Which software should I use to run a fencing competition?
CompetHub is online software to run a fencing competition. It manages registrations by weapon (foil, epee, sabre), by age and by sex, generates the qualification pools and the single-elimination bracket, advances the winner of each bout automatically, keeps the ranking and the schedule by lane/piste, then publishes it all on a branded public results page. The touch count, for its part, is still kept by the referee.
The fencing organizer's real problem
A fencing competition unfolds in two clearly distinct phases. First the pools: the fencers all face one another within their pool, in bouts to 5 touches, which establishes a ranking. Then single elimination: the fencers face one another in bouts to 15 touches in a bracket, the winner of each bout advancing to the next round. And all of this is repeated by weapon (foil, epee, sabre), by age category and by sex: a competition quickly means several independent brackets.
The headache comes from the sequencing. You have to compose the pools, keep their ranking, then draw the single-elimination bracket, carry over each bout winner, rebuild the matchups, all while juggling the availability of the lanes/pistes. Doing all of this by hand, on paper, between two bouts, multiplies errors and dead time.
On top of that comes the tracking. You have to know who is fencing, on which lane/piste and at what time, keep each pool's ranking up to date and inform a public that does not see the pool sheets. A spreadsheet does not keep up with that pace. Dedicated software centralizes registrations, pools, brackets, results and schedule, and makes every line reliable.
Why not run a fencing competition in Excel?
Excel forces you to re-type every registration, to keep each pool by hand then to draw the single-elimination bracket and carry over each winner into it. A transcription error skews the ranking and the bracket. Dedicated software generates pools and brackets, advances the winner of the bout automatically and publishes the schedule by lane/piste, with no re-typing.
How CompetHub runs a fencing competition
CompetHub connects each building block of the software to the reality of a fencing competition. It takes care of the organization, the pools and the bracket; the touch count remains the referee's responsibility. Here is how.
Registrations by category and club lists
Each fencer registers online in their category. The staff sees the list, filters by category and by status, searches by name, validates or rejects each request and checks in those present (check-in) on event day. An automatic email goes out on registration, on validation and on rejection. You can also enter a club's list in bulk: fencer records without an account, created in one go.
Categories by weapon, age and sex
You create your categories by combining the weapon (foil, epee, sabre), the age and the sex. Fencing is contested by age category (the "Under" categories, from M9 to M20, then seniors and veterans from age 40). The free-form level field is used to specify the series or the open level. Each weapon runs its own competition, and the fencer chooses the category that applies to them at registration. The national ranking, for its part, is still kept by the FFE.
Qualification pools and ranking
CompetHub generates the pools (round-robin) where all the fencers in a pool meet one another. With each bout entered, the pool ranking updates: bouts played, wins, losses, ranked on points and broken on touch difference. You keep the pool phase with no paper sheet to re-centralize.
Single-elimination bracket
Once the pools are finished, CompetHub generates the single-elimination bracket (with an optional match for third place), as well as double elimination if you wish. With each bout entered, the winner advances on its own to the next round. The placement of the seeds, according to the pool ranking or the national ranking, falls to the organizer: CompetHub does not do automatic seeding from the ranking.
Bout entry and automatic winner advancement
On the lane/piste, the referee directs the bout and counts the touches on the electric scoring apparatus. In CompetHub, you record the winner of each bout and a generic score (for example 15-10 in single elimination, 5-3 in pools); the winner then advances on its own, or updates the pool ranking. An entry error stays editable. The touch count and priority (in foil and sabre) are still kept by the referee.
Ranking, schedule by lane/piste and public results page
CompetHub keeps each pool's ranking and assigns each bout a lane/piste (free-form label) and a time slot, flagging conflicts (same lane/piste in the same slot). You publish a public results page in the competition's colors, with the presentation, the participants, the brackets and the pool ranking, which updates automatically during the competition, without the spectator reloading the page. The list of registrants, the pool ranking and the schedule export to CSV.
How do I create a fencing competition with CompetHub?
Create your account, add the competition, create your categories by weapon, age and sex, then open registrations. On event day, generate the qualification pools, keep their ranking, then generate the single-elimination bracket, enter the winner of each bout (they advance on their own) and publish the results, ready to follow on the public results page.
Which format to handle for a fencing competition
A fencing competition combines a pool phase (bouts to 5 touches, where everyone meets within the pool, which establishes a ranking) then a single-elimination phase (bouts to 15 touches in a bracket, 10 or 8 touches for the youngest and the veterans). CompetHub handles both: it generates the pools and their ranking, then the single-elimination bracket (with an optional match for third place) and double elimination, and advances the winner automatically with each bout. The placement of the seeds falls to the organizer; CompetHub does not do automatic seeding. The touch count and priority are still kept by the referee.
Which format for a fencing competition?
The format combines a pool phase (bouts to 5 touches) then single elimination (bouts to 15 touches), by weapon and by category. CompetHub handles both phases: it generates the pools and their ranking, then the single-elimination bracket, and advances the winner of each bout on its own.
Why CompetHub rather than Excel or a spreadsheet
| Step | Excel or paper | CompetHub |
|---|---|---|
| Registrations | Manual re-typing, duplicates | Online form, validation, auto emails |
| Categories and weapons | Sorting by hand by weapon and series | Weapon / age / sex categories, guided registration |
| Qualification pools | Pool sheets to centralize | Pools generated, automatic ranking |
| Single-elimination bracket | Bracket drawn by hand | Bracket generated, winner advanced automatically |
| Lane/piste schedule | Separate grid, conflicts unseen | Lane/piste and time per bout, conflicts flagged |
| Informing the public | Paper posting, quickly outdated | Brackets and ranking on a public page, no account |
Does CompetHub replace Excel for a fencing competition?
Yes, for the pools, the bracket and the organization. Where Excel imposes re-typing and brackets drawn by hand, CompetHub generates pools and brackets, keeps the pool ranking, advances the winner of the bout and publishes the schedule by lane/piste. You keep the history and export registrants, pool ranking and schedule to CSV. The touch count is still kept by the referee.
CompetHub compared with other software
CompetHub aims for simplicity. You create a fencing competition in a few minutes, with no installation or heavy configuration. Where the federation software handles the scoring apparatus and the official ranking, CompetHub offers the essential building blocks of a club competition or an open: categories by weapon, pools, single-elimination bracket, bout entry, pool ranking, schedule by lane/piste and a public results page. It is a tool to get started fast, with the touch count and the official ranking still handled by the referee and the FFE.
What is the difference between CompetHub and other competition software?
CompetHub aims for simplicity: you run a fencing competition in a few minutes, for free and with no credit card. Categories by weapon, pools, single-elimination bracket, bout entry, pool ranking, schedule and a public page are included, with no complex configuration or installation.
Free to start
CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You create your first fencing competition, open registrations, define your categories, generate pools and brackets, enter the bouts and publish the ranking without paying anything. You test the full cycle, from the pools to the final, before any commitment.
Is CompetHub free to run a fencing competition?
Yes, CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You manage the registrations, the categories, the pools, the brackets, the bouts and the ranking, and publish the public results page without paying. You test the full cycle before any commitment.
Frequently asked questions
How do I create a fencing competition online?
Create a CompetHub account, add your competition, create your categories by weapon (foil, epee, sabre), age and sex, then open registrations. On event day, generate the qualification pools then the single-elimination bracket: you enter the winner of each bout (they advance automatically) and publish the results on the public results page.
Is the software free?
Yes, CompetHub is free to start, with no credit card. You manage registrations, categories, pools, brackets, bouts and ranking, and publish the public results page for free, before deciding to go further.
Does CompetHub handle fencing pools and the bracket?
Yes. CompetHub covers both phases of a fencing competition: the qualification pools (round-robin, where everyone meets within the pool) with their ranking, then the single-elimination bracket, with an optional match for third place. When you enter a result, the winner of the bout advances on its own to the next round.
How do I manage fencing categories?
Fencing is contested by weapon (foil, epee, sabre), by age category (the "Under" categories, M9 to M20, then seniors and veterans) and by sex. You create one category per combination, and each weapon runs its own competition. The free-form level field is used to specify the series. The national ranking is still kept by the FFE.
How do I enter the result of a bout?
You record the winner of each bout and a generic score (for example 15-10 in single elimination, 5-3 in pools). The result stays editable, and the winner advances automatically to the next round or updates the pool ranking. The touch count on the electric scoring apparatus and priority (in foil and sabre) are still kept by the referee.
Can the public follow the results?
Yes. CompetHub publishes a branded public results page, accessible without an account, that presents the competition, the participants, the brackets and the pool ranking. It updates automatically during the competition, without the spectator reloading the page.
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