By: Caleb Horsch
Following a one-day delay, the Bates carnival resumed with the slalom portion. The league's patience was rewarded as racers were greeted with a hard surface that held up for most of the men's and women's races. The men were up first, and they didn't have to make much of a switch out of GS mode as Kurt Simard of Bates set a challenging course with plenty of distance and offset.
Caroline Jones (University of Vermont) - flyingpoint.com
Eirik Kveno of Saint Michael's and winner of Thursday's GS proved he will be a two-event threat this year, beating last year's SL champion, Mathias Tefre, from UVM by just 0.16 in the first run. Maximilian Haussman from Plymouth State rounded out the first run podium but sat a distant 0.56 off the pace. Tight margins were present yet again, with the flip just 2.80 seconds. The highest bib in the flip came from Saint Michael's Gray Flanagan, who moved from bib 58 to 25th.
The Dartmouth men built off their result from the GS, putting four men in the top 10 at the end of the first run, and sat atop the provisional standings with 105 points ahead of a strong Saint Michael's team buoyed by the result of Kveno.
Olof Hedelin (Dartmouth) - flyingpoint.com
After the men, the women got their chance. The UVM ladies rose to the occasion going 1-2-3 after the first run led by last year's SL champion Moa Clementson looking to defend her title. Justine Clement and Caroline Jones followed her. Their efforts were enough to put UVM in the lead after the first run; UNH followed them with two skiers in the top 10.
As racers got a better feel for the snow, they ferociously began to attack the course. Taking advantage of a straighter set on the men's side, Cooper Puckett put down a blazing-fast second run. However, it was not enough to dethrone Mathias Tefre, who benefited from a mistake by Kveno on the second run to win the race. Still, Kveno and Puckett earned another podium finish and two great results toward NCAA championships qualifying.
On the second run, Allie Resnick navigated a deteriorating course to win the run and move up to third place. Jones and Clement did just enough to hold off Resnick to finish first and second, respectively. Unfortunately for UVM, their podium sweep was denied when Clementson went down on her second run. Still, the women's team accrued enough points to win the slalom portion.
The Dartmouth men's sides depth gave them 109 points, enough to hold off UVM, led by Tefre. UVM's finishes of ninth and fifth in the GS were erased by good skiing today, where they finished second and first; combined with strong results from the nordic team, they won the carnival. They defeated Dartmouth by just 29 points, and the University of New Hampshire, who finished third.
Mathias Tefre (University of Vermont) - flyingpoint.com
After a schedule readjustment, the carnival season will resume with the UNH carnival at Mittersill Mountain in two weeks. Those with a strong race this weekend will look to build on their results, and those who left some out there will get some training and rest before five straight weeks of jam-packed action.
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