From Friday January 16 to Sunday January 18, 1,360 archers are competing in Nîmes for the Indoor World Series.
On Thursday, the first of… 1,360 archers expected, from Friday to Sunday, in the Gard city arrived in Nîmes. From Estanque to Parnasse, via the Exhibition Center, the grand barnum of World Archery is setting up its tent for the Indoor World Series (5th round of the World Cup).
The second largest indoor tournament in the world
”This is proof that it doesn’t have to be bad because more and more of them want to comesums up, not a little proud, Olivier Grillat, the sports director of the Arc Club Nîmes, organizer of the event. We are the second largest indoor tournament in the world behind Las Vegas. In Vegas, the budget for the event is $2,900,000. In Nîmes, it’s €500,000. But, hey, we’re in Nîmes, not Las Vegas.”
World number 1 Ellison defends his title
Whatever. On the archery world map, the City of Antonins has long featured prominently on the international calendar, a guaranteed napkin ring at the table of the greats. ”The best must really have obligations not to comecontinues Grillat. Except for the Koreans, who are in the selection, everyone is there.” Starting with the world number 1 and defending champion in recurve arch, the American Brady Ellison.
The Nîmes as contenders
If the US archer leaves with a head start on the competition, a pack of suitors is launched after him. Including… people from Nîmes. At home, Jean-Charles Valladont will try to do better than in Taipei (4th round), at the beginning of December 2025, where he was beaten… in the final, 10 to 9 in the shoot-off arrow by the Taiwanese Yu-Yang Su.
In Asia, moreover, there was Nîmes almost everywhere on the podium. Baptise Addis finished in bronze while Victoria Sebastian took gold. Repeat at home?
On your bow…
THE PROGRAM – Friday and Saturday, from 9 a.m., qualifications; Saturday afternoon, elimination phases; Sunday from 9 a.m., finals and classification matches. Prices: on sale at the Parnasse reception for all three days (finals included), €10 for adults, €5 for under-16s. Refreshment bar and catering on site.
