Nolan Johnson is back on top of his archery game.
The skilled shooter, who cut his teeth as a member of Melville’s Tru Flite Archery Club, shot the best round ever recorded in the Red Deer, Alta. Mother of All Shoots 3D event, and it helped him reach the top of the podium in the men’s open division.
“Everything came together for me in the first round and I shot 290 out of 297 on the first day,” said Johnson. “I think it was some of the best shooting I’ve ever done.”
The unheard of first-round score put Johnson in front of the 115-shooter field and the pressure on them to perform kept him at the top of the standings.
“I think at the end, the closest shooter to me was behind by 11 points, meaning I could have missed a target altogether and still finished in first,” Johnson added. “Once you have a round like that it’s really tough for guys to catch up.”
Johnson last won the Mother in 2011, and he credits his focus and a new setup for his success.
“Everything just worked for me,” said Johnson. “It’s the same kind of bow — an Elite Impulse 34 — that I always shoot, but it was a brand new model.”
“When you’re shooting good and you can trust your equipment, good things can happen. My new rig has great balance, speed and shoot-ability.”
Shooting at 3D game targets modelled after everything from varmints to dinosaurs, Johnson hit his stride early and his confidence was sky-high.
“It’s just like any other sport. Sometimes you just get into that zone,” added Johnson. “You feel like you just can’t miss.”
Johnson went on to compete in the cash portion of the tournament, facing off with 65 shooters in the elimination event and finishing in fourth.
“I shot well, but there were some really good shooters in it,” explained Johnson. “One little mistake can cost you in that format and then you’re all done.”
Next up for Johnson is the National 3D event in Surrey, B.C. April 1 to 3.
Getting back near the top of the event is a goal Johnson is hoping to achieve.
“It’s another really big shoot. The Mother is the biggest in Western Canada, but there were a few guys missing who will probably be at Nationals,” Johnson said. “There’s no reason for me not to finish high in the standings.”
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