Rieti’s ASD Valle Oracola Dominates at 4th Memorial Priamo Palmieri in Italy

In a sport where the difference between a podium finish and obscurity is often measured in millimeters, the archers of ASD Valle Oracola di Rieti delivered a masterclass in precision this spring. Competing in the 4th Memorial Priamo Palmieri in Belforte del Chienti, the Rieti-based club secured two gold medals, cementing their reputation as a powerhouse in the regional Italian circuit.

The event, held over the weekend of March 21-22, 2026, saw a diverse field of competitors battling for supremacy across multiple disciplines. For the athletes of ASD Valle Oracola, the weekend was a validation of a rigorous training philosophy rooted in technical discipline and an almost obsessive attention to detail.

The Gold Medalists: Precision Under Pressure

The standout performances of the tournament came from the women’s divisions, where ASD Valle Oracola claimed the top spot in two distinct categories. Tania Della Valle dominated the Barebow Master Female category, showcasing the unique skill set required for a discipline that strips away the mechanical aids of modern archery.

Simultaneously, Daniela Scancella claimed first place in the Olympic Senior Female division. Unlike the barebow category, Olympic archery utilizes stabilizers and sights, demanding a different kind of mental fortitude and a highly repeatable physical form to achieve consistent scores over long distances.

For those unfamiliar with the nuances of the sport, the victory of both a barebow and an Olympic recurve archer from the same club speaks to the versatility of the coaching at ASD Valle Oracola. While the equipment differs wildly, the core requirements—breath control, steady release and psychological resilience—remain the constant variables that the Rieti club has clearly mastered.

The Engine of Success: ASD Valle Oracola

The success in Belforte del Chienti is not an isolated incident but rather the result of a legacy that dates back to 1990. Operating within the province of Rieti, ASD Valle Oracola has spent over three decades refining its approach to the sport. The club’s philosophy mirrors the motto of the Amerigo Vespucci ship—”Not he who begins, but he who perseveres”—a sentiment that defines their daily training regimens.

Training at the club involves a meticulous process of calibrating sights, tuning stabilizers, and selecting the exact arrow specifications to match the archer’s draw and the prevailing environmental conditions. This “maniacal care of details” is what allows their athletes to perform when the pressure peaks during interregional competitions and FITARCO (Italian Archery Federation) calendar events.

Near Misses and Consistent Form

While the gold medals took the headlines, the depth of the club’s talent was further evidenced by the performance of Claudio D’Annibale. Competing in the Olympic Master Male category, D’Annibale pushed the leaders to the limit, ultimately missing a podium spot by a razor-thin margin of just three points. In a sport of such high precision, three points often come down to a single gust of wind or a momentary lapse in focus, yet the performance underscores the high floor of the club’s competitive roster.

Tania Della Valle has proven her versatility beyond the target archery of the Memorial Priamo Palmieri. Her recent success extends to the more rugged environment of Hunter Field archery, where she also secured a first-place finish in the barebow category at an event in Città della Pieve (PG). This ability to transition from the controlled environment of a target range to the varied distances and angles of a field course marks Della Valle as one of the region’s most adaptable archers.

Technical Breakdown: Barebow vs. Olympic Recurve

To provide global readers with context on these victories, We see essential to understand the technical divide between the two winning categories:

• Barebow (Tania Della Valle): This represents the “purist’s” form of archery. Archers use a recurve bow but are forbidden from using sights, stabilizers, or clickers. They often use “string walking” (moving the finger placement on the string) to aim at different distances. It requires an intuitive sense of trajectory and immense practice.
• Olympic Recurve (Daniela Scancella): This is the standard for the Olympic Games. These bows are equipped with long stabilizers to reduce vibration and a precision sight to align the arrow with the target. The challenge here is the extreme level of consistency required to hit a gold ring from 70 meters away repeatedly.

As the FITARCO season progresses, the archers of Rieti will look to carry this momentum into their upcoming interregional fixtures. The combination of veteran experience and a rigid adherence to technical perfection makes ASD Valle Oracola a team to watch in the coming months.

For the latest updates on Italian archery and regional tournament results, follow the official FITARCO communications and local sporting bulletins.

Do you think the “purist” approach of barebow archery is more challenging than the technical precision of the Olympic recurve? Let us know in the comments below.