New Event - Fencers Club London Open (Foil) - Saturday 2/9/2017

[jamesjoy]

In time where so many great opens are unable to continue, we are pleased to announce a new event to the calendar.

Held at the Nuffield Sports Centre at The Royal Masonic School for Girls in Rickmansworth, Herts, which some of you may remember from the days of the Slough Open. This is a wonderful venue with plenty of space and ample parking as well as great transport links.

Our coaches are hitting up their address books to try and secure some big name to join us so keep an eye on our entry list.

Entries via Sport80 or direct via our site. For further information visit our site.

https://www.fencersclublondon.com/fcl-open/

[jamesjoy]

We are pleased to announce our prize fund of £1,500.

We are guaranteeing a first prize in the Male Foil of £500 and £300 for the Ladies Foil.

Places are limited and entries are open on Sport80 and via our website.

[Cjack]

We are pleased to announce our prize fund of £1,500.

We are guaranteeing a first prize in the Male Foil of £500 and £300 for the Ladies Foil.

Places are limited and entries are open on Sport80 and via our website.

I've not seen monetary prizes offered at Opens before, but is it usual for there to be a discrepancy between prizes for male and female fencers? If so, why?

It seems very discouraging (and discriminatory?) for female fencers to have their win valued less than that of a male fencer.

[Highlander]

I've not seen monetary prizes offered at Opens before, but is it usual for there to be a discrepancy between prizes for male and female fencers? If so, why?

It seems very discouraging (and discriminatory?) for female fencers to have their win valued less than that of a male fencer.

Probably due to expected fewer entrants for Femail Foil as per 99% of competitions

[Not quite a Vet]

The London Open (not LP London Open) has always had cash prizes and until last season there were differences between the weapons. I think last season it all fell in equal at £1000=1st £200=2nd & J3rd, I personally think there should have been a difference between 2nd & 3rd even if it meant taking a tithe of the 1st place prize.
If encourages numbers and organisers can afford it why not, SF's Scottish Open used to have prizes too.

[Cjack]

Probably due to expected fewer entrants for Femail Foil as per 99% of competitions

So...a female fencer's entry fees, travel expenses, equipment and training costs are the same as a male fencer, but her win is not valued as much as the male fencer because there are proportionately fewer women in the sport, and therefore likely to be fewer women in the competition? (There are fewer women than men in the fire brigade, therefore women, proportionately, fight fewer fires. Should they get paid less than their male counterparts?)

If more women than men signed up for the competition, would the prize money be adjusted accordingly?

[JackSparrow]

I hear you Cjack, but one year I came 3rd in the Chichester Open and won ... a pair of fencing socks. (My mum said I should have taken up Football). I say it's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

[Cjack]

I hear you Cjack, but one year I came 3rd in the Chichester Open and won ... a pair of fencing socks. (My mum said I should have taken up Football). I say it's best not to look a gift horse in the mouth.

Ah, the ever-useful socks!

In terms of the message it's giving to young girls, I'd rather see no prizes (or small sock-related prizes) awarded, than monetary prizes that openly reward one gender over another. The latter just perpetuates the myth that somehow men's sports are more important than women's, which is a sad message to be promoting to young fencers.

Tbh, I think any women who has gone through puberty in white sports kit probably deserves the danger money...

[Mini Musketeer]

Ah, the ever-useful socks!

In terms of the message it's giving to young girls, I'd rather see no prizes (or small sock-related prizes) awarded, than monetary prizes that openly reward one gender over another. The latter just perpetuates the myth that somehow men's sports are more important than women's, which is a sad message to be promoting to young fencers.

Tbh, I think any women who has gone through puberty in white sports kit probably deserves the danger money...

Agree ! It's good enough for Wimbledon ! ( Could go viral and backfire !)

[jamesjoy]

We are in discussion with various sponsors and fencers and wherein a bit of a catch 22 situation. Where sponsors were not willing to come onboard without some big names on the entry list, and big name fencers would not sign up without knowing what the prize fund was. Hence, we have allocated this amount to get the ball rolling.

We would love to be able to offer the same amount, but currently, this is not economically viable. However, if we attract the sponsors we are looking then we will increase the overall prize fund.

You can expect further announcements on both the prize fund and fencers over the next few months.

[cesh_fencing]

If more women than men signed up for the competition, would the prize money be adjusted accordingly?

Just a quick thought.

If the same organisers ran 2 completely separate events on different weekends a few weekends away from each other would this same issue be raised?

I would have thought those attending both events be really happy that any prize fund was available.

The fact they are under 'one umbrella' should that make a difference?

In reality if 'sponsors' money is what is funding the prize fund, then it could be an issue with those sponsors if those funds were not split equally, however if it is being funded by entry fees, then doing it on a pro-rata basis does make more sense.

[randomsabreur]

Wimbledon is different - each event has 128 entries (I think). Fencing is different - as a female sabreur I would quite happily accept that prize money should be related to entry numbers if funded by entries - which would probably leave me competing for the smallest fund. Simple economics - and if you play poker with 3 people the prize will likely be less than if you play with 10...

Nothing in life is fair, subsidising the women's event with the men's entries would also be unfair...

[J4G]

I have been toying with the idea of awarding prize money to more than just the top 4 at an event, e.g. the L32 onwards so that the entire community could start to get something back.

In a theoretical world with the same prize fund (£500), would fencers prefer:

1. Higher prize funds for fewer fencers (say 4 fencers)
2. Lower amounts of prize money but for more fencers (say 32 fencers)

Option 1 might look something like this:

1 - £200
2 - £150
3 - £75
3 - £75

Option 2 might look something like this:

1 - £100
2 - £80
3 - £40
3 - £40
L8 - £20
L16 - £10
L32 - £5