STOWE — Solid performances by Middlebury skiers, were enough to oust the University of Vermont from the lead in it’s home carnival and give Middlebury it’s first win of the season.
Tim Reynolds led the charge for Middlebury Saturday, qualifying fourth in the 1.2 kilometer sprint event, then skiing his way to victory through elimination-style heats. Dartmouth team mates Patrick O’Brien and Dakota Blackhorse-Von Jess finished second and third, respectively.
It was the Colby men however who topped the sprint team score, with Wyatt Fereday, Nick Kline, and Silas Gill finishing fourth through sixth. The Colby men edged Dartmouth and Middlebury for their second win of the season.
Dartmouth women again showed their dominance Saturday, topping Middlebury and the University of Vermont in team scores. Dartmouth’s Ida Sargent remained undefeated at the Trapp Family Lodge. She won the freestyle sprint qualification by nearly four seconds, and went on to win the elimination heats as well. Teammate and older sister Elsa Sargent finished second.
Jilyne McDonald of the University of Vermont picked up her second win of the weekend on the home course, edging the University of New Hampshire’s Veronique Archambault-Leger and Middlebury’s Tucker Vest-Burton in Saturday’s slalom race at Stowe Mountain.
McDonald’s win was only enough to help her team to third, behind Middlebury and the University of New Hampshire. Middlebury’s Mattie Ford and Megan Hughes, who placed fifth and ninth, scored crucial points in their team’s overall victory on Saturday.
Men’s alpine racing was again led by Charles Christianson of Williams, who picked up his second win of the weekend and third of the season. Christianson edged Colby’s Vincent Lebrun-Fortin and the University of Vermont’s Bobby Paulus, who placed second and third. Paulus was followed closely by team mates Ethan Korpi and Erik Gilbert; the three scored enough points to give the Catamounts the slalom win. UVM was followed by Middlebury and Williams.
Middlebury’s final points tally was 718, which just edged the University of Vermont, who finished a close second with 715 points. Dartmouth finished third with 694 points.
Teams now look ahead to the Dartmouth Carnival, February 8-9, where Dartmouth looks to return to it’s winning ways with the home course advantage. Middlebury and the University of Vermont, both stronger this weekend, will try to again upset the defending national champions.
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)
: Women's freestyle sprint winner (pictured here at the SLU Carnival)</font></center></p>
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