European Archery Championships facts for kids

The European Archery Championships is a big sports event in Europe where people compete in archery. Archery is the sport of shooting arrows with a bow. These championships happen both outdoors and indoors, bringing together the best archers from across Europe.

This exciting event takes place every two years, usually in the middle of the year. It first started in 1968, making it a long-standing tradition in the world of archery. The championships are organized by World Archery Europe (WAE), which used to be called the European and Mediterranean Archery Union (EMAU).

What are the European Archery Championships?

The European Archery Championships are a series of competitions where archers show off their skills. They compete in different types of archery, like shooting at targets outdoors, indoors, or even in a forest setting. Winning a medal here is a big deal for European archers!

History of the Championships

The championships have changed their name a little over the years.

• From 1968 to 2012, they were known as the European Mediterranean Archery Championships.
• Since 2014, they have been called the European Archery Championships.

The organization behind the event also changed names:

• The European and Mediterranean Archery Union (EMAU) was formed on April 17, 1988.
• On May 20, 2012, it became World Archery Europe (WAE).

Types of Archery Competitions

The European Archery Championships include several different types of competitions. Each type has its own rules and challenges.

Outdoor Target Archery

This is one of the most common types of archery. Archers shoot at targets placed at different distances outdoors. It tests their accuracy and focus in open-air conditions.

Number	Year	Host City	Host Country	Events
1	1968	Reutte	Austria	4
2	1970	Hradec Králové	Czechoslovakia	4
3	1972	Walferdange	Luxembourg	4
4	1974	Zagreb	Yugoslavia	4
5	1976	Copenhagen	Denmark	4
6	1978	Stoneleigh	United Kingdom	4
7	1980	Compiègne	France	4
8	1982	Kecskemét	Hungary	4
9	1986	Izmir	Turkey	4
10	1988	Luxembourg City	Luxembourg	4
11	1990	Barcelona	Spain	4
12	1992	Valletta	Malta	4
13	1994	Nymburk	Czech Republic	8
14	1996	Kranjska Gora	Slovenia	8
15	1998	Boé - Agen	France	8
16	2000	Antalya	Turkey	8
17	2002	Oulu	Finland	8
18	2004	Brussels	Belgium	8
19	2006	Athens	Greece	8
20	2008	Vittel	France	8
21	2010	Rovereto	Italy	10
22	2012	Amsterdam	Netherlands	10
23	2014	Echmiadzin	Armenia	10
24	2016	Nottingham	United Kingdom	10
25	2018	Legnica	Poland	10
26	2021	Antalya	Turkey	10
27	2022	Munich	Germany	10
28	2024	Rhine-Ruhr	Germany	10

Indoor Target Archery

Indoor archery takes place in large halls. The targets are usually closer than in outdoor events. This type of competition is great for colder months or when the weather is bad.

Number	Year	Host City	Host Country	Events
1	1988		Sweden	8
2	1989		Greece	8
3	1990		Denmark	8
4	1992			8
5	1994			8
5	1996			8
6	1998			8
7	2000			8
8	2002			8
9	2004			8
10	2006	Jaén	Spain	8
11	2008	Torino	Italia	15
12	2010	Poreč	Croatia	16
13	2011	Cambrils	Spain	16
14	2013	Rzeszow	Poland	16
15	2015	Koper	Slovenia	14
16	2017	Vittel	France	16
17	2019	Samsun	Turkey	16
18	2022	Laško	Slovenia	22
19	2023	Samsun	Turkey	22
20	2024	Varaždin	Croatia	22

Field Archery

Field archery is like a treasure hunt with bows and arrows! Archers shoot at targets set up in natural environments, like forests or fields. They walk a course and shoot at different distances and angles, making it a challenging and fun event. Both senior (adult) and junior (younger) archers compete in this category.

Number	Year	Host City	Host Country	Events
1	1975
2	1977
3	1979
4	1981
5	1983
6	1985
7	1987
8	1989
9	1991
10	1993
11	1995
12	1997
13S/1J	1999
14S/2J	2001
15S/3J	2003
16S/4J	2005
17S/5J	2007	Bjelovar	Croatia	13
18S/6J	2009	Torino	Italia	14
19S/7J	2011	Poreč	Croatia	10
20S/8J	2013	Cambrils	Spain	15
21S/9J	2015	Rzeszow	Poland	16
22S/10J	2017	Koper	Slovenia	15
23S/11J	2019	Mokrice	Slovenia	15
24S/12J	2021	Poreč	Croatia	15

3D Archery

In 3D archery, archers shoot at life-sized animal targets made of foam. These targets are placed in natural settings, making it feel like a hunting simulation. It's a fun way to practice aiming in different outdoor conditions.

Number	Year	Host City	Host Country	Events
1	2008	Punta Umbría	Spain	10
2	2010	Sassari	Italy	10
3	2012	Trakoscan	Croatia	10
4	2014	Tallinn	Estonia	10
5	2016	Mokrice	Slovenia	10
6	2018	Gothenburg	Sweden	10
6	2021	Maribor	Slovenia	10

Para-Archery Championships

The European Para-Archery Championships are special events for archers with disabilities. These championships allow everyone to compete and show their amazing skills, proving that archery is a sport for all.

Number	Year	Host City	Host Country	Events
1	2006	Nymburk	Czech Republic
2	2010	Vichy	France
3	2014	Nottwil	Switzerland
4	2016	Saint-Jean-de-Monts	France
5	2018	Pilsen	Czech Republic
6	2020	Olbia	Italy

Other Archery Events

Besides the main championships, there are other important archery competitions in Europe.

University Championships

Young archers who are studying at universities can compete in the European Universities Championships. This gives student-athletes a chance to show their talent.

Crossbow Championships

There are also European championships specifically for crossbows. A crossbow is a type of bow that is mounted on a stock, similar to a rifle.

• The 3rd European Crossbow Championship was held in 2009.
• The Field Crossbow European Championships took place in Innsbruck in 2013.

See also

In Spanish: Campeonato Europeo de Tiro con Arco para niños