The shooting range in Cipolletti, a large space within the municipal facilities of Corpo Frut, comes alive every afternoon. The arrows whistle as they break the air, a sound as ancient as humanity, while the archers concentrate on the target. But here, beyond the competition, there is something that transcends: an internal search, an attempt to get right in oneself and teamwork.
Claudio Fernández, captain of the archery competition team known as “Los Tiburones,” remembers the first day he shot an arrow. “One afternoon, during a math talk, my wife Claudia Cortéz told me that there was an archery group and we went to see what it was about. We arrived, we stood in line, I shot an arrow and hit the yellow one. The instructor told me, ‘This is your thing.’ And suddenly, I heard applause from next door, my wife, I had hit the mark.”
From that moment, they both fell in love with archery and were achieving achievements. Today, your team is much more than a group of friends; It is a community that works together to challenge limits.
In Japan, archery is not a sport, it is an art. Kenzo Awa, master gunsmith cited in “Zen in the Art of Archery,” described it this way: ““A good archer with a bow of medium power goes further than another, lacking in spirit, with the strongest of bows.” That philosophy seems to resonate with Cipolletti.
The municipal archery school in Cipolletti was born three years ago. In the beginning, the difficulties were many, but they took on the challenge so that all the kids in the city could practice. It is completely free, although it is an expensive activity.
This year they celebrated the three years of the school, although with interruptions because it was very difficult to find instructors. Two years ago they found José Luis Rey, an instructor from Neuquén, they managed to stabilize themselves and today there are 25 students. “It can be practiced from 8 to 100 years old, there are no age limits.”
The group organizes raffles, contributes voluntarily and manages buffets in activities to cover expenses. When an archer does not have equipment but has the conditions and wants to compete, the group helps to complete his arrows, the school gives him the equipment, protection of fingers, arms, arrows.
Archery is an activity that many are unaware of, “but it is a good way to disconnect kids from the digital world, from TikTok and screens. TOHere you work on concentration, breathing and safety. It is the archer, the arrow and his destiny,” reflects Fernández.
Mainly the upper muscles are trained, including the back muscles. It is practiced with rubber bands to warm up, and then shots are made. There is also a lot of walking: every three or four arrows, you have to go to the containment and return.
“The bow and arrow are ancient tools, originally related to hunting to provide sustenance and food. Later they were used as instruments of defense and attack, and today they have evolved into an Olympic discipline. QPracticing this art involves a lot of personal effort, since it requires physical and mental balance,” they say.
The Sharks
The team’s name arose in a tournament, when things were not going as expected. “We were discouraged and someone shouted: ‘What are we, sharks or what?’” he recalls, laughing. The harangue caught on like wildfire and the name stuck.
Now, The war cry accompanies his achievements, such as his recent entry into the Argentine Archery Federation (FATARCO). The first homologation tournament was three Sundays ago, where they competed for the first time at the national level. Postal tournaments are also held. This means that they shoot at their headquarters and the results are compared with those of other competitions.
“It is an activity that is gaining more and more followers. In the Olympics, for example, it is one of the most watched disciplines, because we all have an archer ancestor. Whether hunting an animal in the African savannah, or defending a tower in England,” they say and add: “In a country where other passions such as football predominate, archery is beginning to gain its place.”
Rose
Among the group’s achievements, the creation of the “Pink Sharks” stands out, a subgroup formed by women recovering from breast cancer surgeries. Claudia brought the idea from Europe. The bow movement helps strengthen the affected muscles, but also. The Pink Sharks have their own uniform and actively participate in local tournaments. Their presence is a reminder that sport can be a tool of transformation.
Achievements on target
The regional final was recently held, where more than 91 archers from different cities in Patagonia. It took place in the sports city of Neuquén.
December 15 is the last tournament of the year in the area, which takes place in Neuquén. In the last tournament, two young people from the group participated in the Future Archer Project, which seeks to detect talents at the national level. If they have conditions, They can train in specialized centers and compete at the national level. Valentino Barlani Monzani and Malena Pistagnesi, two promising team members won gold medals. The Sharks, as always, “bit hard,” says Claudio.
“Every time we hear the cry of the Sharks, it fills us with pride, because we started from very low, in a very small school. The shout is nice but we fight point by point and we are very brave.”
Claudio often repeats a phrase that has become a mantra: “It’s not the arrow, it’s the Indian.” For him, archery is not just about hitting the center, but about finding internal balance. “There is something special about shooting an arrow. No matter where it hits, it connects you with yourself. It is a reminder that, at the end of the day, the real challenge lies within yourself.”