Long-Term Stability: Voghera Archery Club Secures 15-Year Facility Agreement

In a move that provides unprecedented long-term security for the sport in the Oltrepò Pavese region, the Arcieri di Voghera have secured a 15-year agreement to manage their sports center. The deal, which ensures the association can call the facility at strada Frassolo 6 home from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2041, represents a significant shift in how local sports infrastructure is managed in the city.

This agreement is the longest of its kind signed by the municipality, moving beyond the standard decennial conventions previously used for other local sports entities. For the athletes and organizers in Voghera, the stability of a 15-year horizon allows for strategic planning and infrastructure investment that shorter leases simply do not support.

The Terms: Infrastructure Over Rent

The financial structure of the agreement is a departure from traditional rental models. Rather than paying a monthly or annual fee (canone), the Arcieri di Voghera will instead invest directly into the facility’s value. The municipality has waived the rental cost in exchange for specific, high-impact improvements to the grounds.

Under the terms of the convention, the association is required to install a new lighting system for the archery field and a comprehensive irrigation system before the agreement expires. These upgrades are estimated to cost €31,764 plus VAT, bringing the total investment to approximately €40,000. When spread across the 15-year tenure, this effectively translates to an annual contribution of roughly €2,600.

The division of operational costs is clearly defined to ensure the facility remains viable:

• Association Responsibility: Ordinary maintenance and all utility bills.
• Municipality Responsibility: Extraordinary maintenance.

The facility itself includes the archery field—which is owned by Asst—and the ground-floor rooms of the adjacent structure, providing the club with both the technical space for training and the administrative space needed to run a high-performance organization.

Part of a Broader Urban Sports Strategy

This lease is not an isolated event but a key component of the “Piano Giovanetti,” a strategic framework promoted by the sports assessor since joining the administration in 2023. The plan aims to stabilize sports management in Voghera by granting longer-term control of facilities to dedicated associations.

The Arcieri di Voghera agreement is the latest evolution of this strategy. Previous applications of the Piano Giovanetti include the gym on via Sturla, managed by the Namikaze Dojo until 2035, and the Medassino sports facility, managed by the Polisportiva Vogherese also until 2035. While those agreements spanned a decade, the 15-year term granted to the archers—who first settled at the site in 2022—reflects the higher cost of the required infrastructure improvements.

A Hub for Elite Talent

The stability of the strada Frassolo facility is particularly vital given the caliber of athletes training within the club. The association is home to Olympic silver medalist Mauro Nespoli, whose presence elevates the club’s profile and provides a benchmark for aspiring archers in the region.

The effectiveness of the club’s training environment was evident in recent competitive outings. In February 2026, during the Trofeo Frecce Iriensi held at the Don Orione school gym, Arcieri Voghera dominated several categories. The club took first place in the Olympic senior men’s team classification, while Mauro Nespoli secured the individual victory in the same category.

The club’s success extends across various demographics and disciplines:

• Women’s Archery: Denise Donato won the Olympic senior women’s individual title, with Sara Betta finishing third and junior Matilde Pagani placing ninth. The team overall secured a second-place finish.
• Youth Categories: Giona Generale won the “ragazzi” (boys) category, and Marco Roscio took second place in the “allievi” (students) category.
• Compound and Masters: The club placed second in the compound specialty and third in the Olympic master men’s classification.

Earlier in the year, the association continued its momentum at the 20th edition of the Trofeo indoor Città di Pavia in January 2026, where they claimed three gold medals, four silvers, and two bronzes.

Regional Competition and Context

While Arcieri Voghera continues to grow, they operate within a competitive regional landscape. The Trofeo Frecce Iriensi highlighted the strength of other local clubs, such as the Arcieri Ardivestra. Founded in 2000 through the initiative of then-mayor Giovanni Ferrari and experienced archer Giancarlo Orezzi, Arcieri Ardivestra remains a formidable opponent, specifically dominating the compound and barebow senior team classifications in recent competitions.

The presence of multiple high-performing clubs in the Oltrepò Pavese area creates a healthy ecosystem of competition, but it also underscores the importance of secure, high-quality facilities. For the Arcieri di Voghera, the new 15-year lease ensures that they can maintain their competitive edge without the looming uncertainty of short-term renewals.

With the ink dry on the convention, the focus now shifts to the implementation of the lighting and irrigation projects. These upgrades will not only satisfy the municipal requirements but will likely enhance the training capabilities for athletes like Nespoli and the next generation of Vogherese archers.

The next major milestone for the club will be the continued rollout of the facility upgrades as they move toward the 2041 deadline.

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