Lively Second Day Defines Nordic's Carnival Run

Author: Andrew Zimmermann

After its best result of the season in the Middlebury Carnival, the nordic ski team will send six of its members to the NCAA National Championships in Anchorage, Alaska. Shams Helminski '02, Colin Rogers '04 and Tim Weston '03, who played an integral role in the weekend's success, will go to Alaska along with Kate Newick '04, Hillary Patzer '02 and Kate Whitcomb '04. Middlebury, carried by the strength of these members and others on its team, came in second as host of the Middlebury Carnival. The result was a season best for the team.

The nordic squad had a beautifully warm weekend to race at its home course of the Rikert Touring Center and turned in a solid performance. The highlight included the women's team winning the 15-kilometer freestyle event on day two, which began with a mass-start. Throughout the weekend the Panthers never finished below fourth as a team in any event.

On Friday the staggered five-kilometer classical event took place for the women while the men skied the same format at 10-kilometers. Patzer, who proved to be the dark horse in both events, cruised to a second place finish in the classical race. Her teammates Whitcomb, Diana Johnson '05 and Newick clustered at places 13, 14 and 15 respectively to ensure a third place team result overall in the event.

The men raced to a tie for third place with the University of New Hampshire (UNH). Helmiski continued the strong racing of senior skiers both nordic and alpine with a third place finish. Torgeir Lien of the University of Vermont (UVM) proved himself to be skiing in another dimension by undercutting the field by 1:17.6 in a race just over six miles in length. Men's captain Weston bustled to seventh. The next closest Middlebury finisher was Marshall Greene '04 in 32nd. The Panthers missed the likes of Rogers, perhaps the squad's most talented skier, as he was disqualified.

Like the alpine team, day two promised even better results for the nordic team as it enjoyed a breakout performance. The women's squad put all its resources together and beat UVM in the 15-kilometer freestyle by a score of 111 to 110. It marks the first time such a result has occurred this season. Placing five racers in the top 17, it was truly a team effort for the Panthers.

Patzer again led the team, nearly taking the event by finishing in second place just one second behind Claudia Reithofer from UVM. Whitcomb herself finished just one- tenth of a second out of fourth position, as she and Patzer were among the five in the lead pack at the finish. Crucial results for the women were Newick in 11th and Berkley Leach '04 in 15th. Johnson was not to be forgotten as she clocked a quick time and aided in the win with a 17th place finish.

The men had a tougher time with the mass-start freestyle event yet still managed to place fourth, behind Dartmouth, with three racers in the top 15 slots.

Rogers, Weston and Helminski finished in the order and showed they are worthy candidates to represent the nordic team in Anchorage. The format will challenge the nordic team in the NCAA Championships, since it will be the same that it encountered this past weekend. The first race on Thursday, March 7 will be a classical setup with the women racing five kilometers and the men 10.

On Saturday, March 9 the teams will participate in a freestyle format with the men skiing 20 kilometers and the women 15. Though the competition will be stiffer, the team hopes for results like it had this weekend, as it would mean a good chance for the Panthers to garner a top national finish.