Lightsaber dueling is now an official sport in France

May the Force be with you.
 By 
Keith Wagstaff
 on 
Lightsaber dueling is now an official sport in France
A lightsaber battle in Beaumont-sur-Oise, north of Paris. Credit: Christophe Ena/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Good news, Jedi.

France's fencing federation has recognized lightsaber dueling as a competitive sport, the Associated Press reports.

Now you can channel your inner Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, or Qui-Gon Jinn (lol just kidding) with a French Fencing Federation judge watching you.

Here's how it works:

Two fighters enter a circle marked in tape, much like the Jedi of old. Hit the head or body and you get five points. Smack a leg or arm and you get three points; hitting a hand is worth only one point. First one to 15 wins, or whoever has the highest score after 3 minutes.

Unlike fencing, you've got to bring the lightsaber behind you before every blow. That way, the audience gets to enjoy big, dramatic swings instead of little flicks of the wrist like in fencing.

Remember, though, if you strike your opponent down, they will become more powerful than you can possibly imagine. Or get a ride home from their mom.

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Baazzuuuuhhhzzzzz, wwwwwwhhhooooooom. Credit: Christophe Ena/AP/REX/Shutterstock

Sadly, you can't simply use the power of your imagination to compete.

You'll have to fight with a polycarbonate lightsaber replica lit by LEDs, and wear appropriate protective gear. Philippe Bondi, a 49-year-old police officer who decided to start lightsaber dueling after 20 years of fencing, told the AP he spent around $400 on his lightsaber and body armor. Guess becoming a Jedi isn't cheap.

Topics Star Wars

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Keith Wagstaff

Keith Wagstaff is an assistant editor at Mashable and a terrible Settlers of Catan player. He has written for TIME, The Wall Street Journal Magazine, NBC News, The Village Voice, VICE, GQ and New York Magazine, among many other reputable and not-so-reputable publications. After nearly a decade in New York City, he now lives in his native Los Angeles.

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