{"id":710,"date":"2023-07-17T13:26:16","date_gmt":"2023-07-17T13:26:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/dankew.me\/?p=710"},"modified":"2026-09-21T19:06:06","modified_gmt":"2026-09-21T19:06:06","slug":"are-entries-declining-for-senior-epee-ranking-events-in-great-britain","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dankew.me\/index.php\/2023\/07\/17\/are-entries-declining-for-senior-epee-ranking-events-in-great-britain\/","title":{"rendered":"Are entries declining for senior mens epee ranking events in Great Britain?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n
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The simple answer here is of course, yes - it's obvious. Speak with anyone who was fencing at senior open events 20 years ago and they'll talk of massive competitions with 150-200 enties in mens epee being common place. A brief look at events that have taken place so far this year and you'll struggle find any that have exceeded 100 entries. There is one. Just the one. In 2005 the Essex Open, Bristol Open, Leicester Open, Miller-Hallet, Hereford & Worcester Open, Birmingham International, Slough Open and the British Championships all had fields of over 100 as can be seen from the rankings data published for December that year<\/a>. So what's happened - where have all the entries gone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"British
British Fencing Mens Epee Rankings - December 2005<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The first place I chose to look for answers is within the British Fencing ranking lists to see if the number of fencers competing has indeed decreased. As the methods used to rank fencers has changed a few times over the years, it's not totally reliable, but it does give a reasonable indicator to the competitive fencing population for each year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ranking List Population (Mens Epee)<\/h3>\n
\n \n\n \n \n
\n <\/td>\n \n 2005 <\/td>\n \n 2006 <\/td>\n \n 2007 <\/td>\n \n 2008 <\/td>\n \n 2009 <\/td>\n \n 2010 <\/td>\n \n 2011 <\/td>\n \n 2012 <\/td>\n \n 2013 <\/td>\n \n 2014 <\/td>\n \n 2015 <\/td>\n \n 2016 <\/td>\n \n 2017 <\/td>\n \n 2018 <\/td>\n \n 2019 <\/td>\n \n 2020 <\/td>\n \n 2021 <\/td>\n \n 2022 <\/td>\n \n 2023 <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n
\n No. Fencers <\/td>\n \n 443 <\/td>\n \n 627 <\/td>\n \n 620 <\/td>\n \n 546 <\/td>\n \n 541 <\/td>\n \n 562 <\/td>\n \n 683 <\/td>\n \n 636 <\/td>\n \n 618 <\/td>\n \n 622 <\/td>\n \n 561 <\/td>\n \n 516 <\/td>\n \n 597 <\/td>\n \n 496 <\/td>\n \n 460 <\/td>\n \n 451 <\/td>\n \n 442 <\/td>\n \n 587 <\/td>\n \n 473 <\/td>\n <\/tr>\n <\/table>\n<\/div>