When Rome/Floyd County Parks and Recreation Department began to offer fencing classes six years ago, sophomore Katherine Lynch and her father, Marty, were among the first to sign up.
“My grandfather had fenced for a while in college and was able to tell me enough about it that I wanted to try it,” said Lynch, “but I think what really made me want to do it was the fact that my dad was going to fence with me.”
She enjoyed her first lessons, but found herself a little intimidated by those who were taller than her or left-handed. However, once she got used to fencing her father, who was both taller and a lefty, she was no longer intimidated.
“Working to beat my dad and the idea of swords made me want to keep fencing,” she said. “I think the most thrilling part of a bout, or match, is when I’m fencing someone with whom I’m evenly matched because it can go either way. It makes me work harder.”
Lynch practices three days a week. Mondays, she trains in the Multipurpose Room at the Lower School with Carlos Bruno, a coach from the Atlanta Fencers’ Club in East Point. On Tuesdays and Thursdays, she travels to Atlanta, where she trains with Oswaldo Ortega, a former Venezuelan national.
“There are three different weapons: foil, saber and epee. I fence epee, which is the competitive counterpart of the dueling sword,” said Lynch. “It has the easiest rules to understand: whoever hits first is awarded a point, and if both fencers hit simultaneously, both fencers get a point. But, epee may also be the hardest to fence because you must score and defend touches all over your body, including the mask, hand and feet. My favorite touch to score is probably a foot touch. They hurt.”
Having fenced competitively on the national level for almost five years, Lynch travels to approximately one national competition per month.
“National competitions are broken down into age brackets and ability by ratings. There are six ratings: A, B, C, D, E, and Unrated (A being the highest and Unrated the lowest),” she explained. “Just last month, on Oct. 10, I placed third in Division II Women’s Epee national competition in Atlanta and earned my B rating.”
Last summer, at the Summer National Championships, Lynch placed fifth in Division II Women’s Epee, and in mid-November, she will fence on the United States Cadet (Under 16) Women’s Epee Team in Heidenheim, Germany.
“I would like to keep fencing for a while, definitely through college,” said Lynch. “I think of fencing as a life-long sport and really enjoy friendships with other fencers.”
Lynch is the daughter of Marty and Joan Lynch of Rome, Ga.
