The Eastern college circuit is in full swing, despite less than ideal snow conditions at some recent carnivals. This weekend, Dartmouth is playing the “host away from home” as their carnival was moved north to the Craftsbury ski area in Vermont where snow–and freezing cold air–were plentiful.
On the menu for Friday racers were mass-start skate races on a fresh, cold powder-covered, hilly 7km loop. The men raced first, skiing the loop three times for a slightly longer version of the usual 20km distance. About 70 men were entered, and although the first 1.5km was on wider trails, things narrowed down considerably when the course headed into the woods. Passing was difficult and it wasn't until most of the way through the first lap that things became less chaotic at the front and middle of the pack.
