Shoot and Celebrate: SSV’s 200-Year Bash Hits the Bullseye!

In a spectacular show of marksmanship and merriment, over 20,000 shooting enthusiasts descended upon Aarau, Switzerland, this past weekend to party like it was 1823! That’s right, the Swiss Shooting Sport Federation (SSV) marked its 200th birthday with a bash that included three days of festivities, culminating in a parade that would make even the Academy Awards green with envy. Forget your typical birthday cake – this one was all about rifles and round of applause!

The cherry on top? Our very own Chiara Leone bagged the gold (medal, not a cake), dazzling everyone at the Paris 2024 Olympics with her stellar performance in the women’s 50m rifle three positions competition. Swiss Federal Councillor Albert Rösti and our Olympic champ zoomed through the streets of Aarau in a fancy carriage, leaving everyone else wishing they had a seat at that royal rodeo. As if that weren’t enough, other shooting stars like Audrey Gogniat and Nina Christen, recent medalists who shot straight to our hearts, received standing ovations that could easily be heard from the Alps!

Rösti took the mic and passionately declared that shooting isn’t just a hobby in Switzerland but a cultural cornerstone that expresses our love for freedom. Trust him – you wouldn’t want to challenge a Swiss person on what their pastime means!

And if you thought this was just a festival of fancy flannels and fancy shots, think again. On Saturday alone, 800 amateurs and seasoned pros threw down in thrilling rifle and pistol finals, proving that Swiss folks know how to aim high – quite literally. So here’s to the SSV, bringing together a nation of gun-loving, fun-having, target-hitting enthusiasts—and reminding us all that in Switzerland, the celebration never misses its mark!