Fencing.
A noble, elegant, ancient and classic sport, where courtesy and respect for the opponent are present at every moment. The French terms add to the matches and remind us of the days of Ludwig the Fourteenth, when sport fencing began.
That’s the image someone who doesn’t know the sport might have of fencing.
– I’m going to the World Championships to follow the number of screams, laughs Finland’s number one fencer Niko Vuorinen.
Yes, respect for the opponent is of course an essential part, but sometimes emotions flare up between swordsmen quite properly.
– The intensity increases in matches. I myself roar and curse madly there. In Finnish, of course, it is not intended to offend anyone. Everyone else does it in their own language as well, says Vuorinen.
In Urheiluhullui, Vuorinen opened up in detail about the requirements of fencing, the changes in the sport and the strange politicking that has happened around it recently.
In the match itself, everything happens extremely fast these days. This also increases the pressure on the fencers. And eventually unravels.
– When it comes down to the level of milliseconds in terms of who reacts correctly and who falls into a trap, then that pressure is released suddenly. I have seen many times that someone gives a little back when the situation is over. There will be such a macho fight, says Vuorinen.
Sometimes machoing can get quite big.
– Sometimes a chair has been thrown at me at the end of a match. Is it fencing anymore, Vuorinen laughs.
However, the chair that flew into the neck did not stop the mountains.
– I won that match. So, in a way, I took two wins in that. If someone takes the heat, it’s just all the better for me, he states calmly.
You can’t even dream of money
Vuorinen is at the top of the world in light fencing. The sport is global and extremely competitive. Vuorinen’s best achievement in the World Cup is third place. He has reached that twice. Last July, Vuorinen was only one victory away from a World Championship medal.
But the exceptionally successful Finnish fencer cannot even dream of money.
– Miekkailuha has never been an economically profitable activity for anyone. And still isn’t. At least for a Finnish fencer. There is always a chronic shortage of money, he says.
Vuorinen, who is aiming for the Paris Olympics, has followed with amusement the discussion about prize money in different sports.
– In this and that sport, someone only got this or that amount of money for some result… After all, we don’t have prize money in the World Cup. And nothing else.
The reason why there is no money for the competitors in fencing is clear.
– The sport is an old military sport, many big countries have military systems. You are a professional through a military career or a police career or something else, says Vuorinen.
In Finland, there is no similar opportunity in fencing.
Fencing and theoretical philosophy
Vuorinen’s fencing career almost ended last year. The reasons were, of course, financial. First came the corona. Then all prices almost doubled.
– It looked bad, but fortunately there was no need to stop. That would have been quite sad, says Vuorinen.
The years following Corona have been financially difficult.
– There are no great expectations (financially). If you look at Finland’s state economy, top sports budgets will hardly grow there.
Sports-wise, expectations are high. And the career direction looks very bright.
Vuorinen lives in Budapest. In Hungary, fencing is the national sport. The conditions for training are excellent.
Vuorinen is not only a fencing professional but also a master of theoretical philosophy. In sports fanatics, he told how philosophy and fencing go hand in hand.
Neither industry brings Vuorinen financial good, but he is with you. Passion for fencing drives the man forward.
– If I wanted to make money, I would have done something completely different.
A new episode of Urheiluhullut every Monday on Areena and Radio Finland at 18:08. You can find all episodes at this link.