About
ABOUT THE TOURNAMENT
Zagreb Winter Classic is an internationally ranked foil tournament. Our premier edition will host numerous teams both in youth and senior categories.
Our goal is to make the tournament bigger every year with subsequent separation of youth and senior tournaments. Zagreb Winter Classic will become a strong European senior tournament and with time the mission is to make it a World tournament.
The tournament also has the mission to promote fencing and create a respectful fencing club for young athletes.
A BRIEF HISTORY OF FENCING
The earliest records of fencing tournaments go all the way back to ancient Egypt. Even back then the tournaments included safety equipment and judges. The tradition of fencing and swordsmanship was kept as a part of military training throughout the Middle Ages.
As weapons got more technologically advanced and the need for swords grew thin sword fighting transformed into a modern Olympic sport. Fencing was included in the first modern Olympic games held in Athens in 1896.
FIE – Fédération Internationale d’Escrime or International Fencing Federation was founded in 1913 and that year is considered as the beginning of modern-day fencing.
Fencing in Croatia has a long tradition. The biggest promotor of sport in history of Croatia, dr. Franjo Bučar, included fencing in the course for Physical Education teachers at the beginning of the 20th century. Throughout the past century fencing in Croatia had its ups and downs but when Split got new fencing facilities for the Mediterranean games, held in 1979, the sport started to gain popularity once again.
Today, fencing is popular all around the world and our “small” team is trying to find its place among fencing giants like France, USA, Russia, Italy and Germany.
