The 2018 Arnold Medals
MEDALS: This Year • 2020 • 2019 • 2018
The Arnold Fencing Classic takes medaling very seriously. We love the ceremony of it. Dr. Paul Geraci has composed a new medal ceremony theme for 2018 and we couldn't be more excited! With this being the fifteenth Arnold Fencing Classic, we had to go a little bigger on the medals, too.
Introducing the 2018 Arnold Fencing Classic medals...
It wouldn't be an Arnold medal if we didn't try to embed symbolism into the design. These 3.5" medals are going to weigh you down!
The art on the face of the medal is la Verdadera Destreza, or, "the true skill" or "the true art." The Destreza as we call it for short was a fighting system predominantly for the rapier or the rapier with a defensive weapon such as the dagger or cloak. The Destreza is from the Renaissance Spanish school of fencing. In a very broad sense it had several defining characteristics:
- Highly mathematical and uses geometry extensively
- Avoids movement directly at the opponent, favoring the approach on favorable angles
- Full weapon arm extension to maximize reach at all times
- The body in profile
The Destreza is noted for its unique art. With the geometry laid out, foot placement mapped on it, and the illustrated man on the vertical axis, it can appear like other Renaissance art such as the Vitruvian Man. In our case, we took the central figure and turned him into half cyborg. I'm sure you can figure out why!
Look closely! The cyborg has a red eye! Don't they all? Terminators, cylons, all the robots. The gemstone of a fifteenth anniversary is also ruby!
The face of the medal also showcases the weapons of the Arnold: foil, epee, saber, longsword, rapier... Sorry, Sword & Buckler guys. Next year. The outer rim has all of the event of the Arnold listed along with "Arnold Fencing Classic" in the traditional Conan font. There are 15 stars in the Destreza for the 15th Arnold Fencing Classic.
The sides of the medal has "Arnold Fencing Classic" engraved in English, Russian, French, and Spanish.
The ribbon of the first place medals says "There Can Be Only One."
The reverse side of the medal has the event and place you earned and event info.
