The men's épée was one of four fencing events on the Fencing at the 1908 Summer Olympics programme. The competition was held from 17 to 24 July 1908 at the Franco-British Exhibition fencing grounds. There were 85 competitors from 13 nations. Each nation could enter up to 12 fencers.Official Report, p.34. The medals were swept by the French fencers, who also took the gold medal in the team épée event. Gaston Alibert was the gold medalist, with Alexandre Lippmann taking silver and Eugene Olivier bronze. Officially, it was the second consecutive medal sweep in the event, though two of the three "Cuban" fencers who medaled in 1904 were actually American.
Background
This was the third appearance of the event, which was not held at the first Games in 1896 (with only foil and sabre events held) but has been held at every Summer Olympics since 1900.
None of the five fencers from 1904 returned.
Bohemia, Canada, Denmark, Hungary, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa, and Sweden each made their debut in the event. Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain, and Italy each appeared for the second time, matching Cuba and the United States (both absent for the first time) for most among nations.
Competition format
The competition was held over four rounds. In each round, each pool held a round-robin, with bouts to 1 touch. Double-touches counted as touches against both fencers. Barrages were used as necessary to determine the advancing fencers. First round: 13 pools of between 5 and 8 fencers each. The 3 fencers in each pool with the fewest touches against advanced to the second round. Second round: 8 pools of 5 fencers each (except one had only 4). The 2 fencers in each pool with the fewest touches against advanced to the semifinals. Semifinals: 2 pools of 8 fencers each. The 4 fencers in each pool with the fewest touches against advanced to the final. Final: 1 pool of 8 fencers.
Schedule
Date Time Round Friday, 17 July 1908 Round 1 pools A–H Saturday, 18 July 1908 10:3014:30 Round 1 pools I–LRound 1 pool M Monday, 20 July 1908 10:3017:15 Quarterfinals 1–4Quarterfinals 5–8 Thursday, 23 July 1908 10:3016:00 Semifinal 1Semifinal 2 Friday, 24 July 1908 14:45 Final
Results
First round
The first round was conducted in round-robin format, to one touch. Pool sizes ranged from 5 to 8 fencers. Double-touches counted against both fencers. The three contestants who had been struck the fewest times advanced.
Pool A
Fildes and von Rosen had a double-touch, as did Stöhr and Fildes.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Lauritz Østrup 5 1 2 Bernard Gravier 4 2 Jaroslav Šourek-Tucek 4 2 4 Eric Carlberg 3 3 5 Pontus von Rosen 2 4The Official Report lists von Rosen's hits against as "3", but shows him being hit by Carlberg, Gravier, and Østrup as well as scoring a double-touch against Fildes for a total of 4 hits against. 6 Georg Stöhr 1 5 7 Luke Fildes 0 6
Pool B
Double-touches were between Gates and van Schreven, Jack and Gates, and Collignon and van Schreven.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Vlastimil Lada-Sázavský 5 1 2 Charles Collignon 4 2 3 Pietro Speciale 3 3 4 Herbert Sander 2 4 Johan van Schreven 2 4 6 Walter Gates 1 5 Fritz Jack 1 5
Pool C
Blake and Dwinger had the only double-touch in this six-man pool.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Jacques Marais 5 0 2 Ejnar Levison 3 2 Gaston Renard 3 2 4 Johannes Adam 1 4 John Blake 1 4 Max Dwinger 1 4
Pool D
The fourth pool had 8 fencers. Berger was clearly the best of the crowd, going untouched in his seven bouts. When five different fencers tied for second place at 4 touches against apiece, a playoff round-robin was held. The first playoff eliminated only one fencer, with the remaining four again tying and forcing a second playoff. That round resulted in Holt and Tvrzský tying at 1 touch apiece, eliminating the other two fencers.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Henri-Georges Berger 7 0 2 Otto Becker 3 4 Hans Bergsland 3 4 Dino Diana 3 4 Martin Holt 3 4 Vilém Tvrzský 3 4 7 Albert Sarens 1 6 George van Rossem 1 6
Barrage
Bergsland was hit three times, finishing sixth overall in the pool while the other four fencers in the playoff each received two hits to advance to a second playoff.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Otto Becker 2 2 Dino Diana 2 2 Martin Holt 2 2 Vilém Tvrzský 2 2 6 Hans Bergsland 1 3
Second barrage
Holt and Tvrzský tied for an overall second-place finish in the pool with one touch against apiece (Tvrzský won the bout between the two, but was himself hit by Diana). Becker and Diana placed fourth.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Martin Holt 2 1 Vilém Tvrzský 2 1 4 Otto Becker 1 2 Dino Diana 1 2
Pool E
The fifth pool also included 8 fencers, but did not require a playoff. The only touch against Alibert came in a double-touch with van Löben Sels.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Gaston Alibert 6 1 2 Fernand de Montigny 4 3 Ivan Osiier 4 3 4 Percival Davson 3 4 Sante Ceccherini 3 4 6 Otakar Lada 2 5 7 Robert Krünert 1 6 Maurits Jacob van Löben Sels 1 6
Pool F
The sixth competition pool was smaller, with only 6 fencers.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 François Rom 4 1 2 Giulio Cagiati 3 2 Sydney Martineau 3 2 4 Henry Peyron 2 3 5 Albert Naumann 1 4 Bedřich Schejbal 1 4
Pool G
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Leaf Daniell 5 1 2 Vilém Goppold von Lobsdorf 4 2 3 Fernand Bosmans 3 3 Frédéric Dubourdieu 3 3 Emil Schön 3 3 6 Dezső Földes 1 5 7 Willem Hubert van Blijenburgh 0 6
Barrage
The Official Report says only that Bosmans defeated Dubourdieu and Schön in the playoff, without giving further detail.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 3 Fernand Bosmans 2 0 4 Frédéric Dubourdieu 0 1 Emil Schön 0 1
Pool H
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Alfred Labouchere 5 1 2 Paul Anspach 4 2 3 Ralph Chalmers 3 3 Jacques Rodocanachi 3 3 5 Jacob Erkrath de Bary 2 4 Alessandro Pirzio Biroli 2 4 7 František Dušek 0 6
Barrage
The single bout between Rodocanachi and Chalmers to break the tie for third resulted in a win for the Frenchman.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 3 Jacques Rodocanachi 1 0 4 Ralph Chalmers 0 1
Pool I
The ninth pool was the first of the second day of competition, 18 July.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Robert Montgomerie 5 1 2 Gustaf Lindblom 3 3 Giuseppe Mangiarotti 3 3 Robert Quennessen 3 3 5 Frantz Jørgensen 2 4 6 Percy Nobbs 0 6 August Petri 0 6
Barrage
Mangiarotti was defeated in the three-way playoff for the two remaining advancement spots.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Gustaf Lindblom 1 0 Robert Quennessen 1 0 4 Giuseppe Mangiarotti 0 2
Pool J
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Edgar Amphlett 4 1 Jetze Doorman 4 1 3 Eugène Olivier 3 2 4 Zulavszky Béla 1 4 Ernst Moldenhauer 1 4 Pietro Sarzano 1 4
Pool K
The eleventh pool was the smallest, with only 5 fencers.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Marcelo Bertinetti 3 1 2 Cecil Haig 2 2 Pierre le Blon 2 2 Simon Okker 2 2 5 Georg Branting 0 4
Barrage
In the playoff for the second and third spots, le Blon and Haig advanced. Okker was eliminated.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Pierre le Blon 1 0 Cecil Haig 1 0 4 Simon Okker 0 2
Pool L
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Alexandre Lippmann 4 1 François Stuyck 4 1 3 Riccardo Nowak 3 2 4 Birger Cnattingius 1 4 Edgar Seligman 1 4 6 Gösta Olson 0 5
Pool M
The final pool also had only 5 fencers.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Jean Stern 3 1 2 Henri Davids 2 2 Marcel van Langenhove 2 2 4 Julius Lichtenfels 1 3 Tóth Péter 1 3
Quarterfinals
Seven of the eight second round pools had 5 fencers, with the eighth having only 4. 2 advanced to the semifinals from each pool.
Quarterfinal 1
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Pierre le Blon 3 1 2 Jetze Doorman 2 2 Jean Stern 2 2 4 François Stuyck 1 3 5 Ejnar Levison 0 4
Barrage
Doorman again lost to Stern in the playoff bout.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Jean Stern 1 0 3 Jetze Doorman 0 1
Quarterfinal 2
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Lauritz Østrup 3 1 2 Ivan Osiier 2 2 Gaston Renard 2 2 Jacques Rodocanachi 2 2 5 Edgar Amphlett 1 3
Barrage
Renard won the playoff pool, with no further details given in the Official Report.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Gaston Renard 2 0 3 Ivan Osiier 0 1 Jacques Rodocanachi 0 1
Quarterfinal 3
Alibert continued on his perfect streak, winning four more bouts untouched.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Gaston Alibert 4 0 2 Henri-Georges Berger 2 2 Vilém Goppold von Lobsdorf 2 2 4 Pietro Speciale 1 3 5 Henri Davids 0 4
Barrage
Berger won the playoff, defeating von Lobsdorf again.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Henri-Georges Berger 1 0 3 Vilém Goppold von Lobsdorf 0 1
Quarterfinal 4
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Martin Holt 3 1 2 Bernard Gravier 2 2 Robert Montgomerie 2 2 Vilém Tvrzský 2 2 5 Jacques Marais 1 3
Barrage
Montgomerie won against Gravier and Tvrzský in the three-way playoff for the second semifinal spot.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Robert Montgomerie 2 0 3 Bernard Gravier 0 1 Vilém Tvrzský 0 1
Quarterfinal 5
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Gustaf Lindblom 3 1 Alexandre Lippmann 3 1 3 Leaf Daniell 2 2 4 Marcelo Bertinetti 1 3 5 Vlastimil Lada-Sázavský 0 4
Quarterfinal 6
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 François Rom 3 1 2 Fernand Bosmans 2 2 3 Charles Colignon 1 3 Marcel van Langenhove 1 3 Riccardo Nowak 1 3
Quarterfinal 7
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Paul Anspach 3 1 2 Alfred Labouchere 2 2 Sydney Martineau 2 2 Fernand de Montigny 2 2 5 Jaroslav Šourek-Tucek 1 3
Barrage
Labouchere won the three-way playoff for second place and a semifinal spot.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 2 Alfred Labouchere 2 0 3 Sydney Martineau 0 1 Fernand de Montigny 0 1
Quarterfinal 8
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Cecil Haig 2 1 Eugène Olivier 2 1 3 Giulio Cagiati 1 2 Robert Quennessen 1 2
Semifinals
There were two semifinals, each of 8 fencers. The top 4 in each advanced to the final.
Semifinal 1
Alibert was hit twice, both in double-touches.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Gaston Alibert 5 2 2 Cecil Haig 4 3 Alfred Labouchere 4 3 4 Robert Montgomerie 3 4 5 Henri-Georges Berger 2 5 Gaston Renard 2 5 François Rom 2 5 8 Fernand Bosmans 0 7
Semifinal 2
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 1 Paul Anspach 5 2 2 Martin Holt 4 3 3 Alexandre Lippmann 3 4 Eugène Olivier 3 4 Jean Stern 3 4 6 Gustaf Lindblom 2 5 Lauritz Østrup 2 5 8 Pierre le Blon 1 6
Barrage
Rank Fencer Nation Notes 3 Alexandre Lippmann 2 0 4 Eugène Olivier 1 1 5 Jean Stern 0 2
Final
The final resulted in Alibert taking the championship after again hitting all opponents, though he suffered another pair of double-touches. There was a three-way tie for second place between two Frenchman and Montgomerie of the British team.
Rank Fencer Nation Notes Gaston Alibert 5 2 2 Alexandre Lippmann 4 3 Robert Montgomerie 4 3 Eugène Olivier 4 3 5 Paul Anspach 2 5 Cecil Haig 2 5 Alfred Labouchere 2 5 8 Martin Holt 1 6
Barrage
The playoff pool for second and third resulted in wins for the two French fencers, completing France's medal sweep in the event.
Rank Fencer Nation Alexandre Lippmann 2 0 Eugène Olivier 1 1 4 Robert Montgomerie 0 2
Results summary