19 April 2023
The Bishops Fencing Club toured to Germany from the 2nd to the 14th of April 2023 to one of the most prestigious Fencing clubs in Germany. Tauberbischofsheim, which is in Baden in the north-east of Baden-Württemberg on the river Tauber. The center is an Olympic training center and is, in terms of German medal success at international sporting events - the most successful Fencing club in the world. The center is complete with accommodation, a cafeteria, a gym, an indoor swimming pool, a sauna, soccer and badminton nets, and fully equipped fencing halls. There was plenty of time to relax between fencing training sessions and enjoy all the facilities. The fencers were put through their paces with early morning fitness training and then private lessons with Huber Heinrichs, a coach who trains fencers on an international level. The training was intensive for 8 days, together with foil and epee group bouting in the evenings. We spent a half day visiting Rothenburg, an hour’s drive from Tauberbishofsheim. Rothenburg was founded in 1170 and this historic medieval town still has the city walls intact overlooking the most beautiful countryside. Another nostalgic spot is the Käthe Wohlfahrt Christmas Village. The largest Christmas shop in Europe open all-year round, it stocks everything that makes the festive season special. We also spent a half day at the Marienberg fortress in Wurtzburg. We enjoyed two days at the second oldest Fencing club in Germany, in Offenbach, Frankfurt after leaving Tauber. We were warmly received at the club and enjoyed a celebratory dinner with the German fencers. During the day in Frankfurt, we toured the city on the red bus and did some retail therapy. We had a very successful fencing trip, where much was learned by the fencers in terms of techniques and hopefully will be put to good use back in South Africa.