The old guard: Fencer is star of the show at veterans' tournament aged 92

Making a point: Dennis Willcock, 92, is a world champion fencer and recently competed at the British Veterans' Fencing Championships

When you reach your nineties, you might ask 'what's the point' in exercising?

With grandchildren - and even great-grandchildren - running about, even the simple thought of sport will probably leave you exhausted at that age.



Cocking a snoot to tradition, however, is Dennis Willcock, who at 92 is still feeling sharp and steely and has a point to prove.



Mr Willcock fenced foil, épée and sabre at the British Veterans' Fencing Championships held in Gloucester earlier this month - and defeated opponents decades younger than him.

He is Britain's oldest competitive fencer and the three-day championships in were open to all fencers over the age of 40 - but Mr Willock, from Tavistock, Devon, is in a club of one when it comes to the seniors.

Of its more than 500 members, there are 30 aged 70 to 79, and five in their 80s.

Malcolm Fare, spokesman for British Veterans Fencing said: 'Despite the inevitable loss of speed and strength as the years have passed, Dennis beat one man several decades younger in the sabre competition.'

And Mr Willcock, who has been fencing for 65 years, has no intention of giving up on the sport he loves.

He said: 'There's a strong social element to it, and it's also an ancient sport, with a romantic history to it, which I like.'

Still foiling his opponent: Willcock, from Tavistock, trains every week and cycles to keep fit

He first learned about fencing during the World War II, having been inspired by a Frenchman, Professor Henri Faubert, who was the maître d'armes at the École Spéciale Militaire de Saint-Cyr (a military academy) in Paris.

Professor Faubert fought with British forces against the advancing German army, and was evacuated with them from Dunkirk. 'Fencing was compulsory for French officers in those days,' Mr Willcock noted.

He met Professor Faubert while serving with the Birmingham Auxiliary Fire Service, and was enthralled by his stories of fencing.

Praise: Malcolm Fare of British Veterans Fencing is delighted that Dennis Willcock, 92, is still contesting

Mr Willcock continued fencing when he and his wife, Elsie, moved to Devon in 1967, where he lectured in engineering.

Joining Plymouth Fencing Club, he was proud to fence with such men as national coach Bob Anderson - who also played a part in movie history - choreographing the fight sequences for Darth Vader in the Star Wars films.

Mr Willcock can even claim a world title among his honours. He said: 'Veterans fight in age groups - 50-plus, 60-plus, 70-plus, but there was no 80-plus in 2006. I had to fight in the 70-plus - the chap I beat was 73 and I was 88 at the time!

'I formed a team of four and put our names forward for the world stage. But because there wasn't another team of four over 70, there was no-one to fight us, so I can claim to be British and world champion - by default.

'Now fencing is my lifeline.'

Star: Mr Willcock even helped choreograph Darth Vader's light sabre scenes in Star Wars

Widowed Dennis, who has fenced with Olympic medallists Kate Allenby and Heather Fell, still attends Plymouth Fencing Club every week - and enjoys cycling regularly to keep fit.

Mr Fare added: 'Generally, fencers keep going as long as their legs allow them to move up and down the piste.

'Several have had hip replacements and at least two have had double knee replacements to keep them mobile. Fencing is such a stimulating and satisfying sport that fencers will only stop when forced to.'

