Welcome

Dear competitors, coaches, parents; dear lovers of fencing,

The Royal Dutch Fencing Association is extremely proud to invite you to the European Junior Championships Fencing in Amsterdam. This year is a special year for Dutch fencing. This year it is 100 years ago that the Dutch Fencing Federation was founded. At that time Dutch fencing needed an organization, because Jetze Doorman had become World Champion on sabre in 1907. Holland, as was the custom at that time, had to organize the next World Championships and the federation (KNAS) was born. Now again the KNAS, with the excellent support of the European Fencing Confederation, organize an international tournament.

Amsterdam is delighted that it is allowed to host these championships. The city has a rich fencing history that is, I am afraid, poorly documented. Did you know for example that the famous teacher Thibault, author of Academie de l’Espée (1628) had a fencing school close to Dam square?
WM04

Photo: Etienne van Cann

We are sure that you will love the city; we will do our best to let you feel at home, we will do everything to organize a tournament that European fencing can be proud of.

The fencers of this world will no doubt be proud of the competitors and their performance. We are sure that we will see many future Olympians on the pistes. We are also sure that we will see the speed, the strength, the timing, the intelligence and the technique that will ensure a beautiful future for fencing in Europe.

Thank you all for your commitment to our beautiful sport, we hope you will honor us with your presence.

Drs. J.W. Mokken
Chairman of the Royal Dutch Fencing Association