THE CHAMPLAIN CUP - VERMONT FENCING LEAGUE
VFA fencers compete regularly in Vermont and beyond during the fencing season (September through June). After a long pause due to covid, the VFA began hosting monthly competitions again in February 2021. The first post-pandemic Champlain Cup season was 2022-23
You can view and register for upcoming events at www.askfred.net (search for "Green Mt Division">
ABOUT THE CHAMPLAIN CUP
While the king's musketeers were swashbuckling their way across France, their adventurous compatriots, among them Samuel de Champlain, were exploring and trading across the region that is today Quebec, the Maritime Provinces, and northern New England. To celebrate our connection with that colorful era in history, and to create a Vermont fencing league dedicated to the ideals of amateur athletic competition for fun, camaraderie and personal satisfaction, in 1999 the Vermont Fencing Alliance established a perpetual cup to honor the mightiest swordsmen and women on Vermont soil. Beginning in 2002, the cup series was taken over by the Green Mountain Division. Out-of-staters are very welcome to join us in friendly rivalry and compete for the cup.
Here's how it works: Champlain Cup points may be earned at all Green Mountain
Division meets, all season long. You earn 1 point for every event you participate
in. You earn additional points for high placement, provided there are at
least 6 people entered in your event (no placement points will be given
for events with fewer than 6 entries, so get your friends to turn out for
meets!). Points earned will be based on the difficulty level of the event as follows (note changes since last season in order to give more scoring opportunities to tougher tournaments):
For the following categories of open events, the top 80% of the field earn bonus points. Each place earns one bonus point less than the next higher place. First place bonus depends on the strength of the field as follows:
- A4, A3, B3, A2/B3 event: 32 points
- A2, B2, C2, A2/C3, B2/C3: 24 points
- B1: 20 points
- C1, C2 : 16 points
- D1: 12 points
- E1: 6 points
- Restricted (GMD only), age group, team or gender-specific event with 15+ fencers (or teams): 4 points
- Restricted, age group, team or gender-specific event with 6-14 fencers (or teams): 2 points
- D event: 4 points if 6-14 fencers, 5 if 15+ fencers
- E or U event: 2 points if 6-14 fencers, 3 if 15+ fencers
For restricted events (not mixed opens), the bonus point awards are as follows:
Grand prize: the leaders at the end of the season in each weapon will each have their names engraved on a perpetual cup (to be displayed at Champlain Cup meets the next season). In addition, each receives a trophy. The person who scores the most combined points across all 3 weapons receives custodianship of the Champlain Cup Leader's Sword (a beautiful replica rapier) for the season, but must pass it on to the next season's winner.
Other awards (trophies presented at the end of each season): 2nd and 3rd place overall in each weapon, best veteran (age 40+), best youth (Y12 age group-age 12-), "rookie of the year" (best finish for a fencer with less than 2 years total experience, first full season in league), Leaders Sword (most total points across all weapons).
Champlain Cup winners so far (* denotes a VFA fencer):
2000: Foil-Noble Clark*, Epee-Royal Clark*
2001: Foil-Noble Clark*, Epee-Royal Clark*
2002: Foil-Alexander Vandenburg-Rodes*, Epee-Dylan Merriam*
2003: Foil-Elijah Grubb*, Epee-Dylan Merriam*, Sabre-Brad Baker
2004: Foil-Peter Toshev, Epee-Mason Merriam*, Sabre-Sam Dupre
2005: Foil-Luke Clemmons*, Epee-Luke Clemmons*, Sabre-Chris Knapp
2006: Foil-Joanna Flynn*, Epee-Adam Watson, Sabre-Lucas Lermontov-Salmon
2007: Foil-Ben Hogan*, Epee-Doug Woos*, Sabre-Lucas Lermontov-Salmon
2008: Foil-Ben Hogan*, Epee-Wyatt Moreton*, Sabre-Lucas Lermontov-Salmon
2009: Foil-Ben Hogan*, Epee-Wyatt Moreton*, Sabre-David Parker*
2010: Foil-Ben Hogan*, Epee-Peter Horak, Sabre-Lucas Lermontov-Salmon
2011: Foil-David Parker*, Epee-Zac Young*, Sabre-David Parker*
2012: Foil-Ethan Yu*, Epee-David Parker, Sabre-David Parker
2013: Foil-Ethan Yu*, Epee-Ethan Yu*, Sabre-David Parker
2014: Foil-Jack Brisson*, Epee-David Horak, Sabre-David Harris
2015: Foil-Jack Brisson*, Epee-Jack Brisson*, Sabre-Ray Schuppe*
2016: Foil-Jack Brisson*, Epee-Jack Brisson*, Sabre-Charlie D'Souza
2017: Foil-David Horak, Epee-David Horak, Sabre-Scott Brookes
2018: Foil-Andrew Simon, Epee-Birk Rivait, Sabre-Charlie D'Souza
2019: Foil-Scott Brookes, Epee-Ryan Bagley*, Sabre-Seth Wyatt
2020 League suspended due to covid pandemic
2021 League suspended due to covid pandemic
2022 League suspended due to covid pandemic
2023: Foil-Scott Brookes, Epee-Jesse Lussier*