The Salle Jean Louis Fencing Club is one of New Zealand's oldest Fencing clubs and is located on the North Shore of Auckland New Zealand. Founded in 1955, the Club has been home to a number of elite fencers and has won multiple national championships.

History

This New Zealand club was founded by Bert Raper in 1955 in Auckland city and was originally based in Pitt street in Auckland. The club then moved to the North Shore in the 1970s using high school gyms. The club has been operating out of Rangitoto College since around 2004. Salle Jean Louis can directly trace itself back to one of the great fencing masters Jean-Louis Michel himself, through his Prevost, one Emmanuel Broutin who ran the club Salle D'Armes Jean Louis in Paris around the turn of the 19th century. The line then passed to his son C. Leon Broutin, to two English fencers (John and Victor Millard), to Bert Raper. Salle Jean Louis was founded in Auckland by Bert Raper in 1955. He in turn instructed

Brian Pickworth Brian Andrew Pickworth (10 August 1929 – 16 December 2020) was a New Zealand fencer. Biography Pickworth won the bronze medal as part of the men's sabre team at the 1962 British Empire and Commonwealth Games. His teammates in the event w ...

and Dot Guard. The club moved to the North Shore of Auckland in the 70s and was run by Les Penny for numerous years until his passing. From there it has stayed on the North Shore situated at first Glenfield college, then Westlake Girls. Around this time the club changed its name to Salle d'armes Jean-Louis - Académie d'escrime and for the last 20 years has been located at

Rangitoto College Rangitoto College is a state coeducational secondary school, located on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand. Serving years 9 to 13, Rangitoto has a school roll of as of making it the largest "brick-and-mortar" school in New Zealand (on ...

, and recently running sessions from

Northcote College Northcote College is a New Zealand secondary school for boys and girls (co-educational) located in Northcote, Auckland. The school caters for Form 3 (Year 9) to Form 7 (Year 13). It was founded in 1877 and is the oldest secondary school on the ...

. SJL was at its hey day in the 60s New Zealand's elite fencing club, with an ex National selector remarking that he could make the National team but was unqualified to make the club team.

Current Club

Salle Jean Louis currently fences at North Shore Brass Band Hall on the North Shore of Auckland, New Zealand on Tuesday nights from 7:00-9:00 pm. The club is non-profit and takes anyone of an age greater than 13 years.

Professional Affiliations

Salle Jean Louis (SJL) is fully affiliated to the Regional Province (Fencing North), the National body (FENZ),Fencing New Zealand Official Web Site http://www.fencing.org.nz/clubs.php?reg=2 which is in turn affiliated to the International body

Fédération Internationale d'Escrime The ''Fédération Internationale d'Escrime'' ( en, International Fencing Federation), commonly known by the acronym FIE, is the international governing body of Olympic fencing. Today, its head office is at the Maison du Sport International ...

. (FIE)

References

External links

Salle Jean Louis Club Facebook page

Fencing New Zealand Clubs web site

Salle Jean Louis Club web site
{{wikiquote Fencing organizations Sports organisations of New Zealand Fencing clubs