The international indoor archery circuit gets underway as 379 competitors from 30 countries gather in Switzerland for the opening leg of the calendar, according to World Archery reporting. The Swiss Open Lausanne marks the fourth consecutive year the city has hosted the season-opening event at the World Archery Excellence Centre, running from 30 October to 1 November.
France has sent the largest national contingent to the tournament with 92 athletes entered across various categories. The competition encompasses elite, under-21, and 50-plus divisions in both recurve and compound disciplines, alongside the competitive debut of barebow at the Swiss Open, as detailed by World Archery coverage.
French Squads Chase Individual Honors in Opening Leg
Justine Cellier of Compiègne, who took first place in the U21 recurve category in the final standings across all stages last year, transitions to the compound bow division for the Lausanne opener. She is joined in the new weapon category by club teammate Ambre Puiseux. Additional French entries in the opening stage include Anaëlle Florent of Nîmes and Kyla Touraine-Helias of Neuilly-sur-Marne.
In the men’s division, members of the French national team target individual podium finishes in Switzerland. The roster features Nicolas Girard of St-Martin-de-Crau, Jean-Philippe Boulch of Issy-les-Moulineaux, and François Dubois of Rennes.
International Field Contests Ranking Points and Titles
The Lausanne event serves as the first of eight ranking stops on the indoor circuit running from October 2026 through March 2027, offering 250 ranking points toward the season standings, World Archery reported. The circuit concludes with the Indoor World Series Finals in Las Vegas on 14 March, following the Vegas Shoot.
World number one and 2026 World Cup Final champion Marie Horackova of the Czech Republic defends her Swiss Open title. The compound men’s bracket features world number one Mathias Fullerton, 2023 Swiss Open winner Mike Schloesser, and France’s Nicolas Girard, who finished as runner-up to Britain’s Ajay Scott in 2025. In the compound women’s division, Italy’s Francesca Aloisi returns to defend her 2025 title against competitors including compatriot Elisa Roner and Mexico’s world number two Andrea Maya Becerra Arizaga.
Weekend Competition Schedule and Format
Competition at the World Archery Excellence Centre features qualification rounds and bracket eliminations leading to Sunday’s Swiss Open medal matches. Saturday’s program incorporates a newly formatted secondary tournament held during the evening session, complementing the primary ranking divisions.
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