Origins of Fencing in New Brunswick
The provincial fencing association was officially established as the New Brunswick Fencing Association in 1969. Its founding president, Alfred Knappe, had begun fencing in Hof, West Germany in 1950 before moving to Canada in 1955 and settling in Fredericton, where he coached at the University of New Brunswick starting in 1966. In 1969, Knappe united representatives from clubs in Fredericton, Saint John, and St. Andrews to establish the provincial association.
New Brunswick’s first fencing tournament — the New Brunswick Championships — was held at the Fredericton YMCA on March 21, 1970 in conjunction with the New Brunswick Winter Games. The inaugural competition featured six male foil competitors, with Rick Gosselin winning to become the province’s first provincial fencing champion.
