Bray will play host to hundreds of the world’s top archers in September as the town becomes the home of the World Archery Field Championships. The spectacular surroundings of Kilruddery House and Gardens will be the backdrop for one of the largest archery events in 2016.
Archery Ireland (the national governing body), won the right the host the Championships which take place in the grounds of Kilruddery House for a full week: from Monday, September 26th to Sunday, 2nd October. It is the first time Ireland has hosted a world championship in Archery.
The World Archery Field Championships is a biennial competition organised by World Archery the governing body of archery. Field archery is a sister discipline to Target archery which features in the Olympic Games. The World Archery Field Championships 2016 is the final qualifier for the World games to be held in Poland 2017.
In excess of 300 competitors from around 30 countries will take part in five days of archery competition over three field courses, culminating in the finals weekend hosted in the gardens adjacent to the 18th century manor house.
The Championships, which are being supported by Fáilte Ireland, Sport Ireland and Archery Trade Association (ATA), will bring a tourism and economic boost to Co Wicklow as competitors and their teams and supporters fly in from around the world. In addition to the athletes a further 100 officials will spend the week in Ireland as part of the competition. It is estimated the event will directly contribute in excess of quarter of a million euro in the local economy.
Wicklow and Ireland will receive a further boost as the event at Kilruddery will feature live on Archery TV which has hundreds of thousands of viewers across the globe.
Tickets are now on sale. They can be purchased at wafc2016.eventbrite.ie.
“We are proud and privileged to have been given the honour of hosting this prestigious event, and we look forward to making it a championships to remember”, said Mr Kevin MacDermott, Vice President of Archery Ireland and Chairman of the organising committee.
Ms Jennifer Churchward, manager of Fáilte Ireland’s Event Ireland team said: “We wish all those travelling to Ireland for the champi- onships a warm welcome and successful competition.”
For more information please see www.wafc2016.com.