EISA season halfway through with Colby Carnival

The EISA 2020 Carnival season is halfway done, and this weekend’s Colby Carnival held at Sugarloaf Mountain provided another exciting college race. The weather could not have been more perfect for the eastern skiers. Blue skies and a strong surface made for fast, aggressive skiing in the GS.

“We lucked out with the weather today in Sugarloaf-it was bluebird and warm which made for an awesome race,” said Andrew Miller, of Dartmouth. 

“You could really lay it over in the turn and get a lot back from the ski,” added Parker Biele, of Boston College. 

For the women, Dartmouth had a great day placing three in the top six and two in the top three. Marina Vilanova (UVM), a previous GS champion from this season, came out blazing to win the first run with a 59.43, two Dartmouth skiers were close behind with Mangan in second and Thomas in third. 

But it was Canadian skier Justine Clement who was in eighth after first run that really laid it down second run. Clement came screeching down to win the second run with a 1:01.72 and winning overall with a 2:02.24. She won the second run by a whopping 0.80 seconds. Thomas ended up second, and Mangan third to help Dartmouth take home first place for the women’s team standings in GS.  Boston College standout Parker Biele had a great day as well ending up fifth overall and fourth for college.

“I am super excited with today. I wanted to try and put two runs together. I’m excited for my two teammates as well with their first top 30s,” said Biele on her career-best EISA performance.

The men’s race brought a great performance from Dartmouth, as well, with Sophomore Andrew Miller coming down into first after the first run with a time of 58.03. UVM’s Lindstoel continued his strong skiing this season coming down in second, and Patrick Kenney (UNH) rounded out the first run in third.

“I was really happy with how I executed first run and my game plan was to try to ski just as aggressively second run,” remarked Miller (DAR) on his approach going into second run.

Middlebury’s Erik Arvidsson took advantage of the bluebird conditions to knife out the fastest second run time moving him from sixth to third overall. Lindstoel and Miller maintained their pace and ended up keeping their spot on the podium with Miller skiing to an overall time of 1:59.32, and Lindstoel with a 1:59.52. With three in the top ten, the Dartmouth men walk away with the GS win.

“It was surreal when I crossed the finish line and my teammates ran up to congratulate me on my first carnival win. It was particularly special because I’m contributing to the success of the whole team rather than just myself,” says Miller on Dartmouth’s GS success.

Colby Carnival Slalom

Second day of the Colby Carnival brought another out of the ordinary day for Sugarloaf Mountain. The EISA skiers were pleased to be met with good weather for the second day in a row, making them ready to attack the long slalom.

“We were lucky to have no wind at Sugarloaf! It was a very fun slalom. We were able to start at the top of Cribworks so it was a great opportunity to test ourselves,” says Maddie Dekko (WILL).

Per tradition, the men kicked out of the start first for the slalom.  Out of the gate the UVM men dominated taking the top two spots of the podium with Mathias Tefre in first with a 48.37 and Lindstoel in second with a 48.43.  The previous day’s winner, Andrew Miller (DAR), skied into third after first run. For the second run Dartmouth Senior AJ Ginnis charging down second run with the fastest second run time of 54.04 moving himself from eighth to third overall.  Showing consistency, the UVM men maintained their podium spots with Tefre and Lindstoel taking first and second for the Catamounts. Other notable performances came from Middlebury men Alkier in fourth and Gavett in fifth. Also skiing into the top ten was PSU’s Cooper Yates tying for seventh with Kipling Wiesel (DAR).

For men’s team rankings UVM took first, Dartmouth second, and Middlebury third. Rounding out the top five was UNH in fourth and the Bates College Bobcats in fifth.

The Dartmouth women conquered for the second day in a row taking the women’s team win after a successful day of slalom at Sugarloaf. The biggest comeback of day going to Dartmouth’s Ellie Curtis climbing her way back from a thirteenth place first run (56.78) to knocking out the field second run with a 53.50 moving her up ten spots into the podium. 

“I wasn’t really expecting to podium today after a slow first run but the snow was a lot better for me second run and I was able to ski cleaner and send it!” Remarks Curtis.

Ali Nullmeyer (MIDD) maintained her slalom reign this season taking first overall with the combined time of 1:49.13. Emma Woodhouse (UNH) was also able to lay it down claiming the second fastest time both runs, putting her into second overall with a 1:49.34.  And for her career best finish it was Williams College standout Maddie Dekko in fourth with a 1:50.53. Other notable performances include Colby College skiers Rosie Hust and Sandra Schoepke taking 9 and 10, and Harvard standout Nellie Ide just barely out of the top ten in 11^th. 

“I’m really excited about how I personally skied. I had a little bit of nerves before second run and I’m happy I was able to calm myself down and just go out and have fun,” says Dekko on her slalom success.

Dartmouth placed three women in the top six to win the team standings for the slalom. In second was UNH, Middlebury in third, UVM in fourth and UVM rounding out the top five.

Overall with Nordic and Alpine combined the Catamounts remain undefeated this season raking in 899 points, Dartmouth takes second with 831 points, and the Middlebury Panthers take third with 827 points.