The spectators came to see the ancient art of fencing yesterday. But they could barely hear the medieval clanging of foils over the chirps of electronic scoring machines.
Here was sword play with a modern twist - from the vests made of Kevlar to the foils made of the same steel as jet fighters.
Points were awarded electronically. A signal was sent to the scoring machine every time the tip of a fencer's sword made contact with a competitor's torso.
About 50 men and women came from as far away as New York and Virginia to compete for a gold medal in the third annual Gala Foil Invitational at the Fencing Academy of Philadelphia on Lancaster Avenue in West Philadelphia.
And they took advantage of the technology that has become a natural part of the sport.
"Fencing is modern," said Mark L. Masters, 47, the academy's owner. "The weapons and techniques have evolved, unlike the Asian martial arts that are mired in tradition."
Fencing participants compete against one another regardless of gender, height, weight and age. Gala competitors ranged in age from 14 to 50.
"It's not just a game of strength," Masters said. "It's a game of tactic and intelligence. Older fencers have the advantage of experience over younger, more athletic competitors."
Thirty-five competitors qualified for yesterday's single-elimination rounds. The top four competitors were featured in the event's final bouts last night, which were open to spectators.
Each bout consists of three three-minute rounds with fencers attempting to be the first to score 15 points.
A point is awarded when a fencer touches the torso of the opponent with the tip of the foil, a sword 35 inches long and less than a pound in weight. Fencers must hit their opponent with at least 500 grams of pressure for the foil's spring-loaded tip to register the contact.
Rick Mayer, 48, of Nutley, N.J., said he entered the competition because he knew a number of highly rated fencers would be competing in this United States Fencing Association-sanctioned event.
Among the participants were members of the U.S. gold-medal team from the Pan American Junior Championships and members of the silver- and gold-medal junior foil teams from the National Championships.
Mayer, a fencer for 35 years, said his respect for Masters was another incentive for him to compete.
"Mark trains his fencers very well," Mayer said. "He has a great facility - one of the best in the country."
Masters and his wife, Lara, train more than 250 fencers at their academy. When Mark Masters took over the academy 10 years ago, only 33 students were enrolled.
At that time, Philadelphia had only two or three fencing clubs. Today, there are more than six, making the Philadelphia division, comprising Southeastern Pennsylvania and parts of Delaware, the fifth-largest in the country, Masters said.
The interest by children has been instrumental in the sport's growth, Masters said. He teaches more than 50 children ages 7 to 12.
Joe Brown, 17, of northern Virginia, said he was an 8-year-old playing five sports when he first saw fencing at his local community center. Fencing soon became his only sport.
Fencing, he said, was so much more unusual than the other sports.
