Today a 5km classic around the same course concluded St. Michael’s Carnival. The skies were blue, and the racers got to ski in balmy single-digit temperatures. The ceremonies for both days were held this afternoon, after the women wrapped up their race.
A single lap around the course for the 5k meant quicker races and more intense uphill pushes right in front of the spectators. Combine that with the scorching temperature (and a much smaller exodus to the cars between the men’s and women’s races to warm up fingers and toes), and of course even more friends and family than yesterday were out cheering names, ringing cowbells, and holding posters.
Recent history somewhat repeated itself today. Matias Oevrum stepped to the top of the podium for both ceremonies. Oevrum finished in 12:29.5, more than ten seconds ahead of the next fastest skier. UVM, though, was able to occupy the rest of podium today; they only claimed two spots from Friday’s races. Finn Sweet and Gregory Burt finished second and third, and their teammate Jacob Nystedt’s 12:47.2 finish meant only one non-UVM skier cracked the top five – Dartmouth’s Luke Allan, in fifth.
Oevrum, after stepping off the podium for the second time, mentioned that UVM was able to ski Sleepy Hollow last year, just after the course was updated. That, combined with a lot of good double pole work this season and the coaches’ stellar wax job, definitely contributed to the catamounts' dominant two days, said both Oevrum and Burt.
The back-to-back winner also explained that he thinks the new course benefitted his race. Though the new hill towards the end makes for a more difficult finish, the rest is well suited to fast skiing, he said. “I really like the course. I feel like it’s a course where you can just ski well, because the hills aren’t too steep. They’re very stride-able,” said Oevrum.
Charles Martell, from SMC, proved to be consistent on his home trails. The freshman clocked in today at 23rd after placing 20th on Friday, validating SMC senior’s Will Meehan’s assertion yesterday that “St. Mike’s is on the rise!”
The top of the women’s podium was also visited twice by the same skier. Dartmouth’s Jasmine Drolet, with a time of 14:17.4, completed her own sweep of the St. Michael’s Carnival. UVM skiers Anna Bizyukova and Waverly Gebhardt rounded out the women’s classic 5km podium, extending the catamounts' presence on the podium to the women’s side.
This weekend was also back-to-back winner Drolet’s first ever EISA carnival. The Dartmouth freshman credited some “pretty good prep” this year, but was also quick to suggest that these races are hard for her to evaluate. It was the first time Drolet raced against any of the EISA competitors. A brand-new course and a her first ever carnival format, too.
Drolet also commented on the Sleepy Hollow course. She liked it, she said, but Drolet has a real penchant for climbing. “I’m more of a hill girl, but it was fun,” she said. “It was fast.”
So concludes a rapid weekend up in Vermont. Check the link below for a full list of results from today.