March 1, 2008 (Nes, Norway) – Brian McKeever and his brother Robin teamed up to win their second gold medal in as many days at the IPC World Cup in Nes, Norway on Friday, this time in the men’s 7.5km biathlon competition. The 28-year-old McKeever and his guide Robin, both of Canmore, Alta., handily captured their fourth Para-Nordic gold medal of the IPC World Cup season, after clocking a time of 21 minutes 09.7 seconds. The next closest competitor was nearly two minutes behind.

Legally blind as a result of Stargardt’s disease, which is a form of macular degeneration that affects central vision, McKeever has won nearly everything on the table in the Para-Nordic ski world, and is now focused on competing with the world’s elite able-bodied skiers. Last year Brian made history after skiing in his first-ever able-bodied World Championships where he finished 24th in a 15-kilometre skate-skiing race.

The IPC World Cup is divided into three categories for the various disabilities including: visually impaired, sit-skiing, and standing amputation and limb disability.

Other Canadian results included: in the standing amputation and limb disability category, Mark Arendz, of Charlottetown, P.E.I., finished middle of the pack in 10th spot, while Lou Gibson, of Langley, B.C., struggled in the men’s sit-ski competition finishing at the back of the pack in 17th. Robbi Weldon, of Thunder Bay, Ont., also finished in eighth out of eight competitors in the women’s visually impaired category.

Meanwhile, Canada’s next generation of Olympic heroes wrapped up a strong week in Mals, Italy with the team relays at the Nordic World Championships. The Canadian men, riding the hot momentum of Alex Harvey who captured a silver medal and two fourth-place finishes this week, posted a ninth-place result with a time of 1:01:42.8 in the 4×5 kilomtre relay. Harvey was joined by Len Valjas, of Thunder Bay, Ont., Julien Nury, of St-Nicolas, Que., and Frederic Touchette, who hails from the same hometown as Harvey in St-Ferreol les Neiges, Que. The Russian team won the men’s race with a time of 59:06.1.

The Canadian women of Heidi Widmer, of Banff, Alta., Alysson Marshall, of Salmon Arm, B.C., Stephanie Drolet, of Mt. Tremblant, Que., and Calgary’s Marlis Kromm teamed up to finish 12h in the women’s 4×3.3 kilometre relay. The Canadian women posted a time of 45:25.2. The Norwegian team won the women’s race with a time of 41:50.1.

For complete Nordic Junior/U23 Worlds results visit www.fis-ski.com