Walking through a wooded area shooting arrows at Styrofoam animals may not seem like the most calming way to spend time outdoors, but Billy Sanderson begs to differ.
The Vancouver Island man is among Canada's best at 3D archery, a discipline that sees archers take aim at three-dimensional animal targets in simulated hunting scenarios. "It gives you a sense of peace and, like, Zen," he told CBC's On the Island at the Victoria Fish and Game Protective Association's facility about a 30-minute drive northwest of Victoria. Listen to 3D archers in Victoria explain the sport to CBC Radio's Rohit Joseph: "You're at one with your equipment, as cheesy as it sounds.
All that's happening is just you and specifically what you're doing in the present moment." Sanderson will need to stay centred as he squares off against the best in his field at the 3D Archery World Championships in Terni, Italy, which begin on Sept.
4. Other B.C. archers representing Canada include Marc Britton and Miranda Sparkes of Kamloops. Sanderson says the sport is more dynamic than traditional archery, which has archers remain stationary as they shoot at a circular target.