Tournament news · Region 4
Region 4 Tournament Watch: AFM Is Down to Its Last Six Fields, and Elite Cup Is Next
Wednesday, September 23, 2026 · Bout-Buddy Editorial
Region 4 is still the busiest region in the country: 12 tournaments with 87 events at 80% or higher, and 62 of them full. Two things changed this week. AFM Super Regional (Santa Clara, Oct 23–25) now has 36 of 42 tracked events full, up from 33 on Friday, with 3,558 of 3,734 total spots taken and a September 30 deadline. At the 3rd Annual BBFC RYC in Las Vegas, the full count doubled from 4 to 8 in five days as all three Youth 14 men's weapons filled.
The next wave is already here. San Diego's Elite Cup has added almost 250 fencers since September 12, and Pasadena's Mary Rafanelli opened on schedule.
Sold out: wait-list only
| Tournament | Dates | Registration Closes | What's full |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2nd BBFC Duel in the Desert SYC & RCC (Las Vegas) | Sep 25–27 | Sep 24 | 2 events full |
| September Capital Foil & Epee Circuit (Sacramento) | Sep 26 | Sep 24 | Unrated Senior Mixed Foil |
| Fall Series (Davis, CA) | Sep 27 | Sep 26 | Unrated Senior Mixed Foil |
| PFA October Foil (Dublin, CA) | Oct 17 | Oct 15 | Sanctioned Senior Mixed Foil (35) |
| AFM Super Regional RYC/RJCC/ROC | Oct 23–25 | Sep 30 | 36 of 42 tracked events. Went since Friday: Division IA Men's Foil, Division II Men's Epee, Youth 14 Women's Epee |
| 3rd Annual BBFC RYC and Y8 (Las Vegas) | Nov 7–8 | Oct 15 | 8 events. Went since Friday: Y14 Men's Epee, Y14 Men's Foil, Y14 Men's Saber, Y12 Men's Saber |
| RYC/RJC of the Rockies (Denver) | Nov 13–15 | Nov 1 | 6 events, including Y12 Men's Epee, Y14 Men's Foil, Junior Men's and Women's Foil, Y14 Men's and Women's Saber |
| Nick Itkin Cup SYC & Vet ROC (Palm Springs) | Dec 11–13 | Nov 16 | 7 events: Cadet Men's Epee and Foil, Y14 Men's Epee and Foil, Y12 Men's Foil, and more |
Closing soon: last spots
| Tournament | Dates | Registration Closes | Heads-up |
|---|---|---|---|
| Polytechnic Invitational Club Foil (Pasadena) | Sep 26 | Sep 26 | Varsity Mixed Foil 5 left |
| AFM Super Regional | Oct 23–25 | Sep 30 | Last open tracked fields: Division IA Women's Foil 1 left (6 on Friday), Y8 Men's Foil 1 left, Vet Men's Saber 3, Junior Women's Epee 10 (16 on Friday), Y12 Women's Epee 10, Cadet Women's Epee 17 |
| October Saratoga Open Youth Saber | Oct 11 | Oct 11 | Y12 Mixed Saber 3 left |
| SoCal Scholastic League Foil #1 (Studio City) | Oct 18 | Oct 14 | Middle School Men's Foil 2 left, U19 Women's Foil 4 left |
| 3rd Annual BBFC RYC and Y8 | Nov 7–8 | Oct 15 | Y10 Men's Epee 2 left (4 on Friday), Y12 Women's Saber 3, Y12 Women's Foil, Y10 Women's Foil, Y12 Women's Epee 4 each |
| MFA Senior Women's Saturday Night Epee (San Rafael) | Oct 17 | Oct 17 | 3 left of 15 |
| RYC/RJC of the Rockies | Nov 13–15 | Nov 1 | Y14 Men's Epee 1 left (3 on Friday), Y10 Men's Saber 1 left, Y12 Men's Saber 2, Junior Men's Epee 3 |
| Nick Itkin Cup SYC & Vet ROC | Dec 11–13 | Nov 16 | Y14 Women's Foil 2 left (10 on Friday), Y10 Women's Foil 5, Y10 Men's Foil 11, Y12 Men's Epee 13, Y12 Women's Foil 14 |
On the national side, registration for the October and November NACs closes today, September 23. Division I Men's Epee is wait-list only at both, and so is Junior Men's Epee at November NAC. Other November fields still have room: Cadet Men's Epee is at 259 of 336 and Junior Men's Foil at 236 of 336.
New opportunities: room right now
Elite Cup RYC/RJCC: San Diego, CA · Jan 16–17, 2027 · closes Dec 28
On September 12 it had 724 fencers. Today it has 968 of 2,671 spots, so the pace we flagged is holding:
- Youth 14 Men's Epee: 80 of 105 (76%), up from 66
- Cadet Men's Epee: 69 of 105, up from 53
- Youth 12 Men's Foil: 54 of 91, up from 40
- Youth 12 Men's Epee: 53 of 81, up from 41
- Youth 14 Women's Foil: 51 of 84, up from 42
Y14 Men's Epee will cross 80% within days, and the other men's epee fields will follow in October, well before the deadline. Saber and the Y8 events are still wide open. It's still the best tournament in the region to register for now.
Mary Rafanelli RYC/RJCC: Pasadena, CA · Mar 12–14, 2027 · closes Feb 18, 2027
Registration opened September 17 as announced. In five days it drew 184 fencers against 2,803 spots across 42 events, including parafencing in all three weapons. Women's foil is filling first: Y14 Women's Foil is at 24 of 126, Cadet Women's Foil 19 of 112, Y12 Women's Foil 17 of 105, and Y10 Women's Foil 11 of 63. Everything else is in single digits. A March RYC/RJCC in Southern California will fill the way AFM did, so lock it in now.
RYC/RJC of the Rockies: Denver, CO · Nov 13–15 · closes Nov 1
It's no longer wide open. On September 12 it was 174 of 385. Today it's 262 of 385 (68%), with six events on the wait-list and four more at their last one to three spots. Colorado, Utah and New Mexico families who have been waiting should register this week.
Team.K: Pomona, CA · Feb 26–28, 2027 · closes Feb 1, 2027
Still essentially empty at 22 fencers across 36 events, and USA Fencing has not published field caps yet. It's a low-risk early registration for a late-February regional.
Coming later, mark the date
These USA Fencing listings are published but not open. For now they are calendar reminders only.
| Tournament | Dates | Registration opens |
|---|---|---|
| The Fencing Center ROC/RJC (San Jose) | Feb 5, 2027 | Pre-announced; date not yet published |
| 8th Annual Precision Invitational RYC/RJCC (Torrance) | Mar 19, 2027 | Pre-announced; date not yet published |
| Fortune RJCC/RYC (Ontario, CA) | Mar 27–28, 2027 | Mar 1, 2027 |
| 2nd BBFC ROC and RJC (Henderson, NV) | Apr 3, 2027 | Pre-announced; date not yet published |
| RYC/RCC of the Rockies (Denver) | Apr 9–11, 2027 | Feb 1, 2027 |
| Fortune SYC/RJCC (Anaheim) | Apr 30–May 2, 2027 | Apr 1, 2027 |
| Collegiate Cup (La Jolla) | May 8, 2027 | Pre-announced; date not yet published |
Also open with room (AskFRED, next six weeks)
- Wildcat Open (Tucson, AZ, Sep 26): 147 of 158. It's the biggest open AskFRED field in the region and almost full, so go now or skip it.
- San Diego Cup Youth Epee #1 (Escondido, Sep 27; closes Sep 25): 40 of 126.
- 3rd Annual GFA Youth Challenge (Tucson, Oct 3): 36 signed up across 7 events.
- AFM Youth and Cadet Cup #1 (Sunnyvale, Oct 4; closes Oct 1; Cadet sanctioned): 143 signed up across 9 events.
- San Diego Senior Cup #1 (Oct 4; closes Oct 1): 40 of 231.
- October Fest Mixed Foil Y8–Y14 (Pleasanton, Oct 4): 36 of 140.
- PFA Open Saber, sanctioned (Sacramento, Oct 17; closes Oct 10): Junior, Cadet and Y14 men's and women's saber, 79 of 252.
- BIDA Grand Prix Stage 2 (Santa Clara, Oct 18): 26 of 189.
- San Diego Cup Youth Saber #2 (Escondido, Nov 1): 27 of 126.
AFM Super Regional has one week of registration left and six open fields, two of them down to a single spot. BBFC in Las Vegas filled four events in five days. Region 4 fields keep closing weeks before their deadlines. The next round is already open: Denver in November is two-thirds full, San Diego's Elite Cup in January is filling fast but has room everywhere, Pasadena in March is barely started, and Pomona in February is empty. Register for the ones you want now, while "open" still means open.
National Tournaments
October NAC
Oct 9, 2026 – Oct 12, 2026 · Orlando, FL · USAF
Deadline: Sep 23, 2026
1 (0 nearly full · 1 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division I Men’s Epee (DV1ME) | — | 336 (100%) | WL | 336 |
November NAC
Nov 20, 2026 – Nov 23, 2026 · Columbus, OH · USAF
Deadline: Sep 23, 2026
2 (0 nearly full · 2 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division I Men’s Epee (DV1ME) | — | 336 (100%) | WL | 336 |
| Junior Men’s Epee (JNRME) | — | 336 (100%) | WL | 336 |
Region 4 Tournaments
2nd BBFC Duel in the Desert SYC & RCC
Sep 25, 2026 – Sep 27, 2026 · Las Vegas, NV · USAF
Deadline: Sep 24, 2026
2 (0 nearly full · 2 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth 12 Men’s Epee (Y12ME) | Not Rated | 83 (100%) | WL | 83 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Foil (Y14MF) | B2 | 119 (100%) | WL | 119 |
Polytechnic Invitational- Club Foil
Sep 26, 2026 · Pasadena, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Sep 26, 2026
1 (1 nearly full · 0 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsanctioned E & Under Junior (Varsity Mixed Foil) Mixed Foil | — | 23 (82%) | 5 | 28 |
September Capital Foil & Epee Circuit: Unrated, Beginners, Vet
Sep 26, 2026 · Sacramento, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Sep 24, 2026
1 (0 nearly full · 1 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrated Senior Mixed Foil | E1 | 10 (100%) | WL | 10 |
Fall Series: Unrated Senior Mixed Epee, Open Senior Mixed Epee. Unrated Senior Mixed Foil, Open Senior Mixed Foil
Sep 27, 2026 · Davis, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Sep 26, 2026
1 (0 nearly full · 1 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unrated Senior Mixed Foil | E1 | 12 (100%) | WL | 12 |
October Saratoga Open Youth Saber Tournament UNSANCTIONED
Oct 11, 2026 · Saratoga, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Oct 11, 2026
1 (1 nearly full · 0 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsanctioned Y12 Mixed Saber | — | 21 (88%) | 3 | 24 |
MFA Senior Women's Saturday Night Epee (Max 15)
Oct 17, 2026 · San Rafael, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Oct 17, 2026
1 (1 nearly full · 0 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Women's Epee | E1 | 12 (80%) | 3 | 15 |
PFA October Y12, SANCTIONED Senior & Unrated Senior - All foil mixed events
Oct 17, 2026 · Dublin, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Oct 15, 2026
1 (0 nearly full · 1 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Senior Mixed Foil | B2 | 35 (100%) | WL | 35 |
SoCal Scholastic Fencing League Individual Foil #1
Oct 18, 2026 · Studio City, CA · ASKFRED
Deadline: Oct 14, 2026
2 (2 nearly full · 0 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Unsanctioned Y14 (Middle School) Men's Foil | — | 40 (95%) | 2 | 42 |
| U19 Women's Foil | U | 31 (89%) | 4 | 35 |
AFM Super Regional RYC/RJCC/ROC Div1A/Div2/Vet
Oct 23, 2026 – Oct 25, 2026 · Santa Clara, CA · USAF
Deadline: Sep 30, 2026
42 (6 nearly full · 36 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Men’s Epee (CDTME) | A3 | 125 (100%) | WL | 125 |
| Cadet Men’s Foil (CDTMF) | A2 | 98 (100%) | WL | 98 |
| Cadet Men’s Saber (CDTMS) | A2 | 133 (100%) | WL | 133 |
| Cadet Women’s Foil (CDTWF) | B3 | 102 (100%) | WL | 102 |
| Cadet Women’s Saber (CDTWS) | A2 | 87 (100%) | WL | 87 |
| Division IA Men’s Epee (D1AME) | A4 | 126 (100%) | WL | 126 |
| Division IA Men’s Foil (D1AMF) | A4 | 70 (100%) | WL | 70 |
| Division IA Men’s Saber (D1AMS) | A2 | 84 (100%) | WL | 84 |
| Division IA Women’s Saber (D1AWS) | A2 | 62 (100%) | WL | 62 |
| Division II Men’s Epee (DV2ME) | B2 | 63 (100%) | WL | 63 |
| Division II Men’s Foil (DV2MF) | B2 | 61 (100%) | WL | 61 |
| Division II Men’s Saber (DV2MS) | B2 | 49 (100%) | WL | 49 |
| Division II Women’s Epee (DV2WE) | C2 | 55 (100%) | WL | 55 |
| Division II Women’s Foil (DV2WF) | C2 | 49 (100%) | WL | 49 |
| Division II Women’s Saber (DV2WS) | C2 | 45 (100%) | WL | 45 |
| Junior Men’s Epee (JNRME) | A4 | 136 (100%) | WL | 136 |
| Junior Men’s Foil (JNRMF) | A4 | 83 (100%) | WL | 83 |
| Junior Men’s Saber (JNRMS) | A2 | 100 (100%) | WL | 100 |
| Junior Women’s Foil (JNRWF) | A2 | 71 (100%) | WL | 71 |
| Junior Women’s Saber (JNRWS) | A4 | 88 (100%) | WL | 88 |
| Veteran Men’s Epee (VETME) | A2 | 48 (100%) | WL | 48 |
| Veteran Men’s Foil (VETMF) | A2 | 29 (100%) | WL | 29 |
| Youth 10 Men’s Foil (Y10MF) | Not Rated | 70 (100%) | WL | 70 |
| Youth 10 Men’s Saber (Y10MS) | Not Rated | 43 (100%) | WL | 43 |
| Youth 10 Women’s Foil (Y10WF) | Not Rated | 60 (100%) | WL | 60 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Epee (Y12ME) | Not Rated | 89 (100%) | WL | 89 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Foil (Y12MF) | C2 | 112 (100%) | WL | 112 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Saber (Y12MS) | Not Rated | 83 (100%) | WL | 83 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Foil (Y12WF) | Not Rated | 92 (100%) | WL | 92 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Saber (Y12WS) | C1 | 56 (100%) | WL | 56 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Epee (Y14ME) | B2 | 112 (100%) | WL | 112 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Foil (Y14MF) | B2 | 112 (100%) | WL | 112 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Saber (Y14MS) | C2 | 122 (100%) | WL | 122 |
| Youth 14 Women’s Epee (Y14WE) | A2 | 91 (100%) | WL | 91 |
| Youth 14 Women’s Foil (Y14WF) | B2 | 108 (100%) | WL | 108 |
| Youth 14 Women’s Saber (Y14WS) | A2 | 85 (100%) | WL | 85 |
| Division IA Women’s Foil (D1AWF) | A2 | 55 (98%) | 1 | 56 |
| Youth 8 Men’s Foil (Y8MF) | Not Rated | 27 (96%) | 1 | 28 |
| Junior Women’s Epee (JNRWE) | A4 | 81 (89%) | 10 | 91 |
| Veteran Men’s Saber (VETMS) | C1 | 18 (86%) | 3 | 21 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Epee (Y12WE) | Not Rated | 53 (84%) | 10 | 63 |
| Cadet Women’s Epee (CDTWE) | A2 | 74 (81%) | 17 | 91 |
3rd Annual BBFC RYC and Y8
Nov 7, 2026 – Nov 8, 2026 · Las Vegas, NV · USAF
Deadline: Oct 15, 2026
13 (5 nearly full · 8 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Youth 10 Men’s Foil (Y10MF) | Not Rated | 21 (100%) | WL | 21 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Epee (Y12ME) | Not Rated | 29 (100%) | WL | 29 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Foil (Y12MF) | Not Rated | 35 (100%) | WL | 35 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Saber (Y12MS) | Not Rated | 21 (100%) | WL | 21 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Epee (Y14ME) | Not Rated | 35 (100%) | WL | 35 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Foil (Y14MF) | Not Rated | 35 (100%) | WL | 35 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Saber (Y14MS) | Not Rated | 28 (100%) | WL | 28 |
| Youth 8 Men’s Foil (Y8MF) | Not Rated | 8 (100%) | WL | 8 |
| Youth 10 Men’s Epee (Y10ME) | Not Rated | 19 (90%) | 2 | 21 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Saber (Y12WS) | Not Rated | 18 (86%) | 3 | 21 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Foil (Y12WF) | Not Rated | 23 (85%) | 4 | 27 |
| Youth 10 Women’s Foil (Y10WF) | Not Rated | 17 (81%) | 4 | 21 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Epee (Y12WE) | Not Rated | 17 (81%) | 4 | 21 |
RYC/RJC of the Rockies
Nov 13, 2026 – Nov 15, 2026 · Denver, CO · USAF
Deadline: Nov 1, 2026
10 (4 nearly full · 6 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Junior Men’s Foil (JNRMF) | B1 | 21 (100%) | WL | 21 |
| Junior Women’s Foil (JNRWF) | C1 | 21 (100%) | WL | 21 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Epee (Y12ME) | Not Rated | 14 (100%) | WL | 14 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Foil (Y14MF) | Not Rated | 28 (100%) | WL | 28 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Saber (Y14MS) | Not Rated | 7 (100%) | WL | 7 |
| Youth 14 Women’s Saber (Y14WS) | Not Rated | 7 (100%) | WL | 7 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Epee (Y14ME) | Not Rated | 20 (95%) | 1 | 21 |
| Junior Men’s Epee (JNRME) | B2 | 25 (89%) | 3 | 28 |
| Youth 10 Men’s Saber (Y10MS) | Not Rated | 6 (86%) | 1 | 7 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Saber (Y12MS) | Not Rated | 12 (86%) | 2 | 14 |
Nick Itkin Cup SYC & Vet ROC
Dec 11, 2026 – Dec 13, 2026 · Palm Springs, CA · USAF
Deadline: Nov 16, 2026
12 (5 nearly full · 7 full / wait-list)
| Event | Rtg | Signed | Left | Cap |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadet Men’s Epee (CDTME) | B2 | 49 (100%) | WL | 49 |
| Cadet Men’s Foil (CDTMF) | A2 | 49 (100%) | WL | 49 |
| Cadet Men’s Saber (CDTMS) | B2 | 49 (100%) | WL | 49 |
| Cadet Women’s Foil (CDTWF) | B2 | 42 (100%) | WL | 42 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Foil (Y12MF) | C2 | 97 (100%) | WL | 97 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Epee (Y14ME) | B2 | 98 (100%) | WL | 98 |
| Youth 14 Men’s Foil (Y14MF) | B2 | 105 (100%) | WL | 105 |
| Youth 14 Women’s Foil (Y14WF) | B2 | 110 (98%) | 2 | 112 |
| Youth 10 Women’s Foil (Y10WF) | Not Rated | 51 (91%) | 5 | 56 |
| Youth 12 Men’s Epee (Y12ME) | Not Rated | 85 (87%) | 13 | 98 |
| Youth 12 Women’s Foil (Y12WF) | C2 | 91 (87%) | 14 | 105 |
| Youth 10 Men’s Foil (Y10MF) | Not Rated | 59 (84%) | 11 | 70 |