The storied stop of the indoor circuit in Nimes is back to capacity in 2023 – and that’s great news for the international 18-metre circuit. After years of restrictions due to the pandemic, more than 1000 archers are set to take to the shooting line at the Parc des Expos in southern France this weekend.
(That is, of course, if they manage to get there. Transport strikes this weekend in the country are causing disruption but organisers are trying to accommodate any unavoidable delays.)
For the first time ever, the youth finals in Nimes – now officially called the Sud de France Archery Tournament in homage to the importance of the event for local tourism – will award trophies for the whole indoor circuit. The under-21 winners will become the first Indoor Archery World Series Youth Champions.
Nimes has long been a rite of passage for aspiring archers in Europe – but this year’s event has attracted an unusually high number of entries from afar, including from Colombia, Brazil and Mexico.
Might it have something to do with the fact that indoor events now offer world ranking points? And that, in just over a year’s time, those ranking points might just prove crucial for someone looking to qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games? Probably.
