Wikipedia

Michel Alaux

Maitre Michel Alaux (1924 – December 30, 1974) was a French-American fencing master who co-coached the United States Olympic fencing teams in 1964, 1968, and 1972.[1] Internationally recognized for his achievements in the sport and a regular contributor to fencing publications,[2] he has been credited with developing a holistic approach to fencing that helped to bridge the gap between classical schools and the modern Olympic fencing style as it is known today.[3]

Biography edit

Early life and career edit

Michel Alaux graduated from the military college, Fort Carré d'Antibes,[2][4][5] in 1947 and established himself in his club, L'Association Jean Louis in Montpellier, France. There, he trained a number of foil and épée champions,[6] the most well-known being Christian D'Oriola,[7] named Fencer of the 20th Century by the FIE, International Fencing Federation.[8]

At the 1952 Helsinki Olympics, Christian d'Oriola won two Gold medals for individual and team foil, winning all ten bouts in the team events.[2] The French national press, Le Monde and Le Figaro, congratulated Maitre Alaux.[9][10]

Michel Alaux was awarded two Medals of Honor[11] by the French Government's Ministry of Sports in recognition of his contribution to fencing: Bronze, in 1949, for the World Championships, followed by Gold, in 1952, for the Helsinki Olympics.[2][12]

Career in the United States edit

In 1956, Michel Alaux was invited to the US by the NY Fencers Club. He served three times as US Fencing Olympic coach: 1964 Summer Olympics, Tokyo; 1968 Summer Olympics, Mexico City; 1972 Summer Olympics, Munich; and several times US Nationals, Pan American, and World Championship coach.[13] He remained head fencing master[12] of the NY Fencers Club[14] until his death in 1974, at the age of fifty.

In the course of his US fencing career, Michel Alaux played a key role in developing American fencing official standards and professional requirements.[3] He chaired the 1962–63 U.S. Committee which developed A Text for Defining Fencing Terms.[2] He chaired and directed the committee which devised the official examination for the first professional diploma of Fencing Master in the US (1965).[15]

Seen as a glamorous figure by the media,[16] he served as a fencing consultant to TV, newspapers & magazines.[2]

For his contributions to sports education and culture, he was inducted into l'Ordre des Palmes Académiques in 1962.

Career as an author edit

He was a contributor to US, UK, and French fencing journals.[17] He is the author of Modern Fencing (Charles Scribner's Sons New York. 1975. ISBN 0684141167).

Legacy edit

Following his death in 1974, twelve annual US Grand Open competitions (1975–1987) were named after him: The Michel Alaux Grand Open was a three-day international event "considered essentially the same as the Nationals".[18] He was inducted into the US Fencing Hall of Fame in 2006.[19]

Footnotes and references edit

  1. ^ "Michel Alaux, 51, Coached Olympic Fencers for U.S." The New York Times. 31 December 1974. Page 24, column 5. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 6 April 2024. Michel Alaux, coach of the New York Fencers Club and co-coach of the United States Olympic fencing teams in 1964, 1968 and 1972, died of cancer yesterday in Long Island Jewish Hospital.
  2. ^ a b c d e f "Biography". Michel Alaux, Fencing Master. Archived from the original on 15 March 2011.
  3. ^ a b Gradkowski, Richard (March–April 1975). "Michel Alaux". American Fencing. 26 (4).
  4. ^ "Gallery". Michel Alaux, Fencing Master. Archived from the original on 5 October 2008.
  5. ^ Mercier, Alain (April 2002). "Fencing, A Perennial French Specialty". Label France/ Magazine (46). French Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
  6. ^ In addition to Christian d'Oriola, Michel Alaux trained French champions Rene Bougnol, Francois Romieu, Baudoux, Rigal, Raoul Marques at his salle, L'Association Jean Louis.
  7. ^ Fédération Française d'Escrime, "D'Oriola". COMMUNIQUE DE PRESSE, 30 October 2007
  8. ^ "Highlights of the Week: Week of 29 October 2007". Olympic.org – Official website of the Olympic Movement. 2007.
  9. ^ Rommel, Adrien (2 August 1952). "L'Escrime A Helsinki". Le Monde (in French). France.
  10. ^ Bontemps, Louis (3 September 1952). "Apres Les Succes de d'Oriola aux Jeux, Rendons a Cesar...". Le Figaro (in French). France.
  11. ^ "La Médaille de la Jeunesse et des Sports". le Comité Départemental de Seine et Marne de la Fédération Française des Médaillés de la Jeunesse et des Sports (in French).
  12. ^ a b Blanc, Eugene (March–April 1975). "Michel Alaux". American Fencing. 26 (4).
  13. ^ Blanc, Eugene (1975). "Preface". Modern Fencing. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons. ISBN 0684141167.
  14. ^ His notable students at the NY Fencers Club (1956–1974) included Neal Cohen, Herbert Cohen, Jeffrey Checkes, James Melcher, John Nonna, Ruth White.
  15. ^ "Alaux, Michel". US Fencing Association Hall of Fame.[permanent dead link]
  16. ^ Wallace, Kevin (March 1958). "Onward and Upward with the Arts. Salle D'Armes". The New Yorker.
  17. ^ Michel Alaux‘s articles (1948 to 1974) were published in Le Bulletin des Maitres d'Armes; L'Equipe; L'Escrime Francaise; The Fencing Master (UK); American Fencing; The Swordmaster. He served as consultant for the "Encyclopedia Americana" and other source materials.
  18. ^ Pitt, David E. (12 January 1987). "Fencing Taking Big Steps". The New York Times. Retrieved 18 November 2007.
  19. ^ Shaw, Andy. US Fencing Historian, US Fencing Hall of Fame, 2006.

External links edit

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