LAC LA BICHE - Nearly one year after bringing 250 world-class archers from 29 countries to Lac La Biche for the World Archery Field Championships, the Lakeland Archers will be hosting the 3D, Field, and Target Outdoor Canadian Championships in August.
Rene Schaub, president of the Lakeland Archers, says preparations for the national competition are going well. The tournament, which will bring professional archers from coast to coast to Lac La Biche, is set to place from Aug. 1-10.
“We’ve got all the courses ready,” he told Lakeland This Week in January. He explains the 3D and field competitions will be held on the courses located at the Lakeland Archers range in Lac La Biche County, while the target portion of the tournament will play out on the soccer field adjacent to the Bold Centre.
The medals that will be awarded to the top competitors, will also soon be ordered, and a logo is being designed for the competition.
No major sporting event can be put together without the support of people who volunteer their time and talents. The World Archery Field Championships, which were held in Lac La Biche from Sept. 16-22, included an army of volunteers who worked on the archery courses, provided security, and helped in the kitchens and concession areas.
Quite a few of those volunteers has showed interest in helping out at the upcoming Canadian archery competition.
“We’re hoping that a lot of the ones that we had locally here will come back and help us out for nationals.”
Throughout the duration of the 10-day tournament, over 100 volunteers will be needed in different areas.
While many of the volunteers who were on hand to assist during the World Archery Field Championships were busy cooking food for the 250 archers who came from across the globe, there won’t be nearly as many meals served to competitors for nationals, says Schaub.
Organizers will be holding a welcome barbecue, followed by a gala to close out the event.
“Everything in between is just concessions,” he says.
Just over 10 years ago, Lac La Biche played host to the 2014 Canadian Outdoor Archery Championships. According to Schaub, having had the experience of putting all the pieces together for that national competition has made organizing the 3D, Field, and Target Outdoor Canadian Championships easier.
For the 2014 Canadian Outdoor Archery Championships, there were around 650 archers representing every province in Canada, and organizers are optimistic that the upcoming national event will draw as least as many competitors.
The 3D, Field, and Target Outdoor Canadian Championships takes place over the August long weekend, coinciding with the 2025 edition of Summer Days in Lac La Biche.
The Lakeland Archers would like to see the visitors from across Canada take in and enjoy the Summer Days festivities.
Hosting major national and international archery events not only puts Lac La Biche on the map but also gives the local economy a substantial boost. While they are in the area, Schaub says competitors and archery officials will be staying in hotels, purchasing fuel and food, and buying souvenirs.
“They’ll be dropping quite a bit of money while they’re here.”
