BARTLETT, N.H. - With results from the slalom races counting doubly towards overall scores at the UNH Carnival, Vermont secured its second win of the season on Saturday (Jan. 28) by accumulating 1,021 points to Dartmouth's 873. The University of New Hampshire, who had been in a heated tie for fourth place heading into Saturday's races, clawed its way into third on the performances of its alpine and women's Nordic squads, tallying 710 points in total.
Dartmouth's Sophie Caldwell claimed her second victory of the carnival weekend and maintained her podium streak in the mass start women's 15k freestyle. Teammate Erika Flowers was third, and UVM's Caitlin Patterson split the Big Green by crossing the line in second. Elizabeth Guiney of UNH was the top non-Dartmouth/UVM finisher in tenth, and she led her team to a third place result.
In the men's 20k freestyle race, Eric Packer and Sam Tarling of Dartmouth took first and third, respectively, while UVM's Franz Bernstein finished second. Patrick Johnson of Middlebury--a familiar podium name--was fourth.
With the cancellation of the giant slalom races due to unfavorable racing conditions on Friday, Saturday's slalom contests carried doubled weight in team scoring for the carnival. Slick conditions at the gates contrasted the sugary berms that developed below, and many athletes struggled to put two clean runs together. UVM once again swept the men's podium and took first and second in the women's race as well. On the fourth and fifth place finishes of Zach Clayton and Sam Coffey, UNH scored second as a team in the men's event.
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| Wildcat Zach Clayton charges to fourth |
Tim Kelley, defending NCAA slalom champion and slalom race winner for the second weekend in a row, trailed his teammate Kevin Drury after the first run. But Kelley had a plan, "After slipping, it looked like the track was better after the sugar was [skied] off. I knew it was going to be hard [for second run], so I just attacked it." Teammate Kate Ryley asserted it was actually the Kanye West pump-up music Kelley listened to on the lift before his run that ensured the win.
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| Jonathan Nordbotten (left), Tim Kelley (center), and Bobby Farrell (right) complete the podium sweep in the men's slalom |
Ryley herself found the second step of the podium behind fellow Catamount Elli Terwiel who, along with Kelley, is now two-for-two in EISA slalom races this season. Williams Eph Laurel Carter claimed third to break up a near UVM podium sweep in the women's race as well.
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| Laurel Carter angles into third at the women's slalom |
EISA racing moves to Stowe, Vt. on Friday (Feb. 3) for the UVM Carnival.
Team scores at the conclusion of the UNH Carnival:
University of Vermont - 1021
Dartmouth College - 873
University of New Hampshire - 710
Middlebury College - 639
Williams College - 604
Colby College - 516
Bates College - 435
St. Lawrence University - 396
Harvard University - 316
St. Michael's College - 226
Bowdoin College - 158
Plymouth State University - 98
Boston College - 74
University of Maine - Presque Isle - 66
Colby-Sawyer College - 60
