Welcome to the 1999-2000 season of the Capitol Division of the United States Fencing Association. As one of the strongest divisions in the country, we are proud to offer a schedule for this season which we feel will be very conducive to not only competitive - but also recreational - fencers who find themselves with the desire to test their skills in the crucible of competition.

This season, the overwhelming majority of the Division's events will be held at the Forest Glen Fencer Center, home of DC Fencers Club, in Silver Spring, Maryland. While the Division will welcome the addition of other venues around the Division in future seasons, at present, the Center, with its six permanent electrical strips (and room for at least one more, in emergencies), and its central location, is the logical host site for most of our tournaments.

We would like to encourage all Capitol Division Fencers to take part in the Chesapeake Challenge Circuit, a very popular series of four events hosted by the Harrisburg, Maryland, Virginia and Capitol Divisions each season. The overall winner of each series - determined by a points system which takes into account the strength of the competition - will, as in preceding years, receive an engraved sword at the completion of the season.

The first of these events is the Susquehanna Open, to be held October 15-16 in Harrisburg, PA, and the last will be our own Cherry Blossom Classic, April 15-16.

Finally, you will note that we have added more Champagne Challenges this season. Winners of each Champagne Challenge will receive a bottle of champagne (or, for minors or those who do not prefer champagne, a non-alcoholic equivalent). These tournaments are always fun, and we encourage you to attend some of them.

Good luck in your season!

Janusz Smolenski, Chairman, Capitol Division, USFA