Italy hosted an ARChallenge European archery circuit event for the first time in history, welcoming over 100 athletes from six European nations to the Umbrian countryside, Caccia Passione reported. The competition ran across the weekend of October 3 to 4, 2026, following an opening ceremony held on Friday, October 2, inside the medieval cloister of Bevagna with local and sports authorities in attendance.
Competition Venues and Technical Challenges
The two-day sporting event took place across the grounds of Agriturismo Pian di Boccio among the rolling hills of Umbria. György Gondán, the secretary-general of the Historical-3Dimensional-Hunting International Archery Association (HDH-IAA), collaborated directly with local organizers on the setup. Marjan Ilar served as the international head referee, working alongside field directors from the host club and interpreter Chiara Daneluzzo. The courses tested competitors’ physical and technical limits under unseasonably warm weather conditions, which tournament organizers noted brought out the true competitive standards of the field. The local organizing club, ASD Arcatores de Mevania, was led by club president Marco Calandri.
Digital Scoring and Category Champions
Organizers deployed an instantaneous digital scoring system that allowed spectators to track results in real time throughout the course. The tournament concluded with victories across multiple divisions for prominent international competitors, including Simona Malagutti, Monia Fagiani, Remo Verri, Irene Baroncelli, Andrea Frontini, Graziano Torricelli, Mikhailava Larysa, Giampiero Ercolani, Valerio Vestrella, Marco Cesari, Alessia Tondini, Ilia Giorgi, Alessandro Ronchetti, Cinzia Ferrari, and Carlo Cintioli.
Youth Divisions and Podium Presentations
The field featured a substantial turnout of domestic and international youth competitors, including several members of Italy’s junior squad who arrived directly from a successful medal run at the world championships held in Hungary. The young Italian delegation included Eleonora Musini, Arianna Basilisco, Lorenzo Basilisco, Giorgia D’Antonio, Giorgio Faraotti, Giovanni Paolo D’Antonio, and Sofia Cichetti. The closing awards ceremony brought out HDH-IAA president Sebastian Vancky, FIDASC vice-president Tiziana Crocioni, and FIDASC Umbria regional president Mauro Rigutini to hand out trophies to division podium finishers.
Worth a look
