Have you ever wondered what are the most popular archery competitions around the globe?
I believe that our competitive nature is the reason why we have been able to evolve as a species without a doubt. If we didn’t feel the need to compete, we would never upgrade the inventions that others have created. We would never try to run fast, jump higher, think bigger, etc. Imagine a world without competition and you will see a world without evolution.
My personal experience that made me competitive
I have to say that it came naturally for me to transition to competitive archery. I remember that starting out, I met a kid who was also into archery, and we would get together and target practice all day. He was doing better at first and this pushed me to try harder and practice more often. That right there is the clearest sign of the competitive drive that most people experience at some point.
A few weeks later he would come over and I would do better. For him, it wasn’t a big deal to beat me and that showed me that I was more of a competitive archer than he was. He loved archery just for his personal growth, but he never felt interested in competing. To this day, he still practices too, so it has worked out for both of us for different reasons. I’m not saying that my friend’s lack of competitive enthusiasm means he is not contributing to archery. He contributes because he also shares his knowledge and his love for the art of archery.
Enjoy as much as possible
To this day, I still remember this because it also shows me that it doesn’t matter if you are passionate about archery for fun or for competition. What matters is that you enjoy it as much as possible. If you don’t want to compete against others and you don’t like that pressure, that is fine. If you like competition, you will love the idea of being able to enter tournaments. This will give you the chance to test your skills against the very best.
This was the biggest inspiration for me when I decided to write this article. I have been to some local tournaments and I have attended some tournaments overseas. But mainly to be another spectator in major archery competitions. This has been a great way for me to learn more about very specific techniques. It has also led to interesting conversations with many archers worldwide.
Professional Archery Competitions
There are hundreds of small archery competitions all over the world, but the first thing we are going to do is focus on large events. Events attract the largest number of skilled archers. Archers that want to see what kind of talent is out there, but most importantly, how good they are in comparison. This is the most basic nature of competitive archery.
The Olympics
While this article is not going to focus on the Olympics, it’s important to note that this is an extremely important event that takes place every 4 years.
The bow division for Olympic archery is recurved. The maximum target distance at the Olympics is 70 meters. Millions of people watch this event on television. This means that archers are more likely to be sponsored thanks to the exposure they get from the Olympic Games.
The Paralympics
The rules for the Paralympics are very similar, but there are several bow divisions accepted. They have open recurve, open compound and W1 in both recurve and compound divisions. It’s also held every 4 years. The Max Target distance is also 70 meters.
It’s important to note that the Olympic archery has limitations in terms of how many payers are allowed. Due to the rigorous requirements to be an Olympic athlete, there are many skilled archers that don’t participate.
World Outdoor Archery Competitions
If you are looking to find the largest number of archers from every corner of the globe, you are going to find that the world Archery Championships are ideal. The most popular of these events is the outdoor championship. Most archers see it as the highest quality archery in a setting that requires that archers consider the wind.
You will find categories for bow divisions and this means there will be a championship for a recurve bow and for a compound bow. There are evaluations of distance and target size. The outdoor recurve distance is a maximum of 70 meters and the compound distance is of 50 meters. Most archers believe that this is the tournament that everyone should attend when they really want to test their skills. After all, you get to compete against the world’s greatest archers.
World Indoor Archery Competitions
While the outdoors championships seem to draw a bigger crow of purists, there are also many who love the indoors championship. Some people feel that this provides an optimal setting for accuracy. The distance for the indoor competition is 18 meters. This is also a very good tournament to test your skills in a different setting.
The world Youth Archery Competitions
This is an ideal event for young archers who are 17 or younger. The rules and target size for this championship are the same as those for adults. There is a junior recurve division with a maximum of 70 meters. Then you have the cadet recurve at 60 meters and the junior compound at 50 meters.
The World 3D Archery Compatitions
This is probably my favorite kind of tournament and I believe it gives archers the change to prove their accuracy at entirely new levels. This is very similar to field archery (hunting) but the difference is that these animals are not real. This gives the archers the chance to try out their skills in a tournament that emulates realistic target situations.
World Para Competitions
The World Archery Para Championships are also held every 2 years and you will see V1, V2 and V3 categories that are added for athletes that require verbal assistance due to vision impairment. This is a great thing because it really gives the chance to people with disabilities to display and test their skills.
Popular spots for archery tournaments
Panathenaic Stadium – Athens, Greece
I had to post this for my first pick because this is was the home of the very first modern Olympic Games in 1896. No other setting in this world could be more fitting for Archery tournaments. Back in 2004, the Olympic archery games took place in this stadium and many archers want to be able to try their skills in this old stadium that is entirely made of marble.
Lords Cricket Ground – London, England
This is a location that seems ideal for archery due to the proper setup bleachers. The 2012 Olympic Archery Games took place here in 2012. This allows the audience to get an optimal view of the archers taking their shots. The beautiful green grass in this cricket venue is a sigh to see without a doubt.
Hibiya Park – Tokyo, Japan
This was the home of The World Cup Finals for Outdoors Archery in 2012. This is a truly ideal place for this sort of activity. Gorgeous trees surround you, and the Imperial Palace is very near for those who want some historical sightseeing after the tournament.
Konyyalti Beach – Antalya, Turkey
Very few places have been the home of World Cups and Tournaments as many times as this Beach. Gorgeous views of the ocean, a great Mediterranean destination, and a welcoming location are just a few of the reasons why this is an excellent place for archers to meet and compete. A tournament during the day and fun times at the beach at night.
The Trocadero Esplanade – Paris, France
There are quite a few reasons why France is a great place for archery and one of the top countries for archery. But we are going to focus on the visual aspect of the Trocadero Esplanade, which allows for a great view of the Eiffel Tower. This is a spot that is both for tournament lovers and for people who want to get to know one of the most iconic tourist destinations in the world.
The Annual Vegas Shoot – Las Vegas, Nevada
If there is one place in the United States of America that is ideal for archers to travel to, it has to be the Annual Vegas Shoot in Las Vegas. Being that this is a yearly event it has become a favorite for many archers who want to visit the famous city and attend a great tournament.
Final thoughts
It doesn’t really matter what kind of tournament you choose to join. If you decide to attend as a fan and not as a competitor. The important thing is that you get something out of the experience. I have been able to travel to quite a few tournaments and they have all been unforgettable. I encourage all archers to attend as many tournaments as they can. There is truly no better way to improve than to meet other archers and watch them shoot.
To conclude, I would advise that people learn to compete without pushing themselves too hard. Learn to lose when you compete and you will learn the skills that will help you get the wins.