Canada's Klebl, Arendz both win para-nordic bronze at Pyeongchang test event

Canada's Chris Klebl and Mark Arendz scored bronze medals at the Para-Nordic World Cup on Saturday at the site of the 2018 Paralympics in Pyeongchang, Soiuth Korea.

Klebl, of Canmore, Alta., battled to a memorable bronze-medal performance in the 15-kilometre cross-country sit-ski race.

The 45-year-old Klebl clocked a third-place time of 49 minutes,15.3 seconds.

"The last month has been an experiment, and today's plan was simply to see if the various gambles employed in getting back to World Cup form might work," Klebl said in a press release. "Racing well here this week was a major focus of my season, but my medical challenges derailed a variety of plans, so skiing well today feels like a giant bonus in a season that did not unfold as planned."

Korea's Eui Hyun Sin won the men's sit-ski race with a time of 45:41.2. Andrew Soule, of the United States, skied to the silver medal position on the podium after stopping the clock at 46:09.6.

Arendz, of Hartsville, P.E.I.,  claimed his second-straight podium in as many days after winning the bronze medal in the men's standing 20-kilometre cross-country ski skate race with time of 1:00:02.5.

"It was a tough day on the course, but the wax technicians provided some amazing skis that helped a lot," said Arendz, a biathlon specialist who won the silver in yesterday's sprint race. "It was soft and deep slush, but I felt I kept a very strong, solid pace throughout the race. It was tough to finish so close to second, but I have to be pleased with the effort I put in today. It was a great result for me."

Benjamin Daviet, of France, won his second-straight race with a time of 56:35.8. Ihor Reptyukh, of the Ukraine, was second at 59:58.9.