Socal sword fight 2025
In the realm of historical fencing, few events draw as much enthusiasm and passion as the SoCal Swordfight tournament. This year, three dedicated members of the Snohomish Dueling Society are set to make their mark at this prestigious event. With a rich history of swordsmanship and a commitment to preserving traditional techniques, these members embody the spirit of competition and camaraderie that defines our community. As they prepare to take on challenges and share their knowledge, we delve into their backgrounds, motivations, and what this tournament signifies for them and for the art of historical fencing. Join us as we explore the journey of these skilled fencers and their contributions to the sport.
Who Attended?
Socal swordfight draws fencers in from across the globe. It is the largest HEMA event in the world and hosts some of the best fencers and instructors.
From Snohomish Dueling Society, we had 3 members attend. Lorenzo Mendoza, Noah Thomsen, and Jeremy Coleman. Each competing in multiple tournaments!
Lorenzo, our club lead, competed in Saber Tier C, Single stick boarding action, and Raper & Dagger Tier B. This was his first time entering any of these tournaments and we saw a great performance! In Saber, Lorenzo won 4/4 of his pool matches and moved onto eliminations, going out the first round of elims, placing 18/65. In the Rapier & Dagger, Lorenzo won 3/4 of his pool matches, moving onto eliminations, winning the first fight and going out the second, placing 16/35.
Noah, one of our longsword instructors, competed in Longsword tier C and the Single stick boarding action. Noah competed last year at socal swordfight 2024 for the first time and said he was hooked on HEMA! Since then, he has been dedicated to his study and practice, getting ready to bring the heat this year! Noah won 4/5 of his pool matches, moving onto eliminations, getting a “bye” for the first round and going out the second, placing 17/92.
Jeremy, a longstanding member and saber instructor recently moved away, competed in Saber Tier B and Single stick boarding action. This was Jeremy’s first saber tournament and he put on a show! Jeremy won 3/4 of his pool matches, moving onto eliminations, winning his first match and going out the second round, placing 12/50.
Single stick boarding action
In the Single stick boarding action, 3 people work in a team to eliminate the 3 opponents while standing on a constrained platform while trying not to fall into the “water.”
Lorenzo, Noah, & Jeremy worked together as a team on their simulated ship “Oldenburg” to defend their deck and storm the opponents. Oldenburg won 2/4 of their pool matches, scoring high and moving onto eliminations, Oldenburg won their first match in a nail-biting fight, moving onto the next round and going out in a glorious defeat. Despite their defeat, Oldenburg lives on in legend! Long live Oldenburg!!