Novice Varsity

Oxford University Fencing Club is proud to announce that the 2025 Novice Varsity will be held on the 17th of May 2025. 

A celebratory dinner will be held on the 23rd of May 2025 at Vincent’s club for members of the beginners programme (information can be found on the “Beginners Dinner” page)

The competition, hosted at Iffley Roads Sports Centre, will feature two formats : a Men*’s and a Women*’s team match against Cambridge, and an individual competition open to both Oxford and Cambridge students.

Team matches operate as a as a three-a-aside relay up to 45 points, where each fencer from one team will take turns fencing each member of the opposing team. Both foil and epee teams matches will take place, with the victory between Oxford and Cambridge being decided by which team achieves the highest combined number touches across all four matches (Men*’s and Women*’s epee and foil respectively).

The individual competition will feature entrants from all three weapons : foil, epee, and sabre. Poule bouts (to decide ranking in the elimination round) will be held as an internal competition. An elimination round will then follow on the day of Novice Varsity which runs as a standard bracket competition. Each individual match will run for two 3-minute period, ending when one fencer reaches 10 points, or when the time period expires. The winner is decided based on who has won the most amount of points.

Guests are warmly welcome to spectate the match.