It was a bitterly cold day today up at Waterville Valley in New Hampshire. More than 160 skiers raced in the first day of the Harvard Carnival—the first that Harvard has ever hosted—as it got under way in single digit temperature with wind chills well into the double-digit negatives. The fresh snow that fell Wednesday night into Thursday morning had dried out and lightened up, but much of the snow was still masking a firm surface and the courses developed large berms and deep ruts throughout both runs, and the high wind and freezing temperatures forced most athletes to hike up to the slalom start from the top of the T bar.
In men’s slalom, Dartmouth sophomore Drew Duffy once again ascended to the podium to take third place. He finished the first run with a blistering first place run (44.90’—the quickest of the lot), but was unable to hold onto his lead with a 49.19’ second run (the ninth fastest). Joachim Jagge Lindstoel, a freshman at UVM who hails from Norway, ripped up to second place with a 46.09’ first run and the fastest second run around town at 47.96’. Tim Gavett, a Middlebury sophomore, claimed first place with a 45.40’ first run and a 48.30’ second run.
In women’s slalom, Colby junior Rosie Hust ascended the podium to nab third place with a 48.45’ first run (putting her in second place leading into the second run) and a 53.08’ final run. Middlebury returned to the podium with Ali Nullmeyer, a freshman, who skied a 48.77’ first run and 52.62’ second run—the second fastest. UNH’s Emma Woodhouse returned to the podium yet again with a wildly quick 47.71’ first run and a 43.35' second run that, while the seventh fastest, didn’t hold her back from first place.
Tomorrow, we return to Waterville Valley for warmer weather and even bigger—which is to say giant—slalom.