Club History

Club History

Founded in 1970, Truro Fencing Club is Cornwall's leading club, holding dozens of county, regional and national titles at junior and senior level.

In 1997 Richard Bonehill took over as Truro’s Head Coach, and with the help of Senior Coach Jon Salfield, set about transforming the club into a national player, with a new coaching structure, more training and a long-term development plan.

Since 1997, 28 Truro fencers have represented Great Britain, with national titles and international medals at numerous age groups and weapons.

Truro's Senior Coach, Richard Bonehill, represented Great Britain at the 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2005 World Veterans Championships, reaching the Final Tableau in 2001 and 2005, finishing 6th & 8th respectively. Six other veterans have represented Great Britain, with Bill Osbaldeston winning Commonwealth Team Gold and Over 60 Gold at Epee.

Jon Salfield & Katie Hendra have represented the British senior team at the European Championships, and Katie Hendra and James Honeybone have qualified for the World Youth Championships. In 2006 six Truro fencers represented their respective home nations at the Commonwealth Championships, bringing home a total of 6 medals.

The club has won team and individual medals at the Copenhagen & Amsterdam Satellite World Cup events, the Birmingham international, the British Championships and other prestigious events. At World Cup level, 5 fencers have reached L64s or better, and L8s have been achieved at junior World Cup level.

In 2006 Truro’s young sabreurs made up 6 of the 12-strong GB Under 12 squad who competed in the Kenten International.

In Autumn 2007, exactly 10 years on from its first restructure, the club will implement an exciting new development plan. The new structure will give fencers a pathway into the sport from the age of 5 and take them through all the stages of development to international level.