Miranda Sparkes and Brock Paton are in France this week competing against the world’s best archers. Paton has mentored Sparkes, who has been a star pupil. (Keith Lacey file photo)

Competing against the best archers in the world never gets old for Brock Paton and he’s thrilled the young protégé he’s helped turn into Canada’s finest female archer – Miranda Sparkes – will get her first taste of competition against the world’s best.

Paton, 72, is the founder of the Osoyoos Traditional Archery School and Sparkes, 24, has been the star pupil for the past three years.

Late last week, Paton and Sparkes boarded a plane in Kelowna to fly to France, where the city of Robion is hosting the 2017 World 3-D Archery Championships this week.

Paton has captured either silver or gold at the national and provincial outdoor championships every single year since 2009. He’s also captured numerous gold medals at provincial indoor and outdoor championships over the past decade.

Sparkes is the two-time Canadian female champion in traditional longbow archery.

At the Canadian outdoor championships in Quebec City over the August long weekend, Sparkes’ final score was so high that she would have defeated any of the male competitors in the traditional longbow competition.

“It’s the best I’ve ever shot by a wide margin,” said  Sparkes. “I was on fire.”

Paton captured the silver medal at the same competition in Quebec.

For the uninitiated, 3-D archery involves competitors shooting at life-like animal targets from various distances.

The targets range from small rodents to large animals such as elk, buffalo and deer.

The world championships are held every second year and this is the fourth-consecutive time Paton has competed against the planet’s best traditional archers. He competed in Austria in 2011, Italy in 2013 and Italy again in 2015.

Although he has contemplated retirement, Paton said he plans to stick around at least two more years as Lac La Biche, Alta. Is hosting the 2019 world championships.

For Sparkes, getting to compete in France is exciting on so many levels as not only will she be competing against the world’s best female archers, but this is also her first trip to Europe and she will be touring across that continent for 10 days after the competition wraps up.

Both Sparkes and Paton have similar goals heading to France.

“I would really love to finish in the top 16,” said Sparkes.

Paton said he has the same goal.

“Only the top 16 move on to the finals and then anything can happen,” he said. “You can’t win unless you make the top 16 so that’s always the goal at worlds.

“The difference between the top guys once you get into the finals is marginal … it’s all about nerves. If you can settle your nerves and shoot your best, you have a chance to move on to the top eight and then it’s anyone’s ball game.”

Sparkes showed in Quebec that she thrives under pressure and Paton is very confident she is going to surprise a lot of people competing at her first world championships.

“I have absolutely no doubt at all that she’ll make the top 16,” he said. “Being able to handle the pressure and calm your nerves is the key and Miranda has shown very clearly that she thrives under pressure.”

Sparkes said becoming a two-time national champion and qualifying to compete for Team Canada against the world’s best less than four years after taking up the sport is rather remarkable.

“Being named to Team Canada is such an honour and being able to go up against the best female archers in the world is like a dream come true,” she said. “I can’t wait to get there and see how I do.”

Paton said competing at the world championships is a totally unique experience that truly tests your ability to concentrate and perform under pressure.

“The stands are packed with thousands of people and there are television cameras everywhere as these championships are shown on live television,” he said. “You have people screaming for their favourite archers and it’s pretty chaotic, so it really tests your ability to concentrate and perform while all this other stuff is going on around you.”

Sparkes thanked Spirit of the Game, the local organization which assists young athletes and citizens in pursuing athletic and artistic pursuits, with providing some sponsorship funding for her trip to France.

When the competition is over, Sparkes will be travelling to Rome and Florence in Italy, the Swiss Alps, Paris and London.

“It should be an amazing experience,” she said.

Sparkes thanked Paton for all of his support and mentorship since she joined the local archery school.

KEITH LACEY

Osoyoos Times