The largest event in the history of Shooting Sport officially opened in Châteauroux

The 2025 European Championships in 25/50/300m Rifle, Pistol, Running Target, and Shotgun disciplines were officially declared open in Châteauroux, France — at the very venue that hosted the Olympic Games Paris 2024.

The Championships bring together nearly 1,000 athletes from 44 nations, who will compete for a record-breaking 118 sets of medals across 17 days of competition. With more than 2,300 starts, the event has already made history, surpassing the previous record of 102 medal events set at the 2022 ISSF World Championships in Changwon, Korea.

In his opening speech, ESC President Alexander Ratner underlined the significance of this moment:

“It is no exaggeration to say that this is the largest event in the history of shooting sport. This Championship demonstrates that shooting sport in Europe is going through an exceptional period of development. It is a great honor for our Member Federations and for the European Shooting Confederation.”

President Ratner also highlighted the ESC's strategic initiatives to expand the sport’s reach and future:

“This year, for example, we organized the very first European Championships for athletes under 16 and under 18. We also created the Champions League — a top-level event staged in 3–4 days — that allows elite athletes to be financially rewarded for their dedication. At the same time, we are working on a mechanism to support all our Member Federations, regardless of the number of medals they win.”

The ESC and the Organizing Committee, led by the French Shooting Federation (FFTir) and its President Hugues Senger, have prepared extensive broadcast coverage for maximum visibility. 47 finals will be streamed live on ESC digital platforms, with international SRT signal provided for broadcasters across Europe and beyond.

The ESC expresses its sincere thanks to the French government, the National Olympic Committee, sponsors, and especially the volunteers, whose dedication ensures the highest standards of event organization.

A special tribute was paid to the local authorities: the Mayor of Châteauroux and the President of the French NOC, who received commemorative ESC medals for their contribution to the Championship’s success.

ESC President Alexander Ratner presented ESC commemorative medals to the Mayor of Châteauroux, Mr. Gil Avérous, and to the President of the French NOC, Mrs. Amélie Oudéa-Castéra, and together with them declared the European Championships open!

Streaming Schedule can be found here.

Results can be found here.

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