World Bowhunter Championships Return to Potchefstroom: Archers Set Their Sights on Elgro River Lodge

By The Go-To Guy Newsroom – Potchefstroom, South Africa

When the first whistle blows at dawn on Sunday, 27 April 2025, the manicured bushveld of Elgro River Lodge will fall silent—save for the crisp twang of hundreds of bowstrings. For eight intense days, 448 of the planet’s top bowhunters will compete in the International Field Archery Association (IFAA) World Bowhunter Championships (WBHC 2025), marking the sport’s triumphant return to Potchefstroom.

A Proven World-Class Venue

If the venue sounds familiar, that’s because it is. Elgro River Lodge has twice earned global applause as host of the WBHC 2013 and the World Field Archery Championships 2018. Perched on a three-kilometre sweep of the Vaal River within the UNESCO-listed Vredefort Dome, the lodge melds tournament-grade facilities with raw African wilderness—think kudu drifting between shooting lanes and yellow fish shimmering in bruised-purple dusk.

“Elgro offers that rare mix of technical courses, warm hospitality and genuine safari atmosphere,” says the SANIFAA Organising Committee. “Athletes fly home talking as much about game drives and river rafting as they do about podium finishes.”

Inside the Championship

Dates: 27 April – 4 May 2025
Sanctioning body: IFAA (all rules & equipment classes apply)
Field size: Capped at 448 archers in good standing from member nations
Disciplines: Multiple 3-D and hunting-style rounds across varied terrain

Potchefstroom locals can expect the town’s hotels, coffee shops and gear stores to buzz with Norwegian longbow purists swapping tips with Japanese compound technicians—proof that 21st-century archery is a truly global tribe.

Beyond the Targets: A Lodge That Lives Outdoor Adventure

Between competition days, athletes and their families can:

Raft the Vaal Rapids – guided runs that guarantee adrenaline spikes worthy of a medal round.
Cast for Yellow Fish – 20 km of fly-only water makes Elgro a pilgrimage site for serious anglers.
Safari Sunsets – guided game drives traverse plains stocked with impala, eland, kudu and more than 180 bird species.

Rest & Recharge: Tailored Accommodation

The Elgro Group has unveiled a seamless reservations hub at the Elgro Hotel in downtown Potch. Options range from four-star hotel rooms and a luxury riverfront lodge to stylish B-&-Bs. A dedicated shuttle network ferries guests between town and the range—allowing competitors to focus on draw length, not driving directions.

What It Means for Potchefstroom

With nearly 450 athletes plus coaches, officials and travelling supporters, WBHC 2025 is expected to deliver a healthy shot in the arm to the local economy just ahead of winter. Restaurants are sharpening their menus, outfitters have stocked extra arrows, and township craft markets are prepping souvenir lines that pair kudu leather with rainbow-fletched quills.

Welcome, World

On behalf of SANIFAA, the Organising Committee and every South African archer polishing broadheads in anticipation, welcome to WBHC 2025 South Africa. May your arrows fly true, your scorecards climb—and may the wild Vaal sunsets etch themselves into memory long after the final medal ceremony rings out over Elgro’s riverbank.

For registration details, travel packages and full rulebook, visit www.elgroriverlodge.co.za or contact the SANIFAA secretariat.