Since the 16th centurye century, Saint Sebastian, patron saint of archers, is celebrated in January in archer companies. This was the case on Sunday January 25 within the 1era Compagnie d’Arc d’Eclaron led by Jacky Soudant, president and captain of the company. The day began with the presentation of distinctions to the archers according to their year of seniority within the company. During this ceremony, the high point of this day, the archers agree to respect the traditional rules of the company, rules of decorum which can be summed up by the motto “Honor and courtesy”. Then, the whole group visited the grave of Pierre Levaux, creator of the company in 1962, before attending the religious service at the Saint-Laurent church in Eclaron. Back at the Jardin d’Arc, the members of the company shared a meal in the club house in a very friendly spirit. Finally, at the end of the meal, a shooting game was organized to end a very enjoyable day.
San Sebastian: Archery Festival & City Guide
by Aiko Tanaka
Aiko Tanaka is a combat sports journalist and general sports reporter at Archysport. A former competitive judoka who represented Japan at the Asian Games, Aiko brings firsthand athletic experience to her coverage of judo, martial arts, and Olympic sports. Beyond combat sports, Aiko covers breaking sports news, major international events, and the stories that cut across disciplines — from doping scandals to governance issues to the business side of global sport. She is passionate about elevating the profile of underrepresented sports and athletes.