Canada’s Para star Mark Arendz races to fourth world championship title of the week

By The Canadian Press on January 28, 2023.

ÖSTERSUND, Sweden – Canadian Paralympic star Mark Arendz captured his third consecutive world championship title in the men’s standing skate-ski race, highlighting a three-medal day for Canada on Saturday.

Natalie Wilkie and Collin Cameron each skied to silver medals.

Arendz, a 12-time Paralympic medallist from Hartsville, P.E.I., has captured four medals this week, logging countless miles up and down the hilly Swedish tracks. He partly credited his indulgence of a burger for dinner on Friday night for his victory Saturday.

“Taking moments away from the constant drive to perform and go out for a casual dinner can shift the focus. Taking the pressure off for a moment just might be enough to raise the performance the next day,” the 32-year-old said after claiming his sixth world title.

“I went for the Los Angeles (burger). It must have been a fast one. Washed it down with an Oreo milkshake too.”

Arendz, who has 19 world championship medals, covered Saturday’s kilometre-race in a time of 24 minutes 34.6 seconds.

“Coming off the last couple of days, I felt I could put myself into contention. Over the previous biathlon distance races, I have shown my speed,” said Arendz, who won back-to-back biathlon races earier in the week. “I wanted to start strong and see what I was able to hold in the windy conditions. This is the first time I have ever won three events at a single event.”

Wilkie and Cameron brought Canada’s record-setting medal haul at the world championships to 16.

Wilkie, from Salmon Arm, B.C., captured her fifth medal of the week, a silver in the 10-kilometre skate-ski event.

Cameron, a 34-year-old from Bracebridge, Ont., was runner-up in the 2.5-killometre sit-ski course.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 28, 2023.

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