What are the Summer Nationals?
The Summer National
Championships are typically held in late June/early July. Fencers
must qualify to compete in this tournament. Events in these
championships include (in all six weapons): Under-19, Under 16,
Youth 14, Veteran 40-49, Veteran 50-59, Veteran 60+, Division I,
Division IA, Division II, Division III, Junior Team, and Senior
Team. In addition, Youth 12 and Youth 10 events are held during
this Championship tournament, though they are not National
Championships. The Summer National Championships mark the beginning
of the domestic season for the Juniors and Cadets, and the end of
the domestic season for all other categories.
When and where is it held?
The 2007 Summer
National Championships will be held June 29 through July 8, 2007 in
Miami, FL. More information can be found
here.
How do I enter? The individual entry form can be downloaded
here.
The team entry form can be downloaded
here. Please print
and either fax or mail to the National Office. The contact
information is on the form.
How do I qualify? There is no simple answer to this question. Please click
here to go to the
qualifying path page and the Qualifying FAQ
What are the deadlines?
Deadline for Division Qualifying
Forms: May 4, 2007
Deadline for Section Qualifying
Forms: May 11, 2007
Deadline for Entries at Regular
Fees: May 18, 2007
Late Entry Period at Triple
Fees: May 19 - June 1, 2007
Final Deadline for Entries at
Triple Fees: June 1, 2007
Deadline for Classification
Changes June 1, 2007
I sent my entry form in –
where’s my confirmation? The USFA National Office gets 100s
of entry forms via fax and mail every day. Our 10 staff members do
our best to return your fax back confirmation sheet right away. It
will be returned within 2-4 business days. If you have not received
it by then, please send us an email at
or call 719-866-4511 x1 and we’ll help you.
It’s possible your entry didn’t come through on our fax, or we are
not able to get through on yours.
I earned a new classification;
will it be used at Summer Nationals? Congratulations on your new
classification! In order for it to be used at Summer Nationals, we
must receive the official classification change report by June 1,
2007. For more information regarding classifications, please see
the Classification FAQ
here.
I’m not a US citizen; can I
compete? You must be a
permanent resident with a greencard and have NOT represented another
country internationally within the last 3 years in order to be
eligible for the Summer Nationals and all section and division
qualifying competitions.
Why are the Junior and Cadet
ages different for the Summer Nationals than from the rest of the
season? The 2007
Summer Nationals represent the beginning of the 07-08 season for the
Juniors and Cadets. They represent the end of the 06-07 season for
all other age categories and events. This is because the Junior and
Cadet World Championships in April mark the end of the season for
the Juniors and Cadets.
How
to I appeal for entry? There
is a specific process to appeal for entry. Please download the
procedure and checklist
here.
How do I withdraw?
We need a withdrawal in writing. Please email your withdrawal to
. It must arrive in our office by June 25 in
order for you to be eligible for a refund of your event fee(s).
What if there are two events on
one day in which I want to compete?
Fencers can compete in a maximum of 1 individual event and 1 team
event per day.
Do I have to check-in for each
event? Yes. Fencers must check in each day
that they compete, within the indicated hours of check in, or they
will be eliminated from that event.
When can I schedule my flight
home? Fencers should
not plan to leave earlier than the day after their last competition,
as there is no way to predict when any competition will be finished.
Fencers who withdraw after starting a competition for other than
medical reasons will be disqualified from the competition and
national points that might have been earned for that competition
will not be awarded. Further disciplinary action may be taken.
What type of equipment is
required? Please click
here
for detailed information regarding weapons and equipment
requirements for National Tournaments.
Can I earn points at this
competition? It
depends on the event(s) in which you are competing. The following
events will award points at Summer Nationals: Division I, Under 19,
Under 16, Youth 14, Youth 12, Youth 10, Veterans 40-49, Veterans
50-59, Veterans 60+. For more detailed information regarding
points, please see the Points FAQ
here.
What’s the format of my event?
Please click
here
for the formats of National competitions.
How will you seed my event?
Please click
here
for the details on seeding National competitions, including the new
format for team seeding.
Will there be drug testing at
the Summer National Championships?
Drug testing is done randomly throughout the season at National
competitions. For information regarding which substances are
prohibited, etc. please contact the US Anti-Doping Agency at
800-233-0393 or at
www.usantidoping.org. The USFA does not answer questions
regarding specific substances.
I sent my forms in – what do
you do with them?
Summer
Nationals Entry Process:
Faxed or
Mailed entry is received
USFA
Stamped Confirmation is faxed or mailed back to athlete
Entry is
sent to Finance for processing payment
Finance
processes payment and sends entries to National Events
Entry is
then filed by Division or Section
Entry is
checked against the Qualifying Forms
Entry is
entered in the tournament database
Entry is
filed
A letter
and packet is mailed to the entrant
Qualifying
Form Process:
Faxed,
mailed or emailed Qualifying Forms are received
Classification changes from Qualifying Forms are processed
Each
athlete listed on the Qualifying Forms is checked for
membership, club, division, citizenship, birth year and
classification
Qualifying
Forms are then checked to determine the top 25%
Divisions
and Sections are notified if a fencer did not qualify
Qualifying
Forms are filed in the Division or Section folder
Entries
are checked against the Qualifying Forms
Petition
Process:
Petition
is received via mail, fax or email
Petition
is sent to Finance for processing payment and then sent to
National Events
Petition
is reviewed
Athlete is
emailed if the petition is missing information
Athlete is
emailed if the petition is approved or denied and the reason
Petitions
are processed within 2-4 weeks
Completed
Petitions are filed in the Division or Section folders in a
“Petition” folder
Entry is
checked against Petition to determine is it has been approved
Entry is
processed
Confirmation letter and packet are mailed to the athlete
What’s the Hall of Fame and can
I go? The Hall of Fame
Committee will honor new inductees at a Reception on Saturday June
30th at 8:00pm. Additional ticket sales and location
information will be available soon. Everyone is invited.
I want to learn how to be a
referee. Can you tell me more about that? There will be referee seminars and
written referee exams offered at Summer Nationals. More information
will be posted when it is available.
How do I know if I earned a new
classification at Summer Nationals?
Results and new classifications will be posted to the USFA website
nightly during the competition.
How do I know if I earned
points at Summer Nationals?
The point standings will be updated and posted to the USFA website
within 5 business days of the last day of the competition. For more
information regarding points, please see the Points FAQ
here.
Are there any international
teams being selected at Summer Nationals?
Yes!! The Senior World Championship team and the Veteran World
Championship team will be announced and posted at Summer Nationals.
Please join us in congratulating these fencers!
