During this day, Canada’s Civic Holiday – what better reason to post WMA/HEMA-related events supported whole-heartedly by … civic authorities? Yes, we’re going back to Russia! (Apparently, last weeks assertion that things were quiet ‘over there’ was sadly mistaken, to say nothing of completely wrong!}
Russia: Big Place … Big Events
МАНГАЗЕЯ (Tobolsk, Russia) 08 July 12 Лучший воин фестиваля «Абалакское поле» получил меч (Евгений Кривякин)
In the Siberian capital of Tobolsk, eleven thousand (11,000!) spectators (11,000 ... in Siberia!!) came out to cheer on 200 combatants demonstrating their sword and archery skills for the All-Russia Competition "Abalak Field".
The ‘Sword of Victory’ prize went to a fighter from Tula, while a home-grown competitor took the archery prize.
This effort was a joint project by ‘provincial government’ and it’s tourism agency, the host-city government and the historical-reconstruction group "Ilving".
Of note during this meet, was the provincial governor’s statement that he considered WMA/HEMA events important to community development, since they ensured that participants and spectators stayed in touch with their historical roots and values.
ТАТАР-ИНФОРМ (Kazan, Russia) 11 July 12 Турнир по историческому фехтованию «Остров Буян» пройдет в Свияжске
The ‘Tartarstan’ competition to select swordplay and archery combatants for the Annual ‘Sword of Russia’ WMA competition was held in July. Organizers of this competition included the ‘provincial government’, the host-city government, an Architectural Museum and the historical fencing group "Sulitsa".
НОВОСТИ РЕГИОНОВ (Ryazan, Russia) 24 July 12 В Рязани пройдет "Битва на Воже"
In Ryanazan we had the 10th Inter-regional Festival of Military-historical Clubs "The Battle of the Vozha" – organized by the ‘provincial’ Minister for Youth, the city government, the Ryazan Historical and Architectural Museum, a service charity and the historical fencing group FBGUK (which conducted the concurrent "Trizna" historical fencing tournament).
КОСТРОМА ГТРК (Kostroma, Russia) 20 July 12 В Костроме пройдет турнир исторического фехтования
The historical fencing groups "Golden Griffin" and "Desperado" invited other central Russian teams to participate in the individual and team "Kostroma Settlement" matches.
Insert the usual players here!
НОВЫЙ НИЖНИЙ (Dzerzhinsk, Russia) 03 July 12 В Дзержинске прошел фестиваль исторической реконструкции "Ратник-2012"
In Dzerzhinsk, … well, more of the same as above … the difference being that the regional “military commissar” showed up to demonstrate support for the event.
This competition was different than those fore-mentioned in that a woman apparently fought –and won – in one of the sword and shield competitions! (They’re h-e-r-e!)
There’s a potentially staged photo of our champion for your WMA-style-male-cheesecake viewing – it appears as if she’s taking it to a member of her own team!
Snippits:
VANCOUVER SUN (British Columbia) 31 July 12 Rare sword auction nets sharp Vancouver collector $380,000 (Randy Boswell)
The previously reported Canadian-content auction results – with the ‘Grenville sword’ going for $25K.
LIBÉRATION (Paris, France) 30 July 12 De faux chevaliers s'emparent du butin
Medieval robber barons appear to be making a modern comeback – with four ‘men dressed as ‘knights’ robbing a medieval fair of their days take! (Note: Details surfaced later about the ‘real dress’ of the assailants … but one cannot let facts get in the way of a good headline!)
THE GUARDIAN (London, UK) 31 July 12 Brick-by-brick women's fencing semi-final
One would not usually find the words: Lego, swords and poignant in the same sentence … but here We have it.