Home » Watch » 06ITA World Championships in Torino » Updates! » Friday 9/29
Setting up for the long haul
The Fencing Pictures World Championship Coverage team lands in Turino, Italy, and takes immediate control of the situation.
In this quick update, you will find information about The FP Team, The Task — Slow-motion Replays, and Headlines!
The FP Team
This year, we have a 12 person team, plus one lonely new father/webmaster/writer in Mississippi. We will make a full introduction when time permits, but for now:
- Guillermo A — Team Leader and Founder!
- Jorge C — Design, video production
- Bill W — Cameras, blog
- Walter F — Webmaster, writing
The Task — Slow-motion Replays
FP has been hired by the FIE to provide slow motion for the 2006 Turino World Championships. For the first time, slow motion is being introduced on the four primary strips, and will be used from the round of 32 until the Final bout. There is now so much slow motion, that new rules have been introduced to manage how fencers, teams, and referees use the system.
Slow motion history
Junior World Championships: AUSTRIA 2005. FP makes tests of instant replay technology to assist referees.
Senior World Championships: LEIPZIG 2005. For the first time in fencing history, instant replay is a part of our sport as an assistance to the referees. FP provides slow motion for all finals in the championships. In order to review an action, referees must make a request to play back the footage.
2006 Season: FP provides instant replay with a new technology that is immediately displayed to the referee after every touch. FP provides instant replay for the Junior and Cadet World Championships in KOREA, the Las Vegas Grand Prix and World Cup, and at the USA Summer Nationals in Atlanta, GA.
Senior World Championships: TURINO 2006. For the first time in 2006, FP will deliver instant replay on the four primary strips, for all bouts fenced in the central court.
How it works
As shown in the pictures, we are using four HDV cameras on cranes, which allows us to put the camera over the referees' heads.
The FP system starts on the scoring machine. The machine is connected to our equipment such that every time there is a light the system will inmmediately trigger the instant replay . If the referee wants to replay the action another time, we can send the action as many times as required. We have set the replay speed to 20% for sabre, going back 1 second. For foil and epee, we have set the speed to 30% going back 2 seconds.
Instant replay will be available to referees after every touch. The ref has the option to watch or not. There are also two "referee delegates" (referee de arbitrage) on the ground, and each has to supervise two strips.
Rules for Fencing
Fencers can request a slow-motion replay 3 times during the course of a 15-touch bout, or once during a 5-touch bout. When the fencer requests a review, the referee will watch the slow-motion replay with the delegate, and they will jointly make the decision. Neither the fencer nor the coach will assist in the decision, only the referee and the delegate.
This has lead to several topics of discussion!
On the fencer's side, the main question is how instant replay will change the strategy in the bout, and how the fencers are going to incorporate this new resource into their game — as an impromptu break? Which fencers will finish their bouts with "replay requests" unused?
On the referee's side, the questions are: How long will it take to review an action? How (not whether) are fencers going to abuse the system? One thing is certain: the institutional caution among referees (to not be "that referee who relies heavily on instant replay") will be overcome with the first replay request.
These are great times for our sport, and we will see this week how this is going to be incorporated by fencers and referees. Stay tuned!
Headlines!
Too many fans!
There is big news in Turino, Italy: The events for Sunday and Monday are overbooked! Sunday alone is oversold by approximately 1,000 seats!! So if you have a Sunday ticket, get there early!
New China Coach
Christian Bauer is the new Team China Head Coach!
Italian Sabre team
There was a question of a shake-up. It's like the team from Madrid: Montano, Tarantino, Pastore, Samele. We're wondering about a Russia/Italy rematch in-or-near the Finals. Russian Anchor and "Fencing God" Stanislav Pozdniakov has not traveled much this year, and is 10th in world rankings — but does anybody doubt he can give the Italians a lot of grief?
Pictures
In the splash image on our new front page, you can see Tim Morehouse and Ivan Lee in the Internet room (first picture in the collage). And we caught up with Sada and Kathy after dinner (last picture in the collage).
Everybody is getting here and getting ready. Wondering what Turino looks like? Turino / Torino / Turin.
Comments? Is there anything you'd like to see?
comments so far!
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