Victoria women foil one-sided fencing program
Laura Keble, The Martlet (UVic)

While fencing is usually thought of as a manly sport, the women of the University of Victoria fencing club have a much different perspective. For their lot, non-lethal sword fighting is both fun and empowering.

"It's one of the few sports where you're on an equal footing with the guys," says Veronica Ho, the assistant coach of the club. "You get to show that you can beat someone who's physically stronger than you and six-feet-tall. That feels pretty damn good."

Ho has fenced for 24 years and competed for almost 20. At first she didn't participate in tournaments, finding them more than a little intimidating. "I'm the friendly type. I felt bad hitting people," she explains. "It was like, 'Oh God, I won. Sorry.'" Ho soon got over her remorse, and can now turn on her "mean streak" at will.

At the UVic club's recreational level, speed is more important than strength. There is, accordingly, often little difference between the men and women except experience.

While some of the guys have a reach like a yo-yo, a little practice can enable those with shorter stature can get their hits in.

"When you put your mask on, who cares whether you're a guy or a girl?" says Ho.

Like the guys, many women at the club have been inspired to fence by movies like The Mask of Zorro and The Princess Bride. They saw their chance to live out a fantasy after seeing the fencers' booth on clubs day.

"I'm here, there's a program. I thought I might as well try it," says Alice Cheung, a four-month veteran of the beginners' class. "It's relaxing after you fence-stress relieving." Cheung enjoyed the chance to compete for the first time at the Stephen Lazar Memorial Tournament on Feb. 24.

Women have been competing in fencing since the sport was first entered into the Olympics, at the 1936 Berlin Games. In the early years, women fenced in skirts, an idea which UVic's female fencers find both funny and appalling.

"I would hate that," says Hong Gou, trying not to giggle at the thought. "I'd be tripping all the time." Fencing was introduced to North American women in the early years of the Second World War. Aldo Nadi, a professional exhibition fencer from Italy, fled Mussolini's army draft to New York, where he began to teach his sport to women at the Elizabeth Arden Beauty Farm.

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