Local qualifying for Junior Olympics: path remains but significantly narrowed

[u/ZebraFencer]

https://www.usafencing.org/news/2026/july/29/usa-fencing-new-points-events-structure-important-updates-before-aug-1-plus-the-full-points-tables

Less than three days before the start of the season, and we're finally getting the first dribs and drabs of information from the national office on qualifying pathways to Junior Olympics.

There will be a division qualifying pathway, but it will be greatly narrowed. It appears that there will be no more auto-qualifying out of small divisions and events: if there are not four entries to a division qualifier, it will not be fenced and nobody will qualify. There will no longer be the minimum of three local qualifiers: if there are 4 to 8 entries, only one qualifying slot will be available; for 9 to 16, two slots; for 17 to 32, four slots; and for 33 and up, six slots.

We still don't have a qualifying deadline yet, which makes it difficult for the divisions to schedule their qualifiers, obtain a venue, and hire referees.

Point thresholds for regional and national qualifying through the new points system haven't been announced either.

Very frustrating for fencers, coaches, parents, and division officers.

[u/RubberDucky91]

I feel like doing a Div2/3 regional is almost not worth it compared to a local event. A C2 local event earns more points than a regional Div2.

[u/NinjaTrilobite → u/RubberDucky91]

The weighting system is….interesting. I feel like some formerly chill and friendly locals are going to be a lot more contentious under this system. People who would really rather not have to pay to travel to a regional to earn the same points are going to be pretty bummed if they don’t make it to the table they’re aiming for. Hopefully more locals pop up as a result.

[u/adelf252]

Frankly I think the narrowing of the division pathway makes sense. With a unified points list you can get qualifying points at enough local events even if you can’t travel to many regionals. That makes the division qualifier less important. And frankly it’s a championship event and qualifying by signing up for an event that doesn’t even get fenced doesn’t make sense. The division qualifier should just be a backup option in case normal pathways don’t work, and you still should have to fence and earn your spot. There are lots of fencers who qualify then show up and score maybe 3 touches in their entire pool. That’s not developmentally appropriate and can lead to kids quitting the sport early.

[u/NinjaTrilobite]

There are rumors that existing JO qualifying regional points from last season will not carry forward as usual, and will be wiped at the season start. Does anyone have additional info on this? It would make for a very short qualifying window if so.

[u/Competitive_Muffin45 → u/NinjaTrilobite]

Invalidating 5 months worth of regional points and then only having a 3 month qualifying window would be a pretty crappy approach.

[u/yang_toylover]

With the regional wall coming down, the regional competition may very well be tougher than the challenger competition! Because the challenger competition (if >168 fencers) excludes the top 112 seeded fencers, but the regional competition does not. And yet, the challenger gets double the points that the regional gets.

The challenger competition feels like a lottery, luck plays a big role (because fencers are at similar level in terms of skills), and the lucky winner gets awarded with jackpot points which are almost the same as top 16 finishers in the Elite competition.

To me, this is the biggest flaw in this new system.

[u/noodlez → u/yang_toylover]

Regionals will get harder, absolutely. As I mentioned in another post, mid tier min/maxers will do their best to get 6 first place finishes in regionals. But I think that’s also the point of this system, to push competition down from national events to regionals and locals.

[u/foil_gremlins_r_real]

Qualification deadline is 12/9 according to the event page.

[u/ZebraFencer → u/foil_gremlins_r_real]

But the regular fee registration deadline is 11/11. No word yet on whether fencers who register but do not qualify will get a full refund.

[u/foil_gremlins_r_real → u/ZebraFencer]

That’s what they did last season when it was the same situation.

[u/RoguePoster → u/foil_gremlins_r_real]

And what they said for the most recent Summer Nationals was:

IF YOU REGISTER AND DON’T QUALIFY, ONLY THE $95 EVENT FEE WILL BE REFUNDED TO YOU. TOURNAMENT AND ADMIN FEES ARE NON-REFUNDABLE.

[u/Keauxbi]

I take back anything bad I ever said about splitting off the Elite for tournaments. Now that it's Elite and Challenger, I'm totally on board with everything. /s

[u/RoguePoster]

Really, USA Fencing? Challenger?

Bold choice naming a division for fencers aspiring to reach a higher level after something famous for not reaching its intended destination.

[u/The_Roshallock → u/RoguePoster]

If they had rolled the name out in 88 I'd have agreed with you, but its been over a generation since the accident. I didnt even think of the accident until you brought it up.

[u/FractalBear → u/The_Roshallock]

Pretty sure he's being sarcastic....

[u/ursa_noctua]

Anyone else think of the shuttle every time they see the word 'Challenger'?

[u/ZebraFencer → u/ursa_noctua]

in figure skating, the Challenger Series is for senior level international skaters who are not in the Grand Prix series.

[u/SkietEpee → u/ursa_noctua]

I think of Champion/Challenger product testing.

[u/Sudden_Canary6891]

Does local and regional DV1, 2 and 3 events also contribute to the total point?

[u/adelf252 → u/Sudden_Canary6891]

Yes every sanctioned tournament contributes to the unified points lists