Canadian Para cross-country skier Natalie Wilkie wins mass start gold at World Cup season opener
Para cross-country skier Natalie Wilkie ended 2024 on a high note with a World Cup victory at the season-opening event in Vuokatti, Finland. The 23-year-old from Salmon Arm, B.C., claimed the top spot in the 10-kilometre mass start race in the women’s standing category, finishing eight seconds ahead of Norway’s Vilde Nilsen with a time of 32 minutes 44.8 seconds.
Fellow Canadian Paralympian Brittany Hudak narrowly missed the podium, coming in fourth behind China’s Zhao Zhiqing after a sprint finish. Wilkie, who has seven Paralympic medals to her name, showcased her strength in both cross-country skiing and biathlon disciplines. Earlier in the competition, she secured a silver medal in the sprint classic and two gold medals in biathlon events.
In the men’s standing mass start race, Mark Arendz of Hartsville, P.E.I., secured his fifth overall medal in Vuokatti with a bronze finish. Arendz crossed the finish line in 32:34.5, behind Chinese athletes Wang Chenyang and Liu Xiaobin who claimed gold and silver, respectively. The 34-year-old Arendz, who also clinched a bronze in the sprint classic, currently leads the overall World Cup rankings in his category with 273 points, 18 points ahead of Wang.
As the new season unfolds, Arendz is determined to build on his success from the previous year. His strong performance in Vuokatti sets a promising tone for the competitions to come. With Wilkie also starting the season on a high note, Canadian para-athletes are making their mark on the international stage and showing their potential for even greater achievements in the future.
