All pictures can be found here, including workshop videos and test cutting videos.
On January 7, 2017, 25 messer fencers from all over Europe assembled in Utrecht to enrich and share their knowledge of the art of the messer.
The event was organized by Bas Doeksen and Oskar ter Mors of AMEK.
After their intro talk and one of the fearsome warming ups by Mishaël Lopes Cardozo, Head of AMEK, Oskar and Mishaël started the weekend off with their workshop ‘Messer Basics’.
They went over the basics of the messer, useful for beginning and experienced fencers alike.
After lunch, Oskar continued with Bas for a short workshop, ‘Getting to the juicy bits’ about tweaking the context and flow of your sparring in order to make it more interesting.
All participants happily continued their freeplay until it was time for test cutting with sharp messers. Either their own, or the specials provided by Falko Fritz and Oskar. Favourite exclamation, full of awe: “Shit! That was easy!” by Charel Bodé.
The second day started off with an excellent three hour workshop by Robert Brooks and Andrew Milburn on messer in the Glasgow manuscript.
After lunch more freeplay and many discussions until the magic weekend was over (sigh…) and we all had to travel back to our respective countries.