All,
Thank you for your patience with regards to the opening of the bid applications for the 2025-26 season. In lieu of new point structure, USA Fencing and the Tournament Committee have elected to make some changes to the regional system to better support the changes being implemented for the 2025-26 season. The biggest change as it relates to regional tournaments is the creation of the Fixed Regional Calendar. The new point structure will allow fencers to earn points locally, regionally, and nationally. New fencers will need to compete locally and earn a specified number of points before moving on to regional competitions. Fencer will then need to earn a specified number of points regionally, before moving on to national competitions. This system puts greater emphasis on local tournaments than currently exists. We have a limited pool of resources on which all local, regional, and national tournaments can pull from and in an effort to support local tournaments and preserve shared resources, the Fixed Regional Calendar will be adopted for the 2025-26 season in order to alleviate as many of these conflicts as possible.
Fixed Regional Calendar
Organizers will need to bid on the predetermined circuits and weekends outlined in the Fixed Regional Calendar. We will not be adding additional regional circuits to any of the tournaments listed in the fixed calendar. However, fencers will be able to earn points at local tournaments next season. Organizers are welcome to add local events to their regional tournament to supplement any operational needs. If they plan on doing this, the local events need to be included in their bid under “other events” and in their strip management plan, participant numbers, etc. Organizers will still need to have the events approved at the divisional level in order for the local events to be sanctioned. Local events run in conjunction with a regional tournament next season do not need to be run through AskFred, we will be able to build them out with the regional tournament, so all registrations are in one place.
Regional Bidding Window All Circuits
The fixed calendar eliminates the need to bid in two cycles. All bids, for all circuits, will need to be submitted by February 28, 2025, at 11:59PM MT. You will not be able to submit edits after 11:59PM MT on February 28th.
- Opens: today - January 10, 2025
- Closes: February 28, 2025, at 11:59PM MT.
Bid Documents
Please thoroughly review all the provided documents. Based on feedback from you all last year, there have been some updates made to the scoring process. All documents are also posted on our website and in the Regional Organizer Resource Hub. Please note it is a requirement this year to use the template provided for the hotel worksheet, organizer history, and tournament history. They venue layout and strip management plan documents are just examples. Feel free to put you own spin on them as long as you include all relevant information. The more detail you provide, the better off your bid will be.
- Fixed Regional Calendar
- Bid Packet
- Tournament Requirements
- Internal Bid Review Form
- Bid Committee Review Form
- Example Strip Management Plan
- Example Venue Layout
- Hotel Worksheet
- Organizer History worksheet
- Tournament History worksheet
Information Call
I will be hosting an information call on Jan 23, at 5PM MT (7PM ET, 6PM CT, 4PM PT) about the changes to the bid application process like I did last year. I highly encourage you to review the updated documents before the call.
Topic: Regional Bid Informational Call
Time: Jan 23, 2025 05:00 PM Mountain Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/87537473703
Meeting ID: 875 3747 3703
GroupHousing
As a reminder, we have partnered with GroupHousing and Hilton properties. There are a number of benefits in utilizing these partnerships for you as the organizer. As you are filling out your bid applications, I hope that you will remember they are there to make your life easier. For more details, please review the Bid Packet. GroupHousing will be looking to host several informational calls as well. And as always, you can reach out to Mike and Mike at mhill@grouphousing.net and mbower@grouphousing.net to see how they can help you and your regional tournament.
I understand that the Fixed Regional Calendar is a big change. I welcome constructive criticism to this process but please communicate it in a respectful manner.
Thanks,
Shannon Daugherty
Regional Events Manager
USA Fencing
210 USA Cycling Point, Suite 120 | Colorado Springs, CO 80919
www.usafencing.org