East Kingdom King & Queen's Rapier Championships
Hosted by Barony of Smoking Rocks - New Bedford, MA
Event date: October 10th, 2015
Event Last Modified: September 3rd, 2015
COVID-19 Statement
All persons over the age of 5 are now required to show proof of vaccination or negative COVID test taken within 72 hours of the event. All persons over the age of 18 must also present government issued photo ID or a valid SCA membership card. Please have these in hand when checking in.
Although the SCA complies with all applicable laws to ensure the health and safety of our event participants, we cannot eliminate the risk of exposure to infectious diseases during in-person events. By participating in the in-person events of the SCA, you acknowledge and accept the potential risks. You agree to take any additional steps to protect your own health and safety and those under your control as you believe to be necessary.
Event details
Following are the conventions for the Champions Tournament. Please note that any authorized rapier fighter may participate in this tournament, but only those who are willing and able to perform the duties of a Champion of the East Kingdom and affirm as such when signing in with the MoL will be able to advance from their round robin pool into the sweet sixteen.
The tournament will consist of three parts - the round robin, the sweet sixteen, and the finals.
Part One - Round Robin: The top fighters in each pool (number dependent on how many pools we have) will be selected to advance to the sweet sixteen. Matches will consist of a single bout, with weapon forms of the combatants' choosing.
Part Two - Sweet Sixteen: This will be a double elimination tree. Matches will consist of a single bout, with weapon forms of the combatants' choosing.
Part Three - Semi-Finals and Finals: At the semi-finals, all previous losses will be forgiven -- a combatant need win only once to advance to the finals. The finals will be decided as a best of five bouts, with matched weapon forms. Weapons forms will be alternating choice, with 1st choice decided by coin flip. Weapons forms may not repeat until the 5th fight (if necessary).
Other tournament-wide conventions: Double kills will be refought until a victor has been determined. Fencers approaching or crossing a list boundary during a bout will not be recentered. If a hold is called because a fencer has reached or crossed a boundary, the match will resume with the fencer on the boundary. Finally, the marshals note that Two Handed Sword is now a separate authorization form. Every effort will be made to have authorizing marshals available prior to the tournament. There are no additional restrictions on the use of two-handed swords.
The tournament will be held in the port city of New Bedford, Massachusetts, at the Ft. Taber/Ft. Rodman Historical Park overlooking Buzzards Bay. The park incorporates historical landmarks and offers many amenities. The centerpiece of the park is the historic Fort Rodman, built between 1857 and 1871 as part of the nation’s sea coast defense system. The park features a military museum, beach walking trails, and picnic areas offering panoramic views. If weather is amenable, we intend to hold the fencing tournament outdoors in front of the fort.
The site, including the Community Center, is wheel-chair accessible, and the park is pet-friendly, as long as animals are kept on leashes and picked up after. There is ample parking on site and across from the City’s beaches, all within short walking distance from both the Community Center and the fort.
As the tourney field is part of a public park, there are some restrictions; this is an absolutely BONE DRY site and due to health department restrictions, we will not be serving a dayboard or feast. Gentles may opt to bring their own picnic baskets, and there are a variety of excellent seafood restaurants and craft beer pubs a few minutes away in the downtown New Bedford area. Camp stoves and other open flames are prohibited, and smoking is not permitted in the Community Center or on park lands.
The site is a 45-minute drive from Providence, Rhode Island, a 45-minute drive from Cape Cod, and 1.5 hours south of Boston. The downtown bus terminal is approximately 3.5 miles from the site, and offers DATTCO and Greyhound Bus services to Boston, Providence, and New York City.
Hotels in the area include the Marriott Fairfield Inn (3 miles from the site), The Seaport Inn (5 miles), and the Hampton Inn (6 miles).
For more information on local hotels and restaurants, visit: http://destinationnewbedford.org/
Info on Ft. Taber Military Museum: http://forttaber.org/
Info on Ft. Taber Park: http://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g60913-d1407373-Reviews-Fort_Taber_Park-New_Bedford_Massachusetts.html
Site Opens: 9AM
Site Closes: 6PM
Event Location
Ft. Taber Park Community Center
1000C South Rodney French Boulevard
New Bedford, MA 02744
Google Map
The event site is accessible per the East Kingdom Accessibility Porter's Checklist.
Directions:
From RI, CT, and other points South: Make your way to Route I-195 E from Providence into Massachusetts. Merge onto MA-18 S via Exit 15 to Downtown New Bedford. ** (see rest of directions below).
From Mass Turnpike and Boston: Take I-93 S to MA-24 S via Exit 4 towards Brockton. Merge onto MA-140 S via Exit 12 to New Bedford/Galleria Mall Drive. Merge onto I-195 E via Exit 2A toward Cape Cod. Merge onto MA-18 S via Exit 15 to Downtown New Bedford. ** (see rest of directions below).
** MA-18 S becomes Kennedy Memorial Highway which then becomes South Rodney French Boulevard. The road will veer left at the UMass Dartmouth SMAST Marine Lab; follow South Rodney French Blvd. until you come to a T-intersection facing the ocean. To the left is the beach parking lot, which is available for parking if the Ft. Taber parking lots are full. To the right are the gates to Ft. Taber Park. The Community Center is the first building on the right. There is limited parking in front of the Community Center, but just past it, there are additional parking lots across from the Military Museum, fishing pier, and the fort.
Registration Fees
Registration:
Site fees: $10 for adults 18+. Please add the $5 Non-Member Surcharge if you are not a member of the SCA.
Free for youth 18 and under.
Pre-registrations must be received by October 5, 2015
Please send the following information with your reservation: Modern and SCA names for all persons included in the reservation, proof of membership for all members included in the reservation (photocopy of membership card or copy of cover of recent Pikestaff cover with the members name is acceptable), contact information, names of anyone entering the tournament, and check or money order made out to “SCA MA, Inc., Barony of Smoking Rocks”.
Feast:
No dayboard or feast will be served; please bring a picnic lunch or visit one of the excellent local restaurants in the area.
Make Checks Payable to: SCA MA, Inc., Barony of Smoking Rocks
Contact Information
Event Steward:
Baron Ceawlin Alreding & Baroness Molly Blythe (Ken & Mali Lim Howe)
213 Central Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02745
E-mail: malichan9@gmail.com
Tel: (508) 995-5389
Send Reservations to:
Send pre-registrations to:
Baron Ceawlin Alreding & Baroness Molly Blythe (Ken & Mali Lim Howe)
213 Central Avenue, New Bedford, MA 02745
E-mail: malichan9@gmail.com
Tel: (508) 995-5389
Other Contact Information:
King’s Rapier Champion (for tourney information): Don Antonio Patrasso, antoniopatrasso@gmail.com