way of the sword" and is the traditional martial art of Japanese fencing. Kendo players fence with flexible bamboo practice swords (shinai) using both the edge and point of the sword to hit targets on their opponent's armour. The four main targets are the top of the head, the throat, the abdomen and the wrist. In budo, Japanese martial arts, "do" refers to a path or way to self-improvement through martial training. Kendo teaches not only physical fencing techniques but also a philosophy which is inherent to budo. Kendo develops strong spirit, positive attitude and respect for others. A Brief History of Kendo Around 900 AD, Japanese smiths developed the curved samurai sword by improving on earlier Chinese and Korean designs. This was the start of the Japanese style of fencing, as the shape and size of a sword influence the techniques used to wield it. The finest swords were made around 1300 AD and fencing schools exist today which date back to that period. The main influence of modern kendo, Itto-ryu, dates to the 15th century. Fencing was originally practised with a steel or wooden swords, often resulting in serious injury to the fencers. Around 1750, Chuto Nakanishi devised a bamboo practice sword and light practice armour. With the new equipment, fencing could be practiced at full speed with only the danger of bruises. By 1780 the equipment had been refined to look very much as it does today. However the focus of the practice was still more on battlefield technique than philosophy and sport; kenjutsu rather than kendo. During the Meiji restoration, when samurai were forbidden from wearing swords in public, and after World War II when all military activities were banned, swordsmanship declined in Japan. In both cases the battlefield training was evolved into an activity more suitable for peacetime, and so modern kendo with its emphasis on sport and spiritual growth was born. To avoid injuries, the kendokas use protecting armor (bogu). The different parts of the bogu are: Men - a fencing mask combined with shoulder flaps for protection of the head, face, throat and shouldersDo - a breastplate, covering the torso and stomachKote - a pair of padded gloves for the hands and the wristsTare - an apron which is worn around the hips to protect the thighs and the groinThe bogu is worn over clothing which consists of a heavy cotton jacket (kendogi) and a pair of wide, skirt-like trousers (hakama). A soft cloth (tenugui) - often decorated with Japanese calligraphy and powerful symbols - is worn under the Men to absorb the sweat and minimize chafing from the mask. The cost for all this equipment is highly dependent of the quality of the gear - hand-crafted, exquisite Japanese bogus with artistic stitching and Titanium face visors naturally being the most expensive. The equipment is of course completed by the "shinai" - the bamboo sword. The shinai consists traditionally of four bamboo sticks tightly bound together by leather straps and a leather handle. Nowadays there are also graphite shinais available, made of much more durable carbon fiber material, well suited for training purposes.For beginners, most Kendo-clubs offer training equipment, until the new kendokas decide it's time to purchase their own, custom made, snugly fitting - and perhaps not quite so foul-smelling - bogu. The total weight of the equipment is about five kilograms. During a training session, you lose just as much water through perspiration as during a heavy spinning or high impact aerobic session. Kendo is in fact a great cardiovascular work-out even if you're not interested in participating in competitions.• Bokken / Bokuto - wooden sword used for kataShinai - Bamboo practice sword • Sakigawa - leather tip • Nakayui - leather strap tied at the upper one third of the shinai • Tsuru - yellow string which runs along the back of the shinai • Tsuba - hand guard • Tsukagawa - leather handle coverBogu - protective gear • Men - head/face protector • Men gane - metal grill over face • Men tare - flaps/ shoulder protection • Tsuki tare - throat protector • Kote - hand and wrist protector • Do - chest and torso protector • Tare - waist, thigh and groin protector Himo - strings on kendo bogu - men himo, do himo etc.Zekken - tare cover with name tag Keiko gi / do gi - Kendo top jacketHakama - wide skirt-like pants

NINJITSU - D Ancient Art of D Ninja

NINJITSU

Ninjitsu is the ancient Japanese Art of the Ninja. It is the martial art of choice for the night vagabonds and killers. Ninjitsu unlike it's social counterpart, the Samurai, is an underground class of warriors trained to quickly gain entrance to hire security areas and achieve it's mission. Ninjitsu began more than 800 years ago. Ninja means "stealers - in". Their forte is espionage and assassination, by any means possible. Ninjas were usually trained from childhood and continued learning the art of Ninjitsu from birth. Soon, even the elite Samurai class began to fear the Ninja for their notorious skills. Ninjitsu was practiced in great secrecy. Upon the arrival of Modern Japan, the Ninjitsu class was absorbed into Japan's Secret Service arm of the government. The art of Ninjitsu was later brought to the western world during the 1970's because of the work of Doron Navon and Stephen Hayes. They found a Ninjitsu headmaster living in Japan who was willing to train them. The art of Ninjitsu is also known as "ninpo". Ninpo is a traditional Japanese bujutsu martial art that goes back for tens of centuries. It was developed as a counter culture art to the Samurai Warrior Class and was considered to be anti-government and illegal. Ninpo continues to be practiced today unter the tutelage of Dr. Masaaki Hatsumi, 34th Grandmaster of the Togakure Ryu Ninjitsu Tradition. Dr. Hatsumi is considered to be the last variable true Ninja Grandmaster having a direct line of decent going back to Feudal Japan. The art of Ninjitsu has no bounds. Their direct aim is assassination and espionage. They use many stealth and killer tactics including ninja stars, throwing knives, smoke bombs, poisons, darts, bow and arrows, karate, wrestling and guerrilla warfare tactics. Ninjitsu is best known for their black uniforms and shurikens. The Ninja specialized in espionage and assassinations. They were killers and vagabonds trained and bred to kill. Ninjitsu originated in the ninth century and continued throughout the history of Japan. The art of the Ninja had much influence from Chinese Martial Arts, especially Chinese martial arts that dealt with killing, stealth espionage, murder and assassinations. In many ways, the Ninja is a direct contradiction and an opposite to the Samurai. Samurais lived by a code of honor. The Ninja had no such rule, where anything was permissible to accomplish their mission including, arson, sabotage, assassinations, poisons and secret murders. The art was banned in 17th Century Japan. The Ninja sword was inferior in quality to the Samurai. Another reason for the poor quality of the swords is that since the ninja was mostly mountain people and outlaws, they could not afford to hire expert sword smiths like the samurai class. Also their own sword smiths did not have access to the right resources to be able to make curved edge swords with well constructed blades. If a Ninja could overcome a samurai he would take his swords, simply because they are better. Although the ninja sword was smaller and poorer quality, it had many uses. The scabbard for instance was made longer than the sword, about 3 to 4 inches longer. At the end of the scabbard there was a hidden compartment that was used to hide small weapons such as spikes, daggers or small amounts of poisons. Another use the sword had was that it could act as a small step by jamming the blade into the ground, the ninja could use the hand-guard as a step to get that extra height needed to scale a wall. Because the blade was not very sharp, the ninja could also use it as a hammer by holding onto the blade (carefully) and hitting with the handle. Also it was common to have the tip of the scabbard come off so it could be used as a snorkel.