Viking_Yearbook_78

In today's fen cing world there is a young man known to all who raise a sword in competition . This man is Mike Marx. Mike is the current national champion in foil fencing and a top contender for the 1980 Olympic Games. Presently seated in the top 15 in world competition , he is continually gaining points that will put him higher on the world compe– titive charts. Mike started fencing at the age of 12. His original inspira– tion came from his mother, who has won 10 consecutive state champion titles in fencing. Another aspect of family life that keeps his family inspiration at a peak is Mike'solder brother Bob. Although the two brothers fence each other, their styles are quite different. Mike is a foil fencer, which means he works with a limited scoring area, while Bob fences epee, which means he can score on almost any area. At the beginning of Mike's 1977 scholastic year he was rated No.1 in the nation for foil. As it stands now he is still in the lead with a total of 122.5 points and is virtually guaranteed a spot on the 1980 team. Mike is a 19-year-old in a sport dominated by 26-year- Upper photo: Mike prepares for class. Lower photo: Mike shows form that has won him national standing. 25