RUMFORD / BETHEL — Middlebury College closed to within one point of Dartmouth in the overall team standings after the final day of nordic competition and the season opening alpine events at the Bates College carnival.
Middlebury controlled the slalom events on Saturday, with both its men and women leading in team scores. Dartmouth and Williams followed suit on the men’s side, with the University of Vermont and Bates rounding out the top three for the women.
Individual honors in Saturday’s slalom race went to senior David Chodounsky of Dartmouth and sophomore Veronique Archambault-Leger of the University of New Hampshire. They were followed by Middlebury junior Tucker Vest-Burton and University of Vermont sophomore Kara Crow on the women’s side, and Williams senior Charles Christianson and Middlebury junior Andrew Wagner for the men.
While Dartmouth failed to top the individual podiums in nordic racing at Black Mountain, both it’s men’s and women’s teams outscored Middlebury and the University of Vermont, who placed second and third in each category. The Colby men, on the heels of their impressive victory on Friday, finished in fourth.
Vermont junior Juergen Uhl finished the men’s ten kilometer classic race an impressive 50 seconds ahead of Middlebury first-year Patrick Johnson. Friday’s winner, Dartmouth junior Dakota Blackhorse-Von Jess, rounded out Saturday’s top three.
Youth prevailed on the women’s side at Black Mountain, and Middlebury first-year Alexa Turzian’s win helped keep her team close to Dartmouth in the overall points standings. She beat out five consecutive Dartmouth finishers for first place, including first-years Ida Sargent (Friday’s winner) and Rosie Brennan, who placed second and third in the ten kilometer classic event.
With only the giant slalom event remaining on Sunday, Middlebury looks to continue its dominance at Sunday River and top Dartmouth in the overall team standings.
Information about the remaining schedule, as well as full results and up-to-date team standings can be found at www.eisaskiing.org.
Photo courtesy of Kris Dobie (www.krisdobie.smugmug.com)
