Dartmouth Continues its Dominance and Crum Scores Big for Bowdoin in Lake Placid

FasterSkierJanuary 23, 2025

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By: Francesca Kitch

The Saint Lawrence University Carnival was held this past weekend at Mt. Vanhoevenberg in Lake Placid, NY. Coupled with the Eastern Cup on day two of the carnival, the start list was among the largest in North America this year. Not only was it a large field, but it was also one of the hardest courses on the east, with 191 meters of elevation on the 5km loop. 

Elias Soule making his way up Grindhouse Hill. (Photo: Dave Brams)

“I like the challenge that it poses and it’s a super legit course that really prepares you for anything…it’s a good one to get out of the way early in the season, so you kind of know you can do anything after Lake Placid,” said Luke Allan (Dartmouth), winner of Friday’s 20km skate mass start and Saturday’s 7.5km classic. Allan won the 20km by 38 seconds over Logan Moore (Middlebury) after skiing the last two laps ahead of the field. “[EISA mass starts] are always super fun to race in because you just know all the guys on the start coral and can really play some fun tactics out there.” 

Luke Allan in the men’s mass start with a commanding lead. (Photo: Dave Brams)

Allan also expressed how fired up he was about his team’s overall success this weekend. Dartmouth ended the carnival with a full team win (combined men and women), 5 individual podium finishes, and 3 wins. In the 20 km mass start, Ava Thurston crossed the line in second place, and in the 7.5km classic, Jasmine Drolet topped the podium with Thurston joining her in third. In the classic race, the Dartmouth women put 6 in the top 10, a remarkable feat showcasing the team’s depth.

Logan Moore during Friday’s Mass Start. (Photo: Dave Brams)

After dealing with a few weeks of sickness, Drolet says she is finally feeling better. “It feels good to be back and racing at EISA and seeing everyone.” She added that the course “definitely played to my strengths, especially in classic with the striding,” feeling that her classic is typically stronger than her skate performance. 

Keelan Durham charging up Grindhouse Hill on Saturday. (Photo: Ben Condit)

It was also a weekend for the history books for the Bowdoin team. Junior Emma Crum had an outstanding skate mass start on Friday, clinching the Polar Bears their first ever EISA win. “I think that was what I was thinking about more than the individual win which is a little silly but was a big thing for Bowdoin,” she said. When Crum crossed the line two seconds ahead of Thurston, she was in disbelief. “It felt very satisfying because it was a fight all the way to the end–it was never a guarantee, which made it feel very good.” Crum also acknowledged that the course played to her strengths, and used her strong V1 on the large hills to catch back up with Thurston and race to the end.

Emma Crum crossed the finish line with Bowdoin’s first ever EISA win on Friday. (Photo: Charles Swabey)

 

Full EISA Schedule & Results
Bates Carnival

Rumford, ME

Friday, January 10, 2025: Freestyle Sprint: Men’s Results  –  Women’s Results

Saturday, January 11, 2025: 15km Freestyle – Individual Start: Men’s Results  –  Women’s Results

 

St. Lawrence University Carnival

Mt. Van Hoevenberg, Lake Placid, NY

Friday, January 17, 2025: 20K Freestyle – Mass Start: Men’s ResultsWomen’s Results

Saturday, January 18, 2025: 7.5K Classic – Individual Start: Men’s ResultsWomen’s Results

 

St. Michael’s College Carnival

Sleepy Hollow, Huntington, Vermont

Friday, January 31, 2025: 10K Freestyle – Individual Start

Saturday, February 1, 2025: 3x5k Classic – Relay

 

Dartmouth College Carnival

Oak Hill Outdoor Center, Hanover, New Hampshire

Friday, February 7 , 2025: Freestyle Sprint

Saturday, February 8, 2025: 15k Classic – Mass Start

 

Middlebury College Carnival

Rikert Outdoor Center, Ripton, Vermont

Friday, February 14, 2025: Freestyle Sprint

Saturday, February 15, 2025: 15k Classic – Mass Start

 

University of New Hampshire Carnival

Jackson Nordic Center, Jackson, New Hampshire

Friday, February 21, 2025: 7.5k Classic – Individual Start

Saturday, February 22, 2025: 15k Freestyle – Mass Start

 

NCAA Championship

Oak Hill Outdoor Center, Hanover, New Hampshire

March 5-8, 2025

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