reddoorfencing About Red Door Fencing

Come Fence With Us!

Red Door Fencing, located in Des Moines’ historic East Village, is an epee club that promotes competitive and recreational fencing by providing quality instruction, a safe and supportive training environment, and fostering personal growth and community engagement.

We offer beginner classes, lessons, and training for children, teens, and adults. Our fencers compete in local, regional, and national tournaments, and we host additional educational opportunities (referee seminars, coaching workshops, fencing/training camps, etc.) and tournaments.

We are an affiliate member of USA Fencing, the national governing body for the sport in the U.S., and a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.

Latest News:

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Midwest ROC/RJCC Results

The day after Thanksgiving, Sarah and Colin traveled to Peoria, IL to fence at the Midwest Regional Open/Junior/Cadet Circuit tournament. Colin fenced well and was 2nd out of pools in Junior Men’s Epee but lost his first direct elimination match, putting him 5th overall. Sarah had a bit of a rough time in Div 1A Women’s Epee pools, but upset 1st seed to make it to the final bout, where she lost and ended up with the silver medal. The next day, she fenced Division 2 Women’s Epee. This time she was 1st out of pools and lost 3-3 in overtime in the finals, finishing 2nd again. Full results: https://www.fencingtimelive.com/tournaments/eventSchedule/98DB13E3190D485B94C13A6783BFABA4#today

Div 2 Women’s Epee medalists
Div 1A Women’s Epee medalists
Sarah (right) makes an attack in the Div 1A Women’s Epee finals
Colin takes 5th in Junior Men’s Epee
reddoorfencing Tournament Results

Sioux City Challenge Results

Sarah was 7th and Evan finished 15th in Mixed Epee (his first tournament as an epeeist) at the Sioux City Challenge yesterday. Sarah also tied for 3rd in Women’s Epee. Full results: https://askfred.net/Results/results.php?tournament_id=41974

Evan cleverly changes targets to score on his opponent’s leg in Mixed Epee at the Sioux City Challenge
Women’s Epee medalists – Sarah takes home bronze
Mixed Epee medalists – Sarah finished 7th
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Rajah Invitational Results

The Valley (High School) Fencing Club hosted a tournament at RDF last weekend, and we think it was pretty successful.
The high schoolers did a great job running their tournament, which had 3 saber events, 2 epee events, and 1 foil event. There were about 40 fencers from almost every club in Iowa (8 from RDF), plus a few from other states, and three people earned new classifications. We’re very impressed with the kids’ professionalism and organization skills (they made t-shirts, signs, awards, and even had concessions – with healthy snacks, too, based on feedback from their first tournament last spring!). 
In Unrated Mixed Epee on Saturday, Daniel A. won the silver medal, Ethan placed 6th at his first tournament, Colin placed 9th at his first US tournament, Simon was 12th in his first senior (ages 13+) event, and Kaden finished 16th but sure made Daniel A. work for that victory!
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Unrated Mixed Epee medalists: 1st – Jesse (ISUFC), 2nd – Daniel (RDF), 3rd (tie) – Quinn (ISUFC) & Nat (DMFC)
On Sunday, Colin won the silver medal in the Open Epee event, beating the fencer who knocked him out the day before and earning his E18 classification! Nick ended 9th, Daniel was 14th, and Mindy was 16th in her first tournament.
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Open Mixed Epee medalists: 1st – Colton (KCFC), 2nd – Colin (RDF), 3rd (tie) – Jesse & Quinn (ISUFC)
 
Thank you to the Valley Fencing Club for putting on the event, all the athletes who participated, the referees and coaches, and all of the parents and families that supported the event in various ways!
 
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We’ve Expanded!

By “relaxing and recharging” in August, we actually meant “moving heavy items, tearing down walls, cleaning, and painting”. We’ve expanded the club to take up the entire basement of the building, which means we have a new entrance off E. 3rd St. (don’t worry – the ramp door will still be open) and room for 4 regulation-size strips so we can host small tournaments at the club!

Speaking of tournaments, Valley High School Fencing Club is using our space for their “Rajah Invitational” Oct. 5-7, and we’re having a youth tournament on Saturday, Dec. 8.

We especially appreciate all the help from the volunteers who helped us move junk, equipment, furniture and floor mats, painted, cleaned, and managed rainwater! We still have a few minor tasks that we’ll be completing in the next month or so (and the owner of the building is taking care of the sloped-toward-the-foundation sidewalk situation so there won’t be a small lake when it rains), but we’ve been able to start practicing in the space this first week of September.

BEFORE…
First round of painting, patching the floor, and electrical installation complete!
Painting of the stripe and the floor and arrival of the floor mats!
…AFTER!
Daniel and Carl fence at Iowa Games
reddoorfencing Tournament Results

2018 Iowa Games Results

Carl and Daniel competed today at Iowa Games! They both fenced well in pools, Daniel won his first 15-point bout, but unfortunately his next opponent was Carl. Their bout was close and well-fenced, and Carl won 15-13. Carl tied for 3rd, and Daniel finished 7th out of 13 epee fencers.

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Iowa Games epee medalists – Carl tied for 3rd!
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2018 Youth Camp & Coaching Workshop

Last week was our 3-day youth camp and coaching workshop with guest Coach Gary Copeland from Norther Colorado Fencers. In the mornings, kids ages 8-14 (who have fenced before – this was not a beginner camp) worked on a variety of techniques, as well as staying balanced and being focused, so they could apply those skills when it was time to bout. In the afternoons, two intrepid older kids stuck around to be students while Gary helped Kevin and Sarah with their coaching. We think everyone came away with some good things to focus on for next season!

reddoorfencing Beginner Class Registration

September Beginner Class Registration Now Available

Registration for fall beginner classes is now available! We’re running two classes: Youth Beginner Fencing on Tuesdays 5:30-6:30 pm starting Sept. 4, and Teen/Adult Beginner Fencing on Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 pm starting Sept. 5. Each session is 6 weeks long. Cost is $60, equipment is provided. More details and registration: https://reddoorfencing.com/join/beginner-classes/

 

reddoorfencing Tournament Results

2018 Summer Nationals Results

RDF sent 3 athletes to Summer Nationals in St. Louis this year; Jim, Jared, and Sarah each fenced two epee events, and Jared earned a medal! Here’s the recap:

Jim started us off on Sunday, July 1, fencing Div 1A Men’s Epee. He struggled a bit in pools, coming out 157th with 1 victory and 5 losses, but he made the cut and won his first 15-point direct elimination bout 15-8. His next bout was 29th seed and he went down 11-15, ending up 128th out of 197 competitors.

The next day, Jim was back for Vet-40 Men’s Epee. He did better in pools this time, going 3-3. He won his first direct elimination match (they only fence to 10 points in veterans events) decisively, 10-4. After that, he had a close match that was tied 8-8 when time ran out. In the priority minute, Jim’s opponent – the eventual winner of the event – scored a 9th touch and Jim finished 25th of 55.

On Tuesday, Jared fenced Div 2 Men’s Epee, his first time competing in epee at the national level (his primary weapon is foil, but he’s been fencing epee with us when he comes home from college). He fenced well in pools, coming out tied for 51st with 4 wins and 2 losses. He got a bye into the round of 128, where he won his first bout 15-10. Then he fenced 14th seed and lost 11-15, which put him 45th of 226 overall.

Sarah’s first event was Div 3 Women’s Epee on the 4th of July. One fencer in her pool dropped out due to injury, but Sarah won her other 5 pool bouts and was tied for 3rd thanks to a +20 indicator (“indicator” = touches scored – touches received). She won a string of direct elimination matches 15-6, 15-11, and 15-12 before losing 8-15 to 13th seed in the round of 16. She missed the medals by one place, ending 9th of 174.

Jared also fenced Div 2 Men’s Foil on Wednesday morning, representing the Des Moines Fencing Club, and finished 146th of 223.

Both Jared and Sarah fenced on Thursday, starting bright and early with Div 3 Men’s Epee at 8 am. Jared came out of pools 3-3, tied for 87th, but he stayed focused and battled back to upset 40th seed 15-12. He won his next direct elimination matches 15-11, 15-9, and 15-2 before going down 10-15 in the quarterfinals. He placed 8th of 183 and earned his first national medal!

In Div 2 Women’s Epee, Sarah swept her pool again and came out tied for 2nd seed. She won two bouts 15-11 and then lost 12-15 in the round of 32, finishing 17th of 159.

Full results: https://www.fencingtimelive.com/tournaments/eventSchedule/02669F3AE6FF4EDBA43449105CC3A0E1#today

Jared earns the 8th place medal in Div 3 Men’s Epee at Summer Nationals in St. Louis.
Jim (right) scores a touch in Vet-40 Men’s Epee at Summer Nationals in St. Louis.
Kevin coaches Jared in Div 2 Men’s Epee at Summer Nationals in St. Louis.
Sarah makes an attack in Div 2 Women’s Epee at Summer Nationals in St. Louis.