With compound archery set to make its Olympic debut at the LA28 Olympic Games, the French team spent four days training from 3-6 March at the World Archery Excellence Centre in Lausanne under the guidance of national compound coach and former international archer Sébastien Brasseur.
Combining technical work, equipment tuning and match simulations, the camp offered a glimpse into how national teams are preparing for a new chapter in compound archery.
For Brasseur, the visit to Lausanne was part of a broader effort to identify training environments where his athletes can practise the 50-metre distance year-round. During the winter months, such conditions can be difficult to find in France.
“What I was looking for were conditions where we could really test equipment setups and optimise arrow flight,” he said. “Here we can shoot 50 metres indoors and then move outside easily, which is ideal for preparation.”
The coach of the French compound squad found in Lausanne the perfect conditions for a week focused on performance. The ability to move easily between indoor and outdoor ranges allowed the team to combine laboratory-like conditions – ideal for equipment tuning and technical adjustments – with real competition environments.
Most of the athletes travelled to Lausanne by train from Paris, with accommodation located close to the Excellence Centre, making logistics straightforward and allowing the team to focus fully on training.
The visit also coincided with a compound archery masterclass hosted at the Centre. Led by Brasseur, the session included theory and practical training for participating archers, while World Archery Champion Nicolas Girard opened the weekend with a question-and-answer session covering equipment, technical adjustments and competition mindset.
