IFC Ladder Rules
Participation on a Ladder is optional. Any fencer can choose to participate or not.
- Fencers on the ladder can either challenge the person above them or the person two rungs above them.
- Fencers can make a maximum of 1 challenge per week per ladder.
- Once challenged, the challenged fencer must defend their position within two weeks. Otherwise they will forfeit the match and their position.
- Challenge bouts will be fenced like a fifteen touch Direct Elimination bout and will follow all the same rules (e.g. three periods of three minutes each with one minute breaks, etc.). For foil, a mutually agreed upon club member will serve as director. For épée, a director is optional, but if desired by the fencers, a mutually agreed upon club member will serve as director.
If a fencer wins their challenge, then they move into the position of the fencer that they challenged. If the new position is two steps higher, the challenged fencer and the intermediate fencer both go down one position on the ladder. For example, the ladder looks like this:
- Fred
- Mary
- Chuck
If Mary challenges Fred and wins, the new ladder will look like this:
- Mary
- Fred
- Chuck
If Chuck now challenges Fred and wins, the new ladder will look like this:
- Mary
- Chuck
- Fred
If a fencer loses a challenge, he or she must wait at least a week before fencing a rematch (a challenge can be issued immediately but the bout will take place a minimum of one week after the initial bout).