Canada's Derek Zaplotinsky wins 1st career Para Nordic World Cup title

Canada's Derek Zaplotinsky is on the board.

The 38-year-old won his first career World Cup title on Thursday in Prince George, B.C., racing to top spot in the men's sitting 5km individual start event.

Zaplotinsky, of Smoky Lake, Alta., crossed the finish line in 12 minutes 59.7 seconds, comfortably ahead of China's Liu Mengtao, who took silver in 13:04.7. Brazil's Cristian Westemaier Ribeira rounded out the podium with bronze at 13:07.3.

The Canadian has competed at each of the past two Paralympics, with his best finish an eighth-place result in the middle-distance biathlon in 2022.

Zaplotinsky, who is paralyzed from the waist down, first started his career as a Para athlete in cycling before moving to cross country.