NEWS
WE'RE MOVING BACK TO LAMBERTVILLE!
Just a quick update to let everyone know what's going on.
Our re-opening date in Lambertville has been pushed back to March 15th or (more likely) April 1st to accommodate the final inspections on the building. The plumbing and electrical inspections are scheduled for this week, and the building inspection for next week. We can't start any construction until the inspections are over and everything is approved.
We're hoping we may be able to coordinate with the contractor to start the floor construction around February 13 - 14, but it is dependent on the inspections and the contractor's schedule.
Our $50,000 flood insurance claim has been DENIED as a result of an error in the writing of the policy. All sides agree this was not our fault, but after dutifully and in good faith insuring the fencing academy against flood damage, we are getting nothing. We are pursuing legal remedies, but that may take a long time to resolve itself.
Fortunately, our landlord wants us back badly enough to lend us the money for the floor reconstruction, which is the primary consideration. However, without the flood insurance to cover re-building of all that was destroyed; the restoration of things like storage closets, dressing room partitions, carpeting, lounge area amenities and everything else will have to be done as cash-flow permits. We ask for your continued patience and support as things will look a little basic for a while. At least we have spiffy new bathrooms - and a shower! We will get the fencing academy back to "normal" as fast as we can.
After all the wonderful volunteer assistance that was given during the disaster clean-up and the set-up at St. Martin's, some of you have been crazy enough to volunteer more assistance with painting and reconstruction. Well, we will need a LOT of painting, mostly walls, so if you have nothing more entertaining to do on a weekend afternoon, or even a weekday evening, let us know!
In spite of the challenges, we are anxious to get back "home." We hope you are too.
Mark & Lisa
BCAF FENCERS TAKE HONORS AT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
Of the 50 men competing in Veteran 60 Men’s Epee at the World Veteran Fencing Championship in Poreč, Croatia, recently, four were from the United States. Two of those were members of Bucks County Academy of Fencing, including Drew Ridge (right), who won the bronze medal, and Jim Flint (left), who secured the 15th spot, defeating the 2010 world champion in the process.
“It’s really pretty unusual for teammates to qualify for a competition like this,” said Ridge.
“In order to compete in the championship, you must qualify to the event through a points system that is based on the best two out of three results in national competition,” added Flint. “Since only four fencers can qualify in each weapon/group, Drew and I were half of the U.S. team for the Veteran 60 Men’s Epee event.”
Ridge, chief of head and neck surgery at Fox Chase Cancer Center, has been fencing for 10 years – much of that time under Flint, who is a fencing master at BCAF in addition to systems analyst at Princeton University.
Flint’s history with the sport spans 42 years and includes the 2003 National Veteran Men’s Epee Championship title. This was Ridge’s fourth time representing the U.S. at the World Veteran Fencing Championship. He competes in approximately 25 tournaments each year. Both men are advocates of the sport.
“Fencing is great exercise,” said Ridge. “It’s technically demanding and I hate to lose (like my job). It’s endlessly diverting. And there’s a ‘zone.’ Essentially nothing can compare to that incandescent state, when everything comes together. For me it’s a rare occasion, but part of the thrill of fencing. It’s a wonderful pastime.”
Flint added: “Fencing is a fascinating sport. There is an immense amount of fun in competing against good opponents. It is enjoyable exercise. Since you have to pay attention to your opponent to avoid being hit, you become fully immersed in the bout. One of the ways I describe fencing is that it’s like a small vacation. Since you must be focused on the fencing, you stop thinking about any problems or concerns you may have in other parts of your life.”
“Fencing is like most other martial arts. It trains you in timing, balance, distance, and thinking. Things happen fast in fencing with both fencers trying to score and avoid being scored on,” Flint said. “The higher the level of competition, the better you have to fence. As with most things, it is good to challenge yourself to work at a higher level. Competing as a member of the U.S. team is an honor and a responsibility.”
Added Ridge: “It’s exciting to fence at any level, and particularly gratifying to represent the U.S.A. and our fencing community.”
WE ARE OPEN IN NEW HOPE!
BCAF is up and running at our new, temporary space in New Hope, PA! Please check the TRAINING SCHEDULE page for class times, as well as the BEGINNERS page for information about upcoming 'Taste of Fencing' courses. Thank you to all of our members, friends, families, neighbors and volunteers for your support and understanding during this very challenging time. We could not have rescued so much equipment and gotten up and running in a new location without your help!
Mark & Lisa
LABOR DAY WEEKEND UPDATE
Dear BCAF members & friends,
Thanks to over 40 volunteers working long hours Thursday, Friday and Saturday, all of the recoverable items from the fencing academy have been removed, cleaned and stored.
For any Foil Foundation class students, there are Foil Foundation classes at BCAF-West up & running that you may attend at any of the times listed on the schedule at www.bcaf.com.
We will also be scheduling some Foil Training Groups & Youth Foil Training groups at BCAF-West for the short term while we get set up in our new, temporary location (details on that coming soon!).
This past Sunday, Medeo Fencing Club in Bridgewater hosted a BIG epee event on Sunday that was originally supposed to run at BCAF, and they hosted it as a BCAF benefit. It turned out to be an A4 event with 73 entries. A4s are usually NAC and National Championship events - it is the highest classification level of USFA events based on the number and classification level of the fencers entered.
It turned out that we were the highest finishing New Jersey club (THANK YOU DREW RIDGE!), with two top 8 finalists. The top 8 all earned or renewed their "As", with Drew finishing 5th, Paul Epply-Schmidt - A MEAR FOIL FENCER! - taking 8th and winning his "A" in epee, Max Chernyshov taking 11th and Jim Flint taking 25th. Matt Cavuto, Dan Robitzski, and Blake Wells rounded out the field for a solid BCAF representation.
The event raised almost $2,000, which will help a great deal in this difficult time as we transition to a temporary location. Thank you Medeo! And thank you to Debbie Bratsko, Steve Bratsko, Dirk Goldgar and a number of referees who volunteered their time to help run this event.
Clinton fencing club is also running a Foil Open this coming Sunday, September 11th, that was supposed to be a BCAF event and they are also running it as a BCAF benefit.
We have been overwhelmed by all the support that is being extended to us, both by our membership, friends, neighbors and by the fencing community in general.
We expect to be up and running a full lesson schedule with electric strips for open bouting at a temporary location in New Hope within the next 2-3 weeks.
GO BUCKS!
Mark & Lisa
HURRICANE IRENE
To our fencers, family and friends,
We are very sad to inform you that classes and lessons at BCAF have been suspended until further notice.
Last night, Coryell Creek, which runs down from the mountain from across the street of the academy, was running overly high. There are rumors that there was a mistake in the release of too much water from one of the reservoirs, but we know very little yet.
The water, passing under the back room of the academy, rose to the point where it impacted the wall in front of my back workbench. The pressure from the water imploded the wall with great force and a torrent of water entered the academy from the back rooms and proceeded to fill the ENTIRE 10,000 sq. ft. - back rooms, Great Hall and South Hall - like a bathtub. The water rose to about 3 feet, at which point the hydrostatic pressure blew out parts of the back wall and back doors, and the torrent flowed out into the back parking lot. We found the 300 lb. vending machine in the canal.
As you can see from the pictures, the destruction is devastating to say the least. We asking your help in finding a temporary location to run classes and will be up and running at some capacity as soon as possible.
We do have flood insurance that will cover the cost and labor of replacing the floor, but all of the other contents (refrigerator, chairs, and the instructors’ equipment) have all been lost. Our landlord has flood insurance that will cover the building structure. We are thankful no one was hurt in this violent incident.
We will be trying to do some clean up this coming week and should be able to salvage most of the masks, foils, and jackets (all need a good washing).
Most of Lambertville is still without phone service/power and our home office is as well, so communication will be difficult the coming week. We will hopefully be able to check email once a day at a remote location.
Please feel free to share this information as you never know where a solution may present itself.
Your patience and support during this most difficult time is very much appreciated.
Hope to be in touch soon,
Mark & Lisa
COME ON, IRENE
Here's a recent article from Bucks Local News about Hurricane Irene.
CONGRATULATIONS!
Drew Ridge and Jim Flynt are heading to the World Veteran Fencing Championships in Porec, Croatia. Read about it here.
RECENT PRESS
Here's a recent article about our new location in Hatfield.
And here's one from the Bucks County Herald about BCAF's 30th anniversary! Please be patient. It may take a few seconds to load. This link will launch in a Flash-based, interactive viewer. It will not be readable on iPhones or iPads, as they do not support Adobe Flash.
Bucks Happening recently stopped by our Lambertville location for a visit.
Part One • Part Two
Here's some video from Channel 6 Action News that was shot during a recent trip to Lambertville.
Check out this article by Douglas E. Richards, author of The Devil's Sword.