The Federazione Italiana Tiro con l’Arco (FITARCO) has officially confirmed the dates and competition structure for the 53rd edition of the Italian Indoor Archery Championships, set to take place in February 2025. The event will bring together Italy’s top recurve and compound archers across multiple age and skill divisions for a weekend of precision shooting at the PalaEvangelisti in Perugia, Umbria.
According to FITARCO’s official competition calendar released in November 2024, the championships will run from Saturday, February 15 to Sunday, February 16, 2025. Daily sessions are scheduled to begin at 9:00 AM local time (CET, UTC+1), with finals expected to conclude each day by 6:00 PM. The venue, PalaEvangelisti, has hosted national indoor archery events regularly over the past decade and is recognized for its consistent lighting, ventilation, and target lane specifications that meet World Archery indoor standards.
This year’s championship continues the tradition of featuring both individual and team events across senior, junior, cadet, and master categories. Athletes will compete in qualification rounds followed by head-to-head matchplay using the World Archery-approved set system for recurve and cumulative scoring for compound disciplines. A total of 12 medal events are scheduled over the two days, with team competitions introduced on Sunday afternoon following the conclusion of individual semifinals.
Entry to the championships is open to archers affiliated with FITARCO-affiliated clubs who have met minimum qualification scores during the 2024–2025 indoor season. According to FITARCO’s technical regulations, senior recurve archers must achieve a minimum of 550 points in a recognized 18-meter indoor round (60 arrows) to qualify, while compound archers must reach 570 points. Junior and cadet categories have adjusted thresholds based on age and equipment class, as outlined in the federation’s 2024–2025 sporting code.
Defending champions from the 2024 edition, held in Verona, include senior recurve titleholder Mauro Nespoli of the Arcieri Città di Castello and compound champion Irene Franchini of Arcieri del Torre. Both athletes have indicated their intention to defend their titles, though final entry lists will not be published until the close of registration on January 31, 2025. Nespoli, a multiple-time Olympian and World Cup medalist, recently spoke about the importance of domestic indoor competition in maintaining form during the outdoor off-season in an interview with FITARCO’s official website.
The 2025 championships will also serve as a key selection opportunity for athletes aiming to represent Italy at upcoming international indoor events, including the 2025 World Archery Indoor Championships scheduled for later in the year. While the indoor world championships are typically held biennially and were last contested in 2023, FITARCO has confirmed that performance at the national indoor championships will weigh heavily in consideration for any future international team invitations, particularly for emerging athletes in junior and cadet categories.
Competition format details have been standardized in line with World Archery rules. Qualification rounds will consist of 60 arrows shot at 18 meters, with a maximum possible score of 600. The top 16 archers in each individual division will advance to elimination brackets, where recurve competitors shoot sets of three arrows (best of five sets wins) and compound archers accumulate scores over 15-arrow ends (five ends of three arrows). In the event of a tie after five sets or 15 arrows, a single-arrow shoot-off will determine the winner, with proximity to the center deciding the outcome.
Team events will feature squads of three archers from the same club or regional delegation, competing in a 24-arrow match (four ends of six arrows) with total score determining the winner. Mixed-gender teams are permitted in certain age categories, though senior team events remain single-gender per FITARCO regulations. The PalaEvangelisti venue contains 20 shooting lanes, allowing for efficient rotation during qualification and simultaneous matchplay on adjacent targets during elimination rounds.
Spectator access to the championships is free and open to the public, with seating arranged along both sides of the shooting hall. FITARCO has confirmed that live streaming of semifinal and final rounds will be available via its official YouTube channel and Facebook page, with commentary in Italian. No geo-restrictions are planned for the stream, allowing international audiences to follow the event in real time. Results and final rankings will be published on FITARCO’s competition portal within 24 hours of each day’s conclusion.
Perugia, the capital of Umbria, offers a central location for athletes traveling from across Italy. The city is approximately two hours by train from Rome and Florence, with direct regional connections to major hubs. February weather in Perugia typically averages between 2°C and 8°C (36°F to 46°F), with indoor venue conditions regulated to maintain consistent temperature and humidity levels optimal for equipment performance — a factor archers often cite as critical for indoor consistency.
Historically, the Italian Indoor Championships have served as a bellwether for national form, with several past champions going on to medal at European and World Cup events. Luca Chiesa, who won senior recurve gold at the 2022 Mediterranean Games, credited his preparation at the 2022 Italian Indoor Championships in an interview with World Archery as pivotal to his peak performance period. Similarly, compound archer Elisa Roner, a multiple-time World Cup medalist, has frequently pointed to domestic indoor competition as essential for refining anchor point and release technique under controlled conditions.
As of mid-January 2025, FITARCO has not announced any changes to anti-doping protocols or equipment inspection procedures for the 2025 championships. All athletes will be subject to standard World Archery rule compliance checks, including bow weight, draw length, and arrow specifications, conducted during equipment registration on the morning of February 15. The federation emphasized that all competitors are responsible for ensuring their gear meets current regulations, with random spot checks conducted throughout the event.
The 53rd Italian Indoor Archery Championships mark another milestone in FITARCO’s long-standing commitment to developing competitive archery at the national level. First held in 1972, the indoor championships have grown steadily in participation and prestige, reflecting broader trends in the sport’s popularity across Europe. With over 300 athletes expected to compete in 2025 — based on pre-registration trends from the past three editions — the event continues to serve as both a competitive pinnacle and a community gathering point for Italy’s archery fraternity.
Looking ahead, FITARCO has confirmed that the 2026 Italian Indoor Championships are tentatively scheduled for February 2026, with venue selection to be announced later in 2025. For now, the focus remains on delivering a well-organized, high-standard competition in Perugia that upholds the integrity and tradition of Italian national archery championships.
Archers, coaches, and fans seeking official updates, start lists, or results are encouraged to visit FITARCO’s official website or follow its verified social media channels. The next confirmed checkpoint is the close of athlete registration on January 31, 2025, after which start lists and squad allocations will be finalized.
What aspect of the Italian Indoor Championships are you most interested in learning more about? Share your thoughts in the comments below, and don’t forget to share this article with fellow archery enthusiasts who appreciate the precision and discipline of the sport.
