Canada’s Para Biathlon Team Shoots Their Way to Seven Podiums in Notschrei, Germany

Jan. 12, 2026 — Notschrei, Germany — Canada’s Para biathlon team opened the second World Cup period with seven podium finishes, including two gold medals, amid heavy snowfall and gusting winds in Germany’s Black Forest.

The defining feature of the World Cup stop was the weather. Heavy snowfall and gusting winds created slow course conditions and required constant wind adjustments on the shooting range. Combined with occasional rifle issues, athletes were pushed to manage not only physical demands, but significant technical and mental challenges as well.

12.5‑kilometre individual

In the men’s standing 12.5‑kilometre individual, Mark Arendz continued his winning streak, capturing his fourth World Cup victory of the season after shooting 18 for 20 and finishing in 36:16.4.

“We woke up with lots of fresh snow and the wind really picked up on the range,” said Arendz. “When I missed early, it put pressure on the rest of the shots. I focused on what I could control and skied as hard as I could to the line. It wasn’t the easiest one, mentally or physically.”

Top 3 — Men’s Standing Individual

1. Mark Arendz (CAN) — 36:16.4
2. Benjamin Daviet (FRA) — 36:45.6
3. Wu Junbao (CHN) — 36:49.9

In the women’s standing individual, Natalie Wilkie extended her winning streak, shooting 20 for 20 to claim gold in 39:50.1. Brittany Hudak joined her on the podium in third, finishing in 40:52.3 after one shooting penalty.

Top 3 — Women’s Standing Individual

1. Natalie Wilkie (CAN) — 39:50.1
2. Zhao Zhiqing (CHN) — 39:56.2
3. Brittany Hudak (CAN) — 40:52.3

Derek Zaplotinsky, the current men’s sitting World Cup overall leader, placed sixth in the individual in 44:04.8 with two misses. Christina Picton also finished sixth in the women’s sitting individual in 52:27.3, while Maddie Mullin and guide Brooke Ailey crossed the line seventh in 30:49.0 in the women’s vision‑impaired race.

Sprint pursuit

In sprint pursuit qualification, both Wilkie and Arendz shot eight for 10, earning starting positions of fourth and seventh, respectively, for the final. Hudak shot clean in qualification to start the final in third.

Wilkie began the final in pursuit of China’s Zhao Zhiqing and Guo Yujie, along with teammate Hudak. The two Canadians worked together through the opening lap and entered the range at the same time for the first shoot. Wilkie delivered a perfect 10 for 10 in the final, racing to second in 17:20.9 to earn her fifth consecutive podium. Hudak finished fifth in 18:19.5 after three misses in her second shooting stage.

“It was a really good week for our entire team,” said Wilkie. “There was a lot of teamwork, testing skis, building each other up and sharing information, and that really showed. I think when I’m racing happy and enjoying what I’m doing, I stay more relaxed, and that’s when I’m able to put together my best performances. This week had some really challenging moments with the weather, but as a team we did a good job keeping the energy positive.”

Top 3 — Women’s Standing Sprint Pursuit

1. Guo Yujie (CHN) — 17:20.9
2. Natalie Wilkie (CAN) — 17:52.7
3. Zhao Zhiqing (CHN) — 18:11.5

In the men’s standing sprint pursuit final, Arendz leaned on ski speed to move through the field, but one miss in his first bout made the gap to first too great to close. He finished third in 15:11.3, marking his 100th career World Cup start and 60th career podium.

Top 3 — Men’s Standing Sprint Pursuit

1. Marco Maier (GER) — 15:11.3
2. Cai Jiayun (CHN) — 15:14.7
3. Mark Arendz (CAN) — 15:35.6

With two shooting penalties in the final, Zaplotinsky placed fifth in 22:53.4.

7.5‑kilometre sprint

After waking up with sore throats, both Arendz and Picton opted not to start the final day’s sprint in Notschrei, choosing to prioritize recovery ahead of upcoming cross‑country races and the Paralympics.

“It was a difficult decision,” said Arendz. “Racing while you’re coming down with something can lead to longer recovery and missing races. The goal this season is to be at my best for the Paralympics.”

Heading into the women’s standing 7.5‑kilometre sprint, Wilkie and Hudak knew the competition from China would be fierce.

With calm conditions on the final day, clean shooting became a requirement to contend for victory. Wilkie delivered once again, posting a clean race to finish second in 23:25.1, just 7.7 seconds behind Zhao Zhiqing (CHN). Hudak recorded one miss but produced one of her strongest ski performances of the week, finishing third in 24:42.1 to earn her second podium at the World Cup stop.

“I was really happy with how I executed my race today,” said Hudak. “I had one miss on the range, but I felt strong on the skis and was able to push hard the entire way. My legs felt much better than they did earlier in the week, and that allowed me to really race with confidence.”

This World Cup stop marked Canada’s first opportunity this season to race against China, which fielded a full and competitive team across all categories.

“Racing such strong competition pushes everyone to a higher level,” she said. “China has a really competitive team, and having them on the start line forces you to be sharp in every part of the race. That’s exactly what you want heading toward the Games, full fields, hard racing and a clear picture of where you need to keep improving.”

Top 3 — Women’s Standing Sprint

1. Zhao Zhiqing (CHN) — 23:17.7
2. Natalie Wilkie (CAN) — 23:25.1
3. Brittany Hudak (CAN) — 24:42.1

In the men’s sitting sprint, Zaplotinsky shot clean and finished sixth in 22:53.4, retaining his overall World Cup lead. Mullin and Ailey placed eighth in 27:46.7 in the women’s vision‑impaired sprint.

“The athletes handled some of the toughest conditions we’ve seen in years and made smart decisions throughout the week,” said Canada’s Para biathlon coach Menno Arendz. “What’s been most encouraging is the consistency they’re showing, finding ways to improve, learning from each race and making adjustments as the week went on. That approach is exactly what we want to see at this stage of the season as we fine‑tune the small details and make our final adjustments heading toward the Games.”

Wilkie leaves Notschrei ranked first overall in women’s standing, with Hudak second overall. Arendz sits second overall in men’s standing. With three races remaining in the Para biathlon World Cup season, the Crystal Globe overall titles will be decided in Jakuszyce, Poland, ahead of the Paralympic Games.

Full Results: https://www.biathlonworld.com/results?EventType=PBSWRLCP