Ok it was an absolute fluke. My 13 year old daughter beat her coach for the first time while fencing Epee. She somehow scored 2 touches in a row and was leading 2 - 0. The referee and the spectators were pretty much shocked. The coach is a good guy but a sore looser, the ref turned to him and jokingly made a comment about how the next 5 touches should be his and the score will probably end up 5 - 2. Everyone chuckled and the match continued.
The next score was a double touch, the score now sat at 3 -1. Nobody thought anything of the fact that Melen was leading, until the next touch. Another double touch. So now Melen is leading 4 - 2 in a match that ends at 5 touches.
OK now everyone in the fencing club is watching. The referee makes a comment to Melen that her entire life should be flashing before her eyes, that there is no pressure on her at all, and then steps back. In a flash of action there is another double touch and Melen wins 5 - 3. I clap, very inappropriately. The entire club falls silent. Melen "yips" in an "uh-oh" sort of way. This was only a practice match, didn't count for anything real, but it was a milestone for Melen. Mark, the coach, took it better than most seemed to think he would. Epee is not Melen's main sport, she fences Saber most of the time and Epee is totally different in how scores are made. Anyway, it was all great fun for Melen.
The next score was a double touch, the score now sat at 3 -1. Nobody thought anything of the fact that Melen was leading, until the next touch. Another double touch. So now Melen is leading 4 - 2 in a match that ends at 5 touches.
OK now everyone in the fencing club is watching. The referee makes a comment to Melen that her entire life should be flashing before her eyes, that there is no pressure on her at all, and then steps back. In a flash of action there is another double touch and Melen wins 5 - 3. I clap, very inappropriately. The entire club falls silent. Melen "yips" in an "uh-oh" sort of way. This was only a practice match, didn't count for anything real, but it was a milestone for Melen. Mark, the coach, took it better than most seemed to think he would. Epee is not Melen's main sport, she fences Saber most of the time and Epee is totally different in how scores are made. Anyway, it was all great fun for Melen.
FYI, the 'touches' were scored on an electronic scoring system, double touches are allowed in Epee and electronically locked out if they are not simultaneous touches. Single 'touches' cause the scoring system to lock out the opponents blade and prevent it from scoring a touch if they are not simultaneous. Below are photos from her practice session not that match, taken with a crappy camera phone.
