We are now taking registrations for the 2012 EBBMA (European Blade Based Martial Arts) tournament being held at the Birmingham NEC on May 12th as part of the Martial Arts Show. The tournament will run all day with rapier in the morning and dussack in the afternoon.
How to apply
Applications should be sent to londonlongsword@gmail.com and marked “registration” in the subject
You must include:
- Your name and age.
- Your School or club with appropriate contact details.
- Your level of experience and in which weapons.
- Your tournament experience.
- Emergency contact details
- Which competition/s you wish to enter.
If you wish to compete in the rapier tournament, you must have your own rapier/rapier and dagger.
Some dussacks however will be supplied.
In both cases you must bring your own Chest / neck armour, mask and gloves (a full of safety gear required will be posted soon).
Registration will cost £16 and covers your admission to the event (huge) and your insurance.
The prize.
As of yet there is none, other than the accolade of winning at such a huge event. However I am in talks with a couple of people to see what we can muster.
The Rules
We are using the open rules, a full version of which will go up on the Competitive WMA page soon. For the time being though, if you intend to fight please familiarise yourself with the summary rules below:
The Open Rules
1. At the start of the bout, the referee will call the fighters into the ring and announce their names/colours to the scorer and judges (and audience if present).
2. The time keeper and scorer will each signal that they are ready to begin
3. The referee will check that all judges are ready
4. The referee will check that both fighters are ready
5. The referee will call “fight”.
6. A bout will consist of 10 exchanges or 3mins fighting, whichever happens first.
7. An exchange is a period of fighting that starts with the fighters out of measure and ends when the referee calls “exchange”. “Exchange” will be called when
a. Any judge raises their flag to indicate any hit b. A fighter leaves the ring
8. When “exchange” is called, both fighters must step back out of measure and pause before
continuing the fight.
9. When the 10th exchange is completed, the referee will announce that the fight is over.
10. The time keeper will call “time” when the 3mins are up if required. The referee will call
“break” and declare the fight over.
11. The scorer will announce the final score to the fighters (and audience) and record it.
Section 2 – Scoring
1. Points can be scored as follows:
a. By striking your opponent to any target, with a valid part of the weapon i. For most swords this includes the point, the edge and the pommel
b. By grappling your opponent to the ground, as long as you stay on your feet i. Grapples that last longer than 5s will be stopped with no score
c. By forcing your opponent out of the ring, while remaining in the ring yourself d. By striking your opponent with your companion weapon, e.g. a buckler strike e. By showing a controlled strike with the empty hand (optional)
2. When a judge sees any valid hit or point, they raise the flag of the person who made the hit.
a. Flags should be held horizontally away from the body as soon as the point is seen and held out until the referee calls “exchange”. It is up to the referee to interpret the flags and announce the correct scores to the scorer.
3. A fighter needs two judges to see their hit to score the point
4. NOTE: it is up to the fighters to demonstrate “good” hits. Judges will decide if a hit is good enough to score and will ignore light taps, flat hits etc.
Double hits
5. Strikes that land at almost exactly the same time (“nearly simultaneous” less than 1s
between hits) count 0 for both fighters.
a. Judges should raise a flag for both fighters – the scorer will record this as a double hit.
Counter hits (The after-blow)
6. If you are struck by your opponent, then you have one “action” to make a counter hit and
nullify their point.
a. An action may include one blade action, a step or both.
7. If you are struck while your opponent is pinning your weapon, then you do not get your action once they release your blade
8. If you are struck with the blade, counter hits may only be made with the blade, not the pommel
etc.
9. Judges should raise the flag of any fighter who scores a counter hit – both flags showing indicates the counter hit to the referee/scorer.
10. Judges MUST check that the counter hit is valid before raising their flag.
11. Counter hits are scored like double hits, 0 – 0.
12. Superiority: If the first hit in a double or counter hit is not made with the blade (i.e. a pommel strike, grapple, buckler strike etc.) and the return hit is made with the blade, then
this is counted as a point for the blade (0 – 1), not as a double (0 – 0).
13. Two Point hits: If you can strike you opponent twice within two actions, i.e. before they complete their counter strike, you will be awarded two points (optional)
a. Judges will indicate the first point by holding the flag out horizontally and indicate the second point by raising the flag vertically over their head.
14. The referee will award the points dependant on all the flags raised.
• Only one colour seen = 1pt to that fighter
• Only one colour seen, including vertical flag = 2pts to that fighter (optional)
• Two colours seen = double (no points scored, double recorded)
Time Out:
15. If neither fighter engages for a significant amount of time, the referee will begin an audible 10s countdown. If no exchange has started by the end of this countdown, the referee may award a point to the fighter who was attempting to engage, or call “exchange, no score”.
Final Score:
16. The winner is the fighter who scores the most points in the bout
a. Double hits will be recorded for the purposes of tie breaks and to fill places in repêchage style tournaments – the fighters with the fewest hits received will be rewarded.
b. In the case of a tie, a score of ½ – ½ may be recorded during pool phases or a final tie-break
fought to the next clean hit.
The key points:
• Any clean strike will always score 1pt
• Two clean strikes will score 2pts
• Double hits score 0
• A hit, followed by a valid counter hit scores 0 for both fighters
• Blade strikes always out score strikes with other parts of the weapon or grapples etc.
In order to win a fight you must score more clean hits than your opponent.
Progression through a tournament is first based on fights won and then on hits received.
Section 3 – Penalties
Offence & Penalty
Failure to present ready to fight = Loss of fight
Hard hitting = Warning
Seriously dangerous fighting, including unsafe grappling = Disqualification
Unsportsmanlike conduct = Severe Warning, loss of 1pt
Two warnings in any bout = Severe Warning and loss of 1pt
Two warnings across separate bouts = Severe warning, no loss of pt
Two severe warnings = disqualification
See also suggested changes for “fouls” later in this document.
Section 4 – Other Logistics
1. Fighters must ensure that they are in the right place, at the right time, ready to fight.
a. Fighters who are not ready to step into the ring when called by the referee will forfeit the fight.
b. The winning opponent will be awarded their average score from their other bouts.
2. Fighters must present themselves with appropriate equipment, including armour and weapons as indicated in the event rules
3. At any one time, two fighters should be engaged in the ring, two fighters should be ready to
fight and two fighters should be “arming up” in the designated area
4. All equipment must pass the safety checks made by the marshals for the bouts, as appropriate to the event.
Section 5 – FAQ and Sample Situations
Q: I strike my opponent in the head and they hit me in the leg after a step, what is the score? A: 0 – 0 for a double hit (location no longer matters)
Q: I strike my opponent in the leg and they hit me in the body at the same time, what is the score? A: 0 – 0 for a double hit
Q: My opponent rushes in and strikes me in the face (repeatedly) with the pommel, but I hit them with a thrust as they step in, what is the score?
A: 1 – 0 to you, as the blade beats the pommel, as long as your hit was within one step of theirs
Q: I strike my opponent and they strike me three times in return, what is the score?
A: 0 – 0, because they have countered your strike. Nothing after that counts. However, your opponent must be careful that they are not excessive, or they may get a penalty.
Q: My opponent hits me then retreats out of the ring. What is the score?
A: If you do not counter the hit in 1 step, then the score is 1 – 0 to your opponent.
Section 6 – Crib Sheet for Fighters
Clean hits score points
More clean hits = fight won
Double hits score 0 (return hit must be within one step) Blade strikes beat other strikes
Hits received count against you for seeding purposes
You are responsible for the safety of your opponent and therefore you must exercise due control at all times
You are responsible for your own safety and therefore you should defend yourself intelligently at all times
You must make sure that you have the appropriate equipment to complete Excessive force, lack of control or unsportsmanlike behaviour will be penalised You must demonstrate that your hits have good character
Judges will do their best to judge fairly, but are fallible; you will respect their decisions
Referees will do their best to control the bout fairly; you must listen to them and obey their instructions at all times
