Canada’s Arendz is vying for a third straight Para Nordic World Championship title
Canadian Paralympic star Mark Arendz captured his third straight world championship title in the men’s standing skate-ski race, capping a three-medal day for Canada on Saturday at the Para Nordic World Championships in Östersund, Sweden.
Natalie Wilkie and Collin Cameron each skated to silver medals.
Arendz, a 12-time Paralympic medalist from Hartsville, PEI, has claimed four medals this week and logged countless miles up and down the hilly Swedish courses. He partially credited his Friday night hamburger indulgence for his victory Saturday.
“Taking a moment away from the constant drive to perform and going out for a casual dinner can shift the focus. Taking the pressure off for a moment might just be enough to lift performance the next day,” the 32-year-old said after claiming his sixth world title .
Arendz, who has 19 world championship medals, completed Saturday’s kilometer race in a time of 24 minutes 34.6 seconds.
“When I finished the last few days, I felt I could put myself in contention. In the previous biathlon distance races, I’ve shown my speed,” said Arendz, who won back-to-back biathlon races earlier in the week. “I wanted to start strong and see what I could hold in the windy conditions. This is the first time I’ve ever won three races in one event.”
Wilkie and Cameron took Canada’s record medal at the world championships to 16.
Wilkie, from Salmon Arm, B.C., picked up his fifth medal of the week, a silver in the 10-kilometer skate skiing event.
Cameron, a 34-year-old from Bracebridge, Ont., finished second in the 2.5-kilometre sitski course.