Eric Malebranche has never been hunting.
But in September, the 53-year-old Coquitlam resident will be representing Canada at the World Championships of 3-D archery, a version of the target sport that most closely simulates the quest for real life game.
Instead of standing in a fixed spot firing arrows at a printed target of concentric circles affixed to a board at the far end of a range, 3-D archers must hike for several kilometres through the woods, up hills and into gulleys, to complete a course of up to 20 targets of three-dimensional models of animals as small as a crow or squirrel to as large as a moose or elk.
Malebranche, a self-described “city boy” who grew up in Vancouver and moved to Coquitlam seven years ago, said his first exposure to the sport came at a resort in Mexico while on holiday. He followed up with lessons at an archery school in New Westminster and after a pause during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, started competing seriously two years ago.
Malebranche said he was captivated by the sport’s outdoor environs and the physical and mental demands of its competitors.
“It feels similar to golfing,” he said. “Managing your nerves is a big component, as well as endurance.”
To hone his eye, Malebranche shoots five days a week at the Port Coquitlam District Hunting and Fishing Club.
“You have to put in the work,” he said. “Practice makes perfect.”
Last weekend, Malebranche finished second in the men’s open category at the 2024 Archery Canada 3-D national championships in Fredericton, New Brunswick, a repeat of his silver medal performance at the 2023 event that was held in Cranbrook. More importantly, his score was high enough to qualify for the world championships, where he’ll be among a contingent of 22 archers that comprise Team Canada.
Unlike some competitors, Malebranche uses a traditional long bow made of wood. He also uses wooden arrows, which he’s now started making himself.
Malebranche said the laborious task of sanding and coating the narrow shafts of Port Orford cedar, affixing the tips and feathers — a process that can take about four days — bolsters the intimate connection he feels with his sport.
“I really like the traditional part of it,” he said. “That’s what makes the passion grow for me. It’s very satisfying.”
Malebranche said getting the chance to compete against the best 3-D archers in the world isn’t just an opportunity to push his own skills further along, but also a way to grow awareness of the sport.
“It’s accelerated my aspirations,” he said. “I want to be the go-to guy for this sport in Canada.”
As for tracking down woodland creatures that aren’t constructed of styrofoam, Malebranche said many of his fellow competitors also hunt live game and he was able to try grilled venison at a recent BBQ.
“All they talk about is their hunting stories,” he said, adding he might give it a go when he returns from the worlds in Slovenia.
Archers headed to the 3-D world championships are entirely self-funded. You can help Malebranche get there by following this link.
