Crimson Ski Team Finishes Ninth at Vermont Carnival

Pictured: Catherine Sheils finished 18th in the women's GS (Lincoln Benedict)

STOWE, Vt. – In the third EISA ski weekend of the season Harvard finished ninth out of 13 participating schools at the Vermont Carnival. The Crimson’s women Alpine team had its best run of the young season in the giant slalom event as the Crimson finished sixth. Meanwhile the women’s Nordic team also had a good run in the 5K Classic event with a seventh place finish.

Dartmouth and Vermont finished first and second while New Hampshire, Middlebury and Williams rounded out the top five overall.

With unseasonably warm weather in Hanover, N.H. , next weekend’s nordic events have been moved to Stowe, Vt. as well for the Dartmouth Carnival. The Alpine events will remain at the Dartmouth Skiway.

In the women’s GS, Catherine Sheils turned in an 18th place finish – just one hundredth of a second behind a skier from UNH – as she ripped through the course after starting in 43rd position. Caroline McHugh also had a top 25 finish (22nd) after he jumped 29 spots from her qualifying runs.

In the women’s 5K Classic on Saturday as Harvard placed three skiers into the top 25 (18, 20, 24) for the first time in program history.

It was a breakout race for frosh Alena Tofte, whose previous classic best was 36th, but with flashes of endurance and technique.

“Most of the team improved their placings in one technique or the other, which suggests that we're rounding into peak fitness,” said head Nordic coach Chris City. “Where we didn't improve our placings, it was because we weren't aggressive enough in passing slower skiers at the first opportunity. With the short race distances this weekend, all of the athletes' times were very close.”

The Crimson also saw solid improvements this weekend from Esther Kennedy, who significantly improved on her previous skate finishes this year with a 24th place finish just behind Audrey Mangan (20th). Anthony Ryerson also had a good outing in the men’s 10K with a 41st place finish in bib No. 1.

In the men’s GS, Chris Kinner placed 36th with two nearly identical runs while he placed 31st in the slalom.