Bocce volo
| Characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Contact | Non-contact |
| Team members | Individual |
| Type | Boules |
| Equipment | Bocce (balls) and pallino (jack) |
| Presence | |
| Olympic | No |
| World Games | Invitational 1997, 2001 – present |
Bocce volo ("flying boules"), or boule lyonnaise ("Lyonnais boules"), is a boules-type game.
In bocce volo, the balls are thrown overhand (palm down) and are metal. In standard bocce, the wooden or plastic balls are tossed underhand (palm up) and rolled.
Volo, as it is called for short by the Italians, derives its name from the Italian verb volare meaning 'to fly', and refers to the technique of throwing a ball through the air in an attempt to knock away an opponent's ball.
Bocce volo is similar to pétanque in that the ball is thrown rather than rolled or bowled. It is similar to traditional bocce (and different from pétanque) in that the ball is delivered with a run-up. A volo players' run-up is athletic, even theatrical, as in jeu provençal.