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NEW #BFLEARNINGWEEK 2025 EVENT: PARA REFEREEING

Chris Farren joins #BFLearningWeek 2025 with ‘Para Refereeing’, taking place on Thursday 21st August at 6pm-8pm.

Edited on 8th August: finishing time originally noted as 7pm, but has now been corrected to 8pm.

Date: Thursday 21st August 2025, 6pm-8pm

Guest Speaker: Chris Farren (World Para Fencing referee)

Host: Chris Turner (BF Coaching & Workforce Development Manager)

About the session

This session will cover the basics of wheelchair fencing refereeing, including how the wheelchair frame works, how the fencing distance is set, and how the referee starts/stops the bout and judges hits (which is the area that is most similar to standing fencing). It will cover all three weapons, but will not be particularly weapon-focused, and will also cover the most common ‘issues’ in refereeing wheelchair fencing. It will also briefly touch on athlete ‘classification’ which is how the fencers are grouped according to their level of impairment, as this has an impact on some aspects of the referee’s job. A brief discussion on how wheelchair events are generally run may be included.

Learning Objectives:

  • Understand the basics of wheelchair fencing refereeing.
  • Understand how the wheelchair frame works.
  • Understand how the fencing distance is set.
  • Understand how the referee starts/stops the bout, and judges hits.
  • Receive a brief introduction to classification and how this impacts some aspects of the referee’s job.

About the guest speaker

Chris Farren:

Chris was previously the head of the World Para Fencing (formerly IWAS) Referee Commission, and in that role was responsible for global wheelchair fencing referee development. An ex-GBR sabre fencer, Chris has won both individual and team national champion titles. Since retiring from competitive fencing, he has refereed both standing and wheelchair fencing events all over the world, including at four consecutive Paralympic Games.

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About BF Learning Week

BF Learning Week is an annual opportunity for our members and wider community to join online developmental and informative sessions in subjects from coaching to community development. Due to the work being made in the para and seated fencing spaces, such as the SwordSeat™, the aim for 2025 is to focus on accessibility and disability inclusion.

The week will take place between the 18th and 22nd August 2025.

A full timetable, updated regularly, can be found here: BF Learning Week 2025