Mark Arendz leads Canada's Para biathlon medal haul with 3rd World Cup win of week

Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., has won three straight races at a Para biathlon World Cup event for the first time.

He captured the men's individual 10-kilometre competition on Sunday in Martell, Italy, one week after taking the season-opening race a week ago in Toblach, Italy.

Arendz, 33, won the sprint race on Friday and pursuit the next day.

"It's always been two victories and then [another medal] so it's great to see the progression and consistency coming through from training to [competition]," said Arendz.

He was a perfect 20-for-20 in the shooting range on Sunday.

"I made sure I kept it clean," Arendz said. "It's a great way to finish the week as we head into a break back home in Canmore [Alberta]."

In the women's event, Brittany Hudak of Prince Albert, Sask., and Natalie Wilkie of Salmon Arm, B.C., missed only one of 20 shots on the way to gold and bronze performances.

Hudak, who placed sixth at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, said she felt good from the first of five laps of skiing on Sunday despite some tricky gusts of wind that sent v-boards (lane markers) across the trail.

"I was trying to keep a consistent pace," she said. "With the high altitude, you come into the [shooting] range and it feels a bit harder and sometimes shaky when shooting.

"I had one miss but tried to stay calm knowing I was in good position and leading [entering] the final round."

The Para biathlon world championships and Para nordic World Cup finals are scheduled for March 12-17 in Prince George, B.C.