USA Fencing

How to Determine Classifications for Foreign Fencers
1. If the fencer is listed on the FIE World Rankings during the past four years, FIE points will be considered in order to determine a classification for the competition being seeded:

a.   Award an “A” classification for one FIE 1st – 8th place finish in which FIE points were earned. The year suffix would be the year in which points were earned.

b.   Award a “B” classification for one FIE 9th – 16th place finish in which FIE points were earned. The year suffix would be the year in which points were earned.

c.   Award a “C” classification for one FIE 17th – 32nd place finish in which FIE points were earned. The year suffix would be the year in which points were earned.

d.   Award a “D” classification [to be applied for competitions other than Division I] for one FIE 33rd –64th place finish in which FIE points were earned. The year suffix would be the year in which points were earned.

2.   If a fencer is not listed on the current FIE World Rankings, but has been on a World Senior Team or Pan American Games team, a “B” will be awarded. If the team was a World Cadet or World Junior team, then a “C” will be awarded. The year suffix would be the year in which fencer was on such a team. If that information is not available then assign the year as the earliest year for the current season, viz., for the 2011-2012 season that means the year would 2008.

3.   If the fencer has not been a World Team member, but is a member of the country’s national team, a “C” classification will be awarded. Similarly, if the fencer has been entered into the tournament by his fencing federation a “C” classification can be used. In both cases, the year suffix would be the current year.

4.   If nothing is known about the fencer and the National Weapon Coach for that weapon does not know anything about the fencer, the “D” classification should be used without a year suffix. In the case of NAC Division I, however, foreign fencers should be classified as “C” with the earliest year; for the 2011-2012 season, this classification would be a “C08.”

5.   When a classification has been assigned to a foreign fencer, the National Weapon Coach for that weapon should be consulted to determine its appropriateness for that tournament. If the National Weapon Coach does not respond, assume that the classification is acceptable.

Seeding Principle:
1. Ranked fencers who are deemed as protected fencers are those who are “entitled to a seeded draw ahead of all other domestic fencers…”

a.     In reviewing pools and any conflicts generated, these fencers CANNOT be moved out of the pools in which their draw places them. The only exception would be the case of ties in ranking.

     i.    Conflict in a pool is: two or more fencers are from the same division and/or same club or school

     ii.    Review of pool compositions is to minimize such conflicts within the rules governing conflict resolution

b.    Foreign fencers can be intermingled with ranked fencers if international result history justifies relative strength of foreign fencer with US fencers.

2. Within a classification group, e.g., A, B, C, etc. ranked fencers will be seeded ahead of non-ranked fencers regardless of year of classification

a. Fencers within a particular classification group with a ranking CANNOT be moved to resolve pool conflicts

3. In resolving conflicts within pools priority is given to club conflict vs. division conflicts so that when resolving conflicts fencers may be in pool with division mates but not with club mates.

Seeding Principles for Specific Categories of Tournaments
CATEGORY / NATIONAL TOURNAMENT	LOCAL/DIVISOINAL/SECTIONAL/ REGIONAL SEEDING	NATIONAL SEEDING
DIVISION I NAC	OPEN: Within each classification, Nat’l Senior Rolling Pts then year or classification/year only	FIE Pts (min 2 placements in top 32 of Senior World Cup, Grand Prix, or World Championships), All on National Rolling Points, then Classification/Year*
Division I National Championships		Top 32 in National Senior Rankings, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Division IA National Championships	Within each classification, Nat’l Senior Rolling Pts then year or classification/year only	Ranking within classification; then classification/year
Division II, III NAC, National Champs	Classification/Year	Classification/Year
Veteran (40 & Older) NAC	Classification/Year	Top 16 in National Veteran Open Points, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Veteran Age Groups NAC, National Champs	Classification/Year	Top 8 in National Age Group standings, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Junior NAC, JOs	Within each classification, Nat’l Junior ranking then year or classification and year only	Top 24 in National Junior Rolling Points, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Cadet NAC, JOs	National Cadet ranking within classification, then classification/year or classification and year only	Top 16 in National Cadet Rolling Points, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Youth 14 NAC, National Champs	National Youth 14 ranking within classification, then classification/year or classification and year only	Top 12 in National Youth14 Rolling Points, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Youth 12 NAC	National Youth 12 ranking within classification, then classification/year or classification and year only	Top 8 in National Youth12 Rolling Points, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Youth 10 NAC	National Youth 10 ranking within classification, then classification/year or classification and year only	Top 4 in National Youth10 Rolling Points, then ranking within classification, then classification/year
Division I Team National Champs	Seeding is based on Senior national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines OR classification and year only	Seeding is based on Senior national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines
Senior Team National Champs	Seeding is based on Senior national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines OR classification and year only	Seeding is based on Senior national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines
Under 20 Team JO	Seeding is based on Junior national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines OR classification and year only	Seeding is based on Junior national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines
Veteran Team NAC	Seeding is based on Veteran Open national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines OR classification and year only	Seeding is based on Veteran Open national points and participating fencers’ classification/year as of posted entry deadlines