Salle Jean Louis (formally Salle d’armes Jean-Louis Academie d’escrime) was founded in 1955 by Bert Raper, with a direct link to the legendary French master Jean-Louis Michel himself. The club is situated on Auckland’s North Shore and was one of the strongest fencing clubs in the country in its heyday. On most club nights you can run in everything from International grade fencers to those who enjoy more social fencing for fitness and fun. With a variety of ages, levels of fitness and experience present, there is an opportunity for everyone to fence with confidence and comfort.
Beginners are welcome; all you need is loose fitting clothes, court shoes and a have-a-go attitude. Fencing is an individual pursuit, which makes for plenty of camaraderie and competition around the piste. We are a social club and regularly organise social events, as well as coordinating get-togethers around tournaments and training. Salle Jean Louis organises New Zealand’s longest running social tournament, the Les Penny Memorial, and developed the very social Pie-Lattes un-workout regime to balance the exertion of intensive fencing. We fence primarily Epee and Sabre, but there is always someone willing to cross foils if that is your weapon of choice.
Affiliation
Salle Jean Louis is fully affiliated with Fencing North, the regional association, and FENZ, the national body. They are in turn affiliated with FIE, the international federation of Fencing. Club members wishing to fence competitively are required to register their own individual affiliation at the regional level.
Fencing North
Fencing New Zealand (FENZ)
Fédération Internationale d’Escrime (FIE)
