How does electronic scoring in fencing work?

Answer 1

I assume you understand the basic rules and weapons of Fencing...

Well, for the three different weapons, a different method is used, each using a series of wires attached to a box with four lights on it. One opponent has a green and white light, and the other has a red and white light.

Foil: Both opponents wear a mesh vest, covering the target area (the torso), called a lame (luh-may). There is a clip attached to the lames connected to the box, and another wire that goes thru the sleeve of the weapon arm, plugged into the weapon. The foil has a depressor at the tip of it. When the foil's depressor is pushed in, and it is on the lame, a circut is compleated that lights the green or red light, depending on which fencer struck. If the depressor is pushed in and it is off the lame, the white light goes off. There is a lock out time, but it is long enough for a counter attack or reposte to land. Then it is the judge's job to award a point or not.

Sabre: Saberists also use a lame covering their entire upperbody, consisting of a jacket, a glove covering (only for the wrist, as the hand is not target), and a mask which is connected by a wire to the lame jacket. The electric Sabre has no depressor since anywhere on the blade will score a point, so even the smallest brush against the lame will trigger the light. There is no "off target" in Sabre. Like foil, there is a timed lockout, and again it is the judge's call.

Epee: Since everywhere on the body is target area, there is no need for a lame. Epee's have a depressor that will go off, no matter where they hit. The lockout spead for an electric epee is very fast, because there is no "right of way". If both fencers manage to hit each other, both lights go on, and a double point is awarded. The judge's main job is to make sure no one hits the floor when attempting to go for a toe touch. (However, simply watching the box and not the fencers is in very bad taste.)

At the start of every bout, the fencers "test fair" to make sure the electrical equipment is working properly. Foilists hit their foils on the lame so make sure both lights come on; saberists tap each other's masks to see the same thing; epeeists hit each other's bell guards to make sure the lights do not come on.

Electrical equipment makes scoreing much eaiser, but it is prone to malfunction. Big tournaments will have inspections at the start of the tournaments (and also to prevent tampering).