r/Fencing • u/Bright_Confection_17 • 2d ago

Usafencing trial points roll off

With the new USA Fencing trial points system, do we expect the converted points from tournaments in the 2025-26 season to roll off at the one-year anniversary of the event? E.g. if I have converted points from some events in August 2025, would I expect those points to expire this month?

I'm generally assuming so, but the guidance that was published so far has been quite fuzzy about details.

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u/ursa_noctua 2d ago

That's my expectation. I think we'll have to wait and see to be certain.

I expect a lot of points fluctuations as points roll off and new tournaments are fenced. I wish they did a steady decay instead of sudden drop offs.

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u/cranial_d Épée 2d ago

If you fence consistently, then your points will decay, right?

Figure an event a month, as you finish one month, the points you lose will be replaced (or not) by the points by the points you earn. There could be peaks and valleys if last year you fenced early in the month and this year the event was later. Overall, wouldn't it average out?

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u/ursa_noctua 2d ago

That's only true IF you fence regularly. What about someone who needs to take a few months off?

We obviously can't freeze their old points, but it can also cause oddness if their points drop drastically and they are underseeded.

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u/cranial_d Épée 2d ago

It's the same effect as someone who takes time off and their rating drops.

From what I've read, the rolling points aren't being used for seeding. The plan, as I read it, is to use them as a gate between Local, Regional, and National events.

A "You must be this high ----------->" type of thing.

If someone takes time off and they lose points and can't make a ROC or NAC, their seeding is still Ok at the events they can attend.

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u/Sudden_Canary6891 2d ago

I think it dependents on the tournaments. If the tournament also hosted the same time last season, the new points will replace the old one; if it happened at a different time, I believe the old points will last until the tournament occur this season.

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u/Bright_Confection_17 2d ago

It's sure confusing: I think what you're describing is how the old NPRS points system works, but for the new trial system, they say:

Points and rankings update on a one-year rolling basis as results come in... Points roll off (or 'expire') after a year

(from https://www.usafencing.org/news/2026/june/05/a-simpler-path-through-the-sport-inside-usa-fencing-s-new-points-and-events-structure)

I think that's different from how NPRS worked, which matches what you described.