Pack your suitcase! Duncan Busby takes us through some of the best international outdoor competitions to jet off to in 2018
Looking to go further afield with your archery? Why not kill two bird with one stone and attend a tournament while on holiday abroad?
Do you dream of competing on an international stage alongside the best in the world? Many people arrange holidays around an archery trip, too, so you can combine a tournament with some time relaxing!
Archery brings people from every nation and ability together, so don’t be afraid to try somewhere new – you never know where it will take you. If going abroad is a little too daunting, check out the best UK tournaments this summer to compete on home turf.
But, if you are looking to compete a little further afield there are tournaments across Europe which are easy to travel to and offer a wealth of archery experience. There are several world ranking target events you can attend in the USA, too.
World Archery European Grand Prix
This year’s World Archery European Grand Prix will take place in Bulgaria
If you are serious about your target competitions, then why not make the trip out to Sofia, Bulgaria, where World Archery are hosting their annual Grand Prix event between the 31st July and 4th August.
This event was previously restricted to national team members but entries are now open to all compound and recurve archers, making this a great opportunity for you to shoot alongside some of the best archers Europe has to offer.
As a world ranking event you’ll be able to collect points, depending on your finishing position, towards a place on the prestigious world ranking list, so don’t be surprised if you see some well-known names on the shooting line.
The competition consists of a WA 720 ranking round followed by head to head matches, cash prizes and medals are awarded to the top three archers from each discipline. This is a great opportunity to experience an international competition from the opening ceremony to the closing party, so if you’ve ever wondered what shooting at a World Cup event was like now’s your chance. The total prize fund for the event is 8000 euros.
Event Date:
Sofia, Bulgaria – 31st July – 4th August 2018
Entry fee: €130 plus travel and accommodation
For more information go to www.archeryeurope.org
Easton Foundations Gator Cup
Aim high – for sun and blue skies in Florida!
You may be just in time to make The Gator Cup, which takes place between the 11th and 13th May at the Easton Newberry sports complex in Newberry, Florida. The shoot follows the standard World Archery format of a 720 ranking round followed by a head-to-head elimination and is open to compound and recurve archers, in the usual senior junior and cadet categories. As well as being a great opportunity to pick up world ranking points the Gator cup is also the second leg of the US team trials, so you’ll be sure to see all the top American archers there shooting it out for a space on their national team.
What better opportunity to shoot against some of the best archers in
the world?
Event Date:
Newberry, Florida – 11th – 13th May 2018
Entry fee: $180 plus travel and accommodation
USA Archery Membership: $15
For more information go to www.gatorcup.com
Easton Foundations SoCal Showdown
Check out all the sites in Californ-i-a and participate in the Easton Foundations SoCal Showdown, while you’re at it!
If Florida doesn’t excite you then how about California. The SoCal Showdown is the third leg of the USA team selection but is open to all compound and recurve archers. The event takes place at the Chula Vista Elite Athlete Training Centre in Chula Vista between the 15th and 17th June and runs to the same 720 head to head format as the Gator Cup. There’s world ranking points up for grabs as well as a bit of prize money, so it’s definitely worth the trip, you could even check out the sights of San Diego while you are there.
Event Date:
Chula Vista, California – 15th – 17th June 2018
Entry Fee: $175 plus travel and accommodation
For more information go to www.socalshowdown.org
The full tournament schedule will be available soon with details on registration. Go to www.eastonarcherycentercv.org/tournaments/socal for more information.
This article originally appeared in the issue 124 of Bow International magazine. For more great content like this, subscribe today at our secure online store www.myfavouritemagazines.co.uk