BYC qualifiers

If you wish to enter the BYCs in May here is how to enter the qualifier events for Central and East region. Remember even if you have a bye from last year’s competition you still need to enter the regional qualifier.

Central Section enter on Sport80 - entries close 16 March 2025

East Section Regional Qualifiers- -- entries close 14 March

Anyone interested in taking on the organising of West or North section entries please email admin@scottish-fencing.com and we will forward your details to British Fencing.

Coaching Conference 2025

We are delighted to share with you that tickets for our Coaching Conference 2025 are now available.

Partnering up with Scottish Archery again, this one day Coaching Conference will take place on Saturday 26th April 2025 at the Stirling Court Hotel from 9am to 5pm.

The price also includes a 2 course lunch, tea and coffee intervals during the day!

There is 4 workshops planned for the day covering a range of different topics that will hopefully peak your interest as a coach. The overviews of the workshops can be found below.

To book your ticket to the Coaching Conference, you can do this by clicking the link below, completing the form and submitting payment.

Register for the Coaching Conference 2025

If you have any questions please reach out to daniel.baker@scottish-fencing.com

Workshop Title: Enhancing Coaching Through Effective Questioning and Listening Skills

Description: This interactive workshop is designed to help archery and fencing coaches refine their questioning and listening skills to elevate their coaching techniques and better support their athletes' development. Coaches will explore how to ask questions to encourage critical thinking, self-reflection, and problem-solving in their athletes. Emphasis will be placed on active listening and how it fosters trust, enhances communication, and builds stronger coach-athlete relationships

Delivered by: Victoria & Adrienne from Active Advantage

Workshop Title: Using Psychology to Improve Your Coaching

Brad Fullarton is a HCPC Licensed Sport and Exercise Psychologist based in Ayrshire, and the owner of Ambition Sport Psychology. Brad currently works with various national governing bodies for sport in Scotland, including Scottish Archery, Tennis Scotland and Bowls Scotland, in both individual and team contexts. Brad supports his clients to optimise the relationship with their mind by utilising his 'Triple A Framework' (awareness, acceptance, accountability) to achieve increased well-being and performance. Through the consideration of psychology, Brad aims to offer a different perspective and hopes coaches leave the session with tangible takeaways to improve their coaching and the relationship with their athletes.

Delivered by: Brad Fullarton from Ambition Sport Psychology

Workshop Title: Introduction to Mentoring

This interactive workshop will support participants to explore the role of a mentor and within sport. Through a combination of practical exercises and discussions, participants will gain insight into what makes a successful mentor, and the tools they can use to foster meaningful relationships that contribute to the growth and success of athletes and/or volunteers.

Delivered by: Victoria & Adrienne from Active Advantage

Workshop Title: Sport Conundrums – Adapting as a Coach

This interactive workshop is a discussion led by participants. With different types of scenarios, coaches will discuss and share their ideas on the topic presented to provide and opportunity for networking and discussing how their coaching sessions can be adapted and developed to be accessible for a different range of people trying the sport.

Delivered by: Scottish Archery & Scottish Fencing Team

Election of Directors

Four valid proposals were received to stand for election to the Board as Directors. No proposals were received and rejected as invalid. As there are four vacancies, no ballot is required.

Therfore John Bryden (proposal form), Peter Drummond (proposal form), Robin Paterson (proposal form) and Gregor MacCallum (proposal form) will replace Hugh Kernohan, George Liston, Mhairi McLaughlin and Stan Stoodley as Elected Directors, to serve for four-year terms from 19 March 2025.

Hugh Kernohan, Electoral Officer

Election of Directors - update of proposals received

A proposal for election as a Director has been received from Robin Paterson (proposal form), in addition to those already received from John Bryden (proposal form) and Gregor MacCallum (proposal form) .

Further proposals must be submitted before 1800 on Thursday 13 February and will be published here once validated.

Members are reminded to check that the e-mail address listed on their SF membership profile on Sport80 is an address they currently use. In the event of an election for Directors, this is the address which will be used for electronic voting.

Election of Directors - proposals received

Proposals for election as a Director have been received from John Bryden (proposal form) and Gregor MacCallum (proposal form).

Further proposals must be submitted before 1800 on Thursday 13 February and will be published here once validated.

Members are reminded to check that the e-mail address listed on their SF membership profile on Sport80 is an address they currently use. In the event of an election for Directors, this is the address which will be used for electronic voting.

Election of Directors - 2025

Scottish Fencing needs nominations from the membership for four positions on its Board as Elected Directors.  If you want to contribute and make a difference to the leadership of Scottish Fencing, please step forward now. 

The terms of office of George Liston, Hugh Kernohan, Mhairi MacLaughlin and Stan Stoodley come to an end on 18 March 2025.  George and Hugh cannot stand again as they have completed two consecutive four-year terms.  Mhairi has indicated that she will not be seeking re-election. 

In order to stand please return a completed Proposal Form, with the support of at least five members of Scottish Fencing, by 1800 Thursday 13 February 2025.  Nominees must be current members. 

Click here for the Proposal Form. 

Submitted Proposal Forms will be published on the Scottish Fencing website as soon as they are validated.  An election will be held if more than four valid nominations are received by the deadline. 

The Board comprises seven Elected and three Independent Directors.  Elected Directors serve a four-year term.  Its role is to provide strategic leadership for fencing in Scotland, to oversee the activities of Scottish Fencing's staff and volunteers, to maintain its ethical standards and legal obligations, and to safeguard the mental and physical well-being of everyone fencing here.   

If you would like to find out more you can speak to Scottish Fencing’s current Chair, George Liston, the COO, Alan Martin, or any of the current Board – email alan.martin@scottish-fencing.com to arrange a call back.  You can read a description of the directors’ roles here https://www.scottish-fencing.com/s/20221201-Directors-roles-and-portfolios-updated.pdf. 

You can also find Scottish Fencing’s Articles of Association, Bye-Laws and other key documents about the Board's work here https://www.scottish-fencing.com/meeting-minutes-strategies. 

Hugh Kernohan 

Electoral Officer (elections@scottish-fencing.com)

The Jaimie Cook Guide: How To Start Your Final Junior Season

Jaimie Cook on the podium at the Junior Foil World Cup in Fujairah biting his silver medal

Salle Holyrood’s Jaimie Cook had a pretty impressive 2023/24 season – bronze at the junior World Cup in Sabadell, Spain; 7th at the junior World Championships in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia; top 32 finishes in the senior World Cups in Tokoname, Japan and in Hong Kong and 9th place at the senior European Championships in Basel, Switzerland.

He finished the season ranked 8th in the world in the junior category (under 20) and 61st in seniors.

But with one final season in juniors and looking to make further progress at senior level, Jaimie has started the 2024/25 run in explosive and, arguably, historic fashion.

You can read more about his journey on this fantastic season in this article written by Sean Walton.

Jamie’s 204/25 season continues almost immediately after New Year with a junior World Cup in the United Arab Emirates, the Challenge International de Paris senior World Cup and another junior one in Heraklion, Greece taking up the first 3 weekends in 2025. Junior World Championships in Wuxi, China in April and senior World Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia in July follow a hectic competition schedule in both categories (another dozen competitions). A long, hard season but one to remember for Jaimie Cook.

You can follow Jaimie’s progress in 2025 on Salle Holyrood’s facebook page.

Scottish Open Wrap Up 2024

The Scottish Open 2024 was held this year at a new venue - Alva Academy.

An event like this is not possible without all the people who play their part to make it happen: for transport and set up on the Friday evening, DT, Referees, Armourers, Medics and all the other volunteers.

Two days of fierce competition produced our winners and medallists for each of the competition categories. Well done to the winners and thank you to all the people who took part across the weekend.

Podium Results for Scottish Open 2024

Senior Men’s Foil

Winner - Alexandre Schlindwein (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

2nd Place - Jonathan Woollard (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Maxim Piterbarg (St Andrews University Fencing Club) & Sam Holden (Salle Holyrood Fencing Club)

Senior Men’s Epee
Winner - Tobias Berry (Knightsbridge Fencing Club)

2nd Place - Calum Johnston (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Jonathan Woollard (Edinburgh Fencing Club & Tom Hoffman (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

Senior Men’s Sabre

Winner - Quentin Geoffroy (Edinburgh University Fencing Club)

2nd Place - Jerome Gan (St Andrews University Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Callum Kettles (Salle Ossian Fencing Club) & Jack Geddes (Salle Ossian Fencing Club)

Senior Women’s Foil

Winner - Katie Smith (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

2nd Place - Ao Feng (Edinburgh University Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Mhairi McLaughlin (Edinburgh Fencing Club) & Alicia Watson (Salle Solas)

Senior Women’s Epee

Winner - Mhairi Gifford (Shetland Fencing Club)

2nd Place - Lydia Stanier (Edinburgh Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Lucinda Naughton (University of Liverpool Fencing Club) & Lucy Grant (West Fife Fencing Club)

Senior Women’s Sabre

Winner - Kate Daykin (Salle Ossian Fencing Club

2nd Place -Lucy Higham (Salle Ossian Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Jen Sancroft (Sancroft Blades Fencing Club) & Charlotte Wilson-Smith (Salle Ossian Fencing Club)

Men’s Seated Sabre

Winner - James Middlehurst

2nd Place - Stuart Gurney (West Lothian Fencing Club)

3rd Place - Gary Millar (Braveheart Fencing Club)

Women’s Seated Sabre

Winner - Susanne Seddon-Cowell (University of Bath Fencing Club)

2nd Place - Wiktoria Mucha (Salle Ossian Fencing Club)

If you could take the time to provide us with some feedback of the Scottish Open it would be greatly appreciated. Please complete the form using the link below:

Scottish Open Event Feedback


Equipment Safety Reminder

This is an equipment safety message. Please can all clubs check the safety of the fencing equipment they are using.  

At a recent competition a mask from a club failed and was condemned by the referee. It did not fail because the Scottish Open had higher standards for equipment checks; this mask was not fit for use under any circumstance, either training or competition.  

It failed because it flexed when thumb pressure was put on the mesh grill at the front of the mask.  

Masks that are soft means the metal is seriously weakened and any masks like this are extremely dangerous and should never be used. 

As a matter of urgency and for the safety of club members please can all clubs check the condition of their masks. This is what to look out for: 

  • Masks should not flex when the mesh grill at the front is pushed. Holding the side of the mask put two thumbs on the grill/mesh that covers the face and add pressure by moving your thumbs down and inwards. Even the slightest movement on the grill area which covers the face means the mask is unsafe and should never be used. 

  • Masks should be free of rust. Any rust means the metal is weakened so rusty masks are not fit for use. 

  • Masks with dents, any dent bigger than a 2p piece and the mask is not fit for use. 

  • Holes in the mesh, any hole no matter what size means this mask is dangerous and cannot be used. 

  • Bibs, check for holes and signs of wear. 

If you are unsure of a mask’s safety put it aside and get it checked. Do not let anyone use it, even for training or if they are beginners. 

There are qualified armourers who are happy to come and check your equipment. If this is something your club would like to do please email us at admin@scottish-fencing.com  

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