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Salient. An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria University College, Wellington N.Z. Vol. 20, No. 12. August 15, 1957

Fencing

Fencing

Fencing in Tournament is qiute rightly confused with swordplay, and it is from this apparent confusion that the V.U.C. team hopes to benefit at Auckland. We need only point to a similar mistake of like middlemen to illustrate the effectiveness of such deception. Did not the Trojans mistake swordplay for horseplay?

To press this disadvantage the team has taken the precaution to select the men's team from Wellington representatives exclusively and though the women's team includes only one such it relies on youth and elasticity for its strength. The new member of the men's team is aquiline Bob Binning, who, despite being New Zealand sabre champion and a New Zealand foil finalist, will add considerably to the strength of the team and the eyer-ready offer of "another glass of suds" will boost social morale no end. Helen Maddison joins the women's team and with a variety of unexpected strokes. She is impossible to upset on the piste—her off the piste activity is, of course, her own affair! For Alan Wilson, Tournament holds little new. This year, to add to his other activities, he is taking his car to Auckland. Janet Servians has been coached by a former New Zealand epee champion. She just missed last year's N.Z.U. team and will be in the running for top honours this year. Kent Beard has learnt to swim in beer, and if he does not attempt to fly on it, Icarus-wise, his speed and natural malevolence on the piste will add several of the more prized scalps to his belt. Dawn France is the top woman in the team and is a worthy successor to Diana Fussell. Her present form, as yet still reconcilable with blooming youth, should put her into the N.Z.U. team again this year. Chris. Beeby and Anthony Ellis will lead the foil team and, like the elephants, have many scars. Beeby has reduced fencing to a logical impossibility. This perhaps explains his fine record of wins, or docs it? Ellis never knew any fencing, anyway, so everyone wonders and few are told why he keeps on going to Tournament.

V.U.C. have won the N.Z.U. fencing title for the last three years. We do not have to rely on prestige, however, and our team is the strongest Tournament has seen since 1951 (maybe!).

—K.B.