Canadian Para biathlete Mark Arendz captures season World Cup crown

The Canadian Press

· Posted: Mar 11, 2025 6:36 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Canada's Mark Arendz captured the men's wide World Cup crown successful lasting Para biathlon with a triumph successful Tuesday's last contention of the season.

The 35-year-old from Hartsville, P.E.I., bushed runner-up Alexandr Gerlitz of Kazakhstan by six seconds successful the lasting men's pursuit final.

In pursuit, athletes skis punishment loops for shooting mistakes. Gerlitz missed twice, portion Arendz changeable clean.

The Canadian, who was 2nd successful the sprint and 3rd successful the 12.5-kilometre region successful Torsby, battled end-of-season fatigue to measurement atop the podium successful Tuesday's finale.

"I can't ideate a amended mode to extremity the season," Arendz said. "The 2 erstwhile races present were a spot of a conflict arsenic I was trying to find the close momentum and gear. I had immoderate difficulties, but contiguous I truly wanted to marque up for those and guarantee I had a prime last race.

Arendz, who mislaid his near limb successful a farming mishap astatine the property of seven, capped a play that included satellite title golden successful sprint and the 12.5k, arsenic good arsenic a bronze successful pursuit.

Consistent, dominant

He took the lasting men's World Cup play crown by winning 7 of 11 races and reaching the podium successful the different four. Arendz claimed the crystal globe that goes to the play champion by 153 points implicit Marco Maier of Germany.

"It feels fantastic," said Arendz. "Staying connected the podium is thing I'm truly arrogant of. There are ever ups and downs, but accordant shooting and skiing person been the cardinal to success."

It was the 4th wide rubric of Arendz's career.

Arendz owns 12 Paralympic medals, including 2 gold, successful biathlon and cross-country skiing. He'll strive for much astatine the 2026 Winter Games successful Milan, Italy.

"I effort to spell into each play with the extremity of learning arsenic overmuch arsenic I can," Arendz said. "Every situation is an accidental to turn arsenic an athlete.

"Once you scope a definite level of success, you person to question caller challenges to support progressing. That's wherever I'm astatine successful my vocation — taking successful everything I tin arsenic I hole for my 5th Paralympic Winter Games."

Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., finished the play ranked 2nd successful women's lasting races down Ukraine's Oleksandra Kononova. The Canadian won some the sprint and 12.5k earlier finishing 4th successful Tuesday's pursuit successful Torsby.