Golden sweep for Mark Arendz and Natalie Wilkie at Para biathlon World Cup

CANMORE, Alta. – Mark Arendz of Hartsville, PEI and Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., completed the season opening Para biathlon World Cup with gold medals in all three races as the event concluded Sunday.

Arendz, on track for a fifth Paralympic Winter Games this March in Milano Cortina, Italy, took the men’s standing 7.5 kilometre on Thursday as well as the sprint pursuit on Saturday and the 12.5 kilometre individual Sunday.

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The 35-year-old arm amputee delivered another commanding performance on home soil. With just one missed shot, Arendz won by 46 seconds over Grygorii Vovchynskyi of Ukraine. France’s Karl Tabouret finished third with two misses, more than three minutes behind the winner.

‘’It feels great to have an opportunity and achieve a backyard triple,’’ said Arendz, a 12-time Paralympic Games medallist which includes two gold.  ‘’Taking a third World Cup victory in Canmore. It wasn’t perfect, and there are things I learned and notes on what to work on but I’m very excited I had the chance to perform at a consistent level here at home.’’

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Wilkie, a seven-time medallist at the last two Games,  once again proved untouchable in the women’s standing event.  On Sunday, she shot flawlessly and defeated Ukrainian Oleksandra Kononova by one minute and two seconds. The Ukrainian incurred a single penalty minute. Third place went to Bohdana Konashuk, also of Ukraine.

The World Cup season resumes January 16-17 in Finsterau, Germany.