GRACE WITH THE FOIL

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 89, 9 January 1935, Page 5

GRACE WITH THE FOIL

3 British Women Fencers 1 Fencing in the olden days was a . manly sport, but times have changed, states the *‘Dally Mail,” describing the t women’s fencing competitions last year’ ' for tile Hutton Cup Women from all over Europe as a rule take part in this competition, but last year there were only two from Denmark and one from France; all the others were British. And from what I can gather, they seem to realise on the Continent it is not much use sending over to challenge our girls. That is easily understandable when one watches Miss Gwendoline Neligan, the champion. From the moment the judge says “play” her foil darts here, there, and through the guard of the other like a

? flash. : There is personification of grace in . their action. For that alone these • women are worth seeing. ! Once the women fencers were satisfied with white skirts and tunics, but , now we see white plus fours of vari- , ous designs; one woman wore shorts such as we saw at Wimbledon. Unhappily, the change from skirts to other clothes did not seem to bring much luck. | In the fights I watched, always the skirts won. “Wh.v do you women like fencing?” the champion was asked. This was her reply: “It is wonderful exercise; but above all it gives confidence—makes you feel that you can hold your own.”