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ET16 was when the European Team event came to the UK!. The competition was hosted in Medway, Kent and a huge amount of effort was out in by so many people, that it only seems right to celebrate this occasion with a page on the website…

The European veterans Team Championships were held in Medway, UK, on 5-8 May 2016.

  • 22 countries
  • 99 teams
  • 400 fencers

Results

Vets Teams

Grand Vets Teams

Report

We did it team ET16! What a fantastic 25th Anniversary celebration.

Great team work to produce a great Team Championships. Well done everyone for your hard work, professionalism, dedication and positive attitude.

The success of this event is due to everyone who contributed to the organisation and running of the event. Grateful thanks to everyone on behalf of British Veterans Fencing and the Organising Committee.

A special mention to the rest of the Organising Committee: John Mason, David Sweeney and Katie Rhodes.

Also to:

  • Accreditation Manager: Ann Dawkins
  • Armourers: Simon Axon, Adam Bartley, Jonathan Courtney, Andrew Goodier, Trevor Hill, Malcolm Holford, Janet Huggins, Peter Huggins, Steve Jackson, Rob Kirby, Dave Lichfield, Andrew Nisbet, Noel Cortes Ortiz, Alastair Savage
  • Audio/Visual Engineer: Kola Ayanwale
  • Cashier: Sonya Mason
  • Ceremonies Manager: Brian Speight
  • Event Manager: David Sweeney (in advance), Katie Rhodes (during the event)
  • Finals Manager: Paul Baillache
  • Floor Manager: Jon Dawkins
  • Fundraising Manager: Lawrence Burr
  • Graphics Designer: Anne Mills
  • Hospitality Manager: Gillian Aghajan
  • Information Manager: Pete Baron
  • IT Manager: John Mason
  • Master of Ceremonies: Brian Speight
  • Medical Officer: Clare Halsted
  • Merchandising Manager: Ingrid Heskett
  • Photographer: Tom Smith Photography
  • Protocol Managers: Cary Zitcer, Lawrence Burr, Hilary Philbin
  • Quality Control: Caryl Oliver
  • Referee Coordinator: Mike Thornton
  • Registration Manager: John Mason
  • Secretary: Marcia Stretch
  • Transport Manager: Lawrence Burr
  • Treasurer: John Mason
  • Venue Manager: Jon Dawkins
  • Videographer: Chris Green
  • Volunteers Manager:Katie Rhodes (in advance), Maggie Lloyd-Jones (during the event)
  • Webmaster: John Mason

Directoire Technique: President John Crouch, John Mason, Mike Thornton. Secretariat: Mike Robinson, Moya MacNamara, Janet Baron and Diane Austin.

The Dickens theme and entertainment: Dickens Fellowship, Kent Stage Academy, Medway Magicians, Medway Lindy Hoppers, Gillingham Dramatic Society.

Volunteers

Referees

Flag bearers from local fencing clubs Mallard (Herne Bay), Invicta (Sandwich)and Shortland House (Bromley)

Medway Council, Lindsey Horton (Major Sports and Tourism Manager) and the brilliant staff at Medway Park

Sponsors: England Fencing, British Fencing, Leon Paul, OFEC, Ruffart, Topkit, Activ8

Fund raisers and those who gave personal donations

And last but not least the Fencers from all participating countries.

Gillian Aghajan
Chairman ET16 Organising Committee

Testimonials

Dear Gillian,

On behalf of the Board of European Veterans Fencing I would like to extend a big thank you to you and your team for delivering such an excellent European Team Championships! The venue was well laid out, the events ran without drama and the volunteers were friendly and helpful. It was a very good experience for the fencers, their supporters and outside visitors.

The Dickensian theme was a charming way of linking the event to the region and everyone who participated, in whatever capacity, felt warm and welcomed by their British hosts. Your efforts to maintain the highest standards for even the smallest elements delivered a cohesive and impressive outcome.

Well done!

Caryl Oliver
President EVFC

Dear Gillian,

I just want to pass on my personal congratulations to you and the committee for a job well done in Medway Park. From everything I saw it went off very well indeed, and I heard a lot of positive and enthusiastic feedback from visiting teams regarding the competition organisation, the venue, online entries, accreditation, weapon control, ceremonies and general presentation.

It was also good to see so many familiar faces playing a part – a great example of good teamwork!

My thanks and best wishes to all involved.

Hilary Philbin
President, British Fencing

Great job done on the Europeans – you must be delighted (if exhausted) with the smooth running of the event. Huge congratulations to all concerned, and to all the excellent volunteers you managed to rope in.

Fiona Haldane

Thank you All for the great championships! It was good to be with and it was good to meet you all there!

It always needs lots of work many ways.

Marja-Liisa Tuulikki Someroja

Sadly I do not have all the e mail addresses to communicate directly with each member/volunteer of British veterans fencing who helped put on the E16 event on at Medway but on behalf of all of us at the Lansdowne Club we would like to say a very BIG THANK YOU for organising so brilliantly the European team championships.

As competitors we often forget about the very hard work,time, and preparation involved with so many components from piste set up,medical,referees,equipment,scoring,live feeds/internet,catering,presentation etc which are all important ingredients to the success or failure to an event like this.

It was very apparent that the event had been well planned and very well executed. The number of volunteers was remarkable for which we thank you as it enables us as competitors to participate easily and efficiently.

If you could, on behalf of us all at the Lansdowne Club, extend our huge thanks and appreciation to all the staff,volunteers,and organisers involved we would be most grateful.

You have certainly set the bar high for Italy when the next event is held.

Paul Wedge

Dear Gillian,

As the Chairman of the organising committee of these Veterans European Team Championships in Medway, I’m happy to offer you, on behalf of French Fencing Federation, all my congratulations for their organisation. 25th anniversary of EVFC’s championships couldn’t be better celebrated. This success is due indeed to your personal involvement as well as all the volunteers. Please pass on my warm thanks to all of them.

If I may point out three particularly items, I’d name the “so british” opening ceremony (with the brilliant reference to Charles Dickens), the smooth running of the competition and the best website I’ve ever seen.

Thank you once again for this outstanding promotion of EVFC. I’m sure that future organisers will take advantage of your example, for the greatest delight of veterans’fencers.

Benoit Pincemaille
Head of French delegation

It was a good event. I went into the Accreditation and Weapon Control room to find the Accreditation desk staffed by a couple of volunteers I had never seen before. They were dealing with participants as they came in as if they had been doing it all their lives. There were no queues or delays that we had heard of in previous Championships. I felt we had designed what had to be done, found managers who were able to implement the plan and made it so easy that strangers could do the job effectively.

I must mention the Armourers too. These chaps are first in the venue in the morning and last out at night. They don’t see daylight from the start of the event. They are good. They are not only good at doing things to fencers kit they usually are expert in a number of other fields as well. And they have a great cameraderie, All suffering the same long hours I suppose. It is always a pleasure to work with them and being largely out of sight they are under-appreciated by the rest of us.

Another day I was up on the balcony watching a medal ceremony. A ceremony is quite complex, finding the fencers and VIPs, getting them to appear at the right time with the right music; announcing everyone’s names, getting the ceremony videoed for posterity etc etc etc. This requires quite a number of people doing their jobs and co-ordinating among themselves.

The ceremony went like clockwork and at that moment I felt so proud to be British (we do ceremonies well) and be part of BVF and part of the Organising Committee that made it all happen.

John Mason

I wish to put on record what a wonderful WOW! competition Gillian, Committee and Volunteers put on. Other countries expressed the efficiency and smoothness of how the competition ran. The 25th Anniversary of (European) Veteran Fencing had a professional but friendly atmosphere.

The dinner was well attended. A letter from the Queen was read out and there was also a letter from Gillian Sheen 1950 (Olympic) Gold Medallist. Congratulations also to all the fencers that represented GB and especially those that got medals.

Sincerely,

Henry de Silva
Life President BVF
EVF Member of Honour

Dear Gillian and friends,

I write on behalf of the Belgian Veterans, but also in my name.

I also thank you and all people involved in the organization of these championships, which were well organized I find.

The Belgian teams and people had a very good stay, and also lovely weather, which you also have to merit!

We also enjoyed the interesting things to see in the surroundings such as the Medway Dockyards.

Last but not least we had a very good support beforehand with amongst others John Mason.

Obviously we also congratulate Caryl Oliver and thank David Sweeney for all his job during these years.

All the best to them for the future!

Paul Van Agtmael
President of the EVBVS (Belgian Veterans)

Dear Gillian!

Many thanks for fencing festival-Championship of Europe 2016! Fencing Federation of the Sverdlovsk region expressed deep gratitude for your kind and warm attitude towards all competitors!

Olga Alexandrova
Yekaterinburg Sverdlovsk oblpst.