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

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.
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Mark Arendz of Canada celebrates after winning the men's middle distance standing event at the 2022 Winter Paralympics, Tuesday, March 8, 2022, in Zhangjiakou, China. 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. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Shuji Kajiyama

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.

The Canadian Press