Dense cloud cover returned today for the second day of the EISA Championships and Middlebury Carnival. A thick flurry of snow descended in the morning, but things cleared up by the time racers lined up for the start of some wicked Snow Bowl GS. The surface was firmer than yesterday’s mixed bag, and held up reasonably well throughout the runs.
Dartmouth women finished carnival season exceptionally strong, with Claire Thomas returning to the podium to get third place after a sixth place first run and third place second run. Teammate Tricia Mangan, also a podium regular, tied with Thomas on her first run but slid ahead with the second fastest second run to get second overall. Ali Nullmeyer, who won slalom for Middlebury yesterday, raked in another win with lightning first and second runs (both the fastest in the women’s field). At the awards ceremony, Nullmeyer credited the desirable conditions and solid surface--which held up despite the variable weather leading into the weekend--for helping her get the W and propel the Panthers to a seriously good end to their season.
Over in the men’s field, UVM got back on the podium and Middlebury made a good day even better. Robby Kelley, skiing for Castleton State College of the USCSA, grabbed ninth on the first run and third on the second run to get third place overall. UVM’s freshman speed demon Jagge Lindstoel showed his uncanny consistency yet again with two second place runs and a second place overall finish. Middlebury’s Erik Arvidsson made it all happen on his home hill with first place first and second runs cementing his first place finish. "I've skied on this hill a million times," Arvidsson said when asked about his big win. "I knew if I just came out and executed what I did every day in training it could probably go pretty well." He also expressed some serious stoke about how the Middlebury team looked at the end of the season and heading into NCAAs in Montana.
Stay tuned for a full championship and award recap!