DESCRIPTION

Fencing finals in Monal, France in 2005 for men's epee.

The final bout is between Marcus Robatsch (Austria) and Jerome Jeannet (France), both members of strong fencing families. The camera-work is tremendous, positively theatrical, as during Jeannet's edge-lit close-up at the beginning of the individual bout. (In the bonus material, Fencing Pictures really flexes its muscle, showing Ukraine versus France's semi-final team match from two separate angles in split-screen.)

As the Epeeists begin, Robatsch is not quite as patient as Jeannet. Down 1-2, he fleches and finds that he still can't out-reach Jeannet's counter-attack. Jeannet comfortably works with his distance and considerable reach, while Robatsch relies more on on-blade actions -- the beat, the parry riposte. Coming into the second period, Jeannet starts unleashing his attack. Robatsch, pushed back to his end of the strip but still unwary, gets caught several times with clever tempo-attacks.

Robatsch's approach varies between fleche attacks and cautious waiting. Though he has trouble setting up his attacks against such an experienced opponent, he can sometimes draw Jeannet into a longer blade exchange and squeeze a point in.

Jeannet, meanwhile, has a very solid plan for this bout. He prosecutes a very tight game, using a tempo lunge, a low parry, or a fleeing counter with quiet efficiency, using each only they seem necessary, and benefitting from the numbers game. He steadily works his score upward, as Robatsch fights just a few points away.

The announcers keep up a steady discussion through the action. The discussion is very friendly to new or non-fencers (you must score with the tip, they're fencing on a strip), but includes a lot of history on the fencers, and discussions of their tactics.

TEAM FINAL


Germany versus France: Nine rounds of fencing between two old foes. In the 2004 Olym-pics, France elimiated Germany 45-44 in the semi-finals. Now, Germany is very interested in revenge, and their first fencer, Fiedler, quickly racks up 4 touches on France's Fabrice Jeannet.

Thus begins a point lead which is only brought even in the third match, by France's Gru-mier. But the come-back is not decisive, Germany ends the bout ahead, and keeps a slim lead through the rest of France's fencers. Strategy is the watchword for the team match, as neither side flares out with a desperate run for points. Despite a high-scoring bout between Strigel and Jeannet, by the sixth round the score is only 17-16 with Germany in the lead. By then, the fencing is pretty much "open," with both sides able to score as many points as they can, with only a distant upper limit to the score.

As the number of remaining rounds decreases, the score begins to see-saw more wildly. Grumier brings the French into the lead, but in the very next bout Strigel (interviewed in the bonus material) brings the Germans back three very decisive attacks, including at least two deadly, incredibly tight feint-6 disengages that catch his opponent, Janvier, flat-footed.

Throughout the match, France fences reactively, waiting to counter the German attacks or pick up a point when Germany shows an error. But action for action, Germany is able to en-gineer better outcomes. The next time France closes the score, they turn strategic, only moving the score by one point in the penultimate round.

Though Germany dominated the earlier rounds, the tension is palpable as the teams enter the final bout. Germany's Schmid gets the unenviable task of facing down an intense Fab-rice Jeannet with only a slim one-point lead. Soon the score is in flux again, and Germany has to scramble against France's rally. The final minutes of the match are marked by cheers, fleches, and screams of frustration as one side nearly implodes under an epic flood of touches.