As temps drop nationwide each year, archers bring their bows inside. That doesn’t mean they store them for the season. Indoor archery tournaments heat up when the weather gets cold. If you’ve never watched these competitions, you’re missing out. Indoor events pit the world’s top archers against each other in nail-biting matches that often get decided by one arrow.
See for yourself by checking out these fall and winter tournaments.
Indoor Archery World Series
The Indoor Archery World Series returns this weekend with the first of six events for the 2019-2020 season. The Macau Indoor Archery Open takes place Nov. 9-10 in Macau, People’s Republic of China. This around-the-world tournament also visits Rome, Italy; Nimes, France; Sydney, Australia; Strassen, Luxembourg; and Las Vegas.
The biggest names in indoor archery compete in this series, including Brady Ellison and Casey Kaufhold, the reigning team champions. But what’s really cool is that the events are open to everyone, assuming you’re a member of your recognized World Archery association. Thousands participate in this elite series.
The Indoor Archery World Series features open, elite and team divisions. To be ranked, archers must compete in at least three stages. Rankings are based on the competitor’s three best 60-arrow qualification scores shot over the season.
The qualifying rounds are 60 arrows at 18 meters on a vertical tri-spot 40-centimeter target face. The 16 top archers in each division are invited to the Indoor Archery World Series Final, which takes place in February 2020 in Las Vegas after two days of qualifying rounds. (Read more about the rules here.)
The team competition element gives brands and organizations exposure for their elite archers. Each team features a male and female, and the third member can be either gender. Teams are ranked on the total elite points won by the three-archer team.
Watch for returning champs. Team Hoyt, represented by Ellison, Zach Garrett and Kaufhold, won the recurve team trophy last season. Braden Gellenthien, Paul Tedford and Stephan Hansen won the compound division. Sim Yeji, Steve Wijler, Viktoria Balzhanova and Kris Schaff won the individual titles.
The 2019-2020 Indoor Archery World Series Schedule:
Macau Open 250, Macau, China, Nov. 9-10, 2019
GT Open 250, Strassen, Luxembourg, Nov. 22-24, 2019
TRUBall/Axcel Roma Trophy 250, Rome, Italy, Dec. 13-15, 2019
Sydney Indoor Archery Festival 250, Sydney Australia, Jan. 10-12, 2020
Nimes Tournament 1,000, Nimes, France, Jan. 17-19, 2020
The Vegas Shoot 1,000, Las Vegas, Feb. 7-8, 2020
Indoor Archery World Series Finals, Las Vegas, Feb. 8, 2020
Indoor Nationals and JOAD Indoor Nationals
The Indoor Nationals and JOAD Indoor Nationals are separate events held at the same venue over a three-day weekend. Competitions are held at 13 locations over five weekends in February and March. Youth archers can compete in either event, or both.
Schedule:
Newberry, Florida, Jan. 17-19, 2020
College Station, Texas, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2020
Chula Vista, California, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2020
Albuquerque, New Mexico, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2020
Becker, Minnesota, Jan. 31 to Feb. 2, 2020
Sacramento, California, Feb. 14-16, 2020
Dayton, Ohio, Feb. 14-16, 2020
Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Feb. 21-23, 2020
How to Watch:
Coverage of these events is available on:
Competition Archery Media/Lancaster Archery Supply YouTube
If you don’t want to sit on the sidelines after watching these exciting events, visit an archery shop and ask about leagues and tournaments.
