Middlebury Winter Carnival returned for its 102nd iteration this weekend, showcasing historic athletic achievements and a packed lineup of on-campus events. A triumphant showing from the Panthers led to their best carnival result in six years, totaling 877.5 points and finishing with a team result of second place. Back on campus, students participated in a range of activities, including an ice-carving competition, a film festival, bonfire, two performances of the Winter Carnival Ice Show and the traditional Winter Carnival Ball.
The flagship events of the carnival kicked off on Friday, with the slalom race at the Snowbowl and 1.4k sprint at Rikert Nordic Center. Beneath blue skies, Brad Underhill ’25 clinched the slalom win and Nick Unkovskoy ’27 strung together two impressive days, tying for 9th on Friday and taking second on Saturday.
“I was pumped for our team,” Underhill said. “We put up a good fight and almost won the carnival over Dartmouth.”
Kjersti Moritz ’28 earned second place in the women’s slalom competition, only 0.12 seconds behind the winner. Other notable performances from Sophia Tozzi ’26 and Mika Anne Riha ’25 led to three finishers in the top 10.
At Rikert, the men’s and women’s nordic teams logged strong results, finishing second place as a combined team for the day. The women’s team landed four skiers in the top 10, with Maggie Wagner ’26 leading the charge in fourth place. On the men’s side, Jack Christner ’25 finished in fourth position, narrowly missing the podium by 0.18 seconds. The momentum from Friday’s competitions gave the Panthers motivation and fired them up for future success on Saturday.
As the sun set on the day’s competitions, the fun resumed on campus. On Ross Lawn, a large bonfire roared to life, and students took turns roasting marshmallows, which Co-President of Middlebury College Activities Board (MCAB) Kanon Asari ’27 appreciated.
“It was great to see people gathering and enjoying the fire in the snow,” she said.
To top off the evening, eight teams of four or five students competed head-to-head in an ice sculpture contest on Proctor patio. Chipping away at suitcase-sized blocks of ice, the teams unleashed their creativity, shaping unique carvings using only hand tools. Notable sculptures included a penguin, a LOVE sculpture, an ice cream cone and an Easter Island Moai. Upping the ante, the cash prize was raised to $600 from $500 the year before. After voting concluded, the lifelike penguin sculpture came out on top.
On the morning of Saturday, Feb. 15, hundreds of students made the time-honored pilgrimage to the Snowbowl and Rikert to watch their fellow students compete. Amid overcast skies and chilling temperatures, hordes of brightly clothed fans packed the venues, creating a lively atmosphere.
The Snowbowl’s DJs, food truck and hourly bus rides to and from the mountain provided a spirited backdrop for Saturday’s competitions.
Ski patroller Abe Barrow ’26 reflected on the previous year’s events, and how they compared to this year’s rather uneventful proceedings.
“The chaos of everybody sliding down the hill was kind of nuts,” Barrow said, referring to Ski Patrol’s struggles to manage drunk students who had climbed up the mountain.
Instead of allowing students on the upper area of the Snowbowl, mountain operations limited viewing to a smaller corral near the finish arena. Despite this change, Barrow said that all attendees seemed to enjoy the event.
For Underhill, and the team as a whole, the day was a dream come true. Underhill and Moritz displayed dominant form, leading the Panthers to wins in the men’s and women’s alpine competitions. He attributed the team’s success in part to the incredible fan base at the mountain.
“It’s just pretty next-level racing in front of a home crowd,” Underhill said following his pair of wins. “I think everyone else on the circuit also really enjoys the atmosphere and the energy.”
At Rikert, the scene was equally electric. Strong efforts from Jack Christner and Logan Moore earned them podium finishes in their final Middlebury carnival, an emotional outcome for the seniors.
Winter sports are at the heart of the Winter Carnival — but the races are only one part of a larger event. The weekend was packed with a host of other activities, which were fully organized by students.
On Thursday Feb. 13, the all-female adventure film festival No Man’s Land Film Festival screened in Dana Auditorium. The festival showcased a number of films, an intermission panel and a raffle at the end.
As snow began to fall on Saturday night, the Winter Ball began in Nelson Arena. A Carnival tradition since 1923, this year’s ball was well attended, with couples and friends enjoying mocktails, a photo booth and a DJ.
“We focused on marketing this year to make people excited for the Ball,” Asari said. “Every board member worked so hard to make the event successful.”
Engagement was high from both an athletic and student perspective. With the alpine and nordic races away next year, students and athletes alike left the weekend feeling fulfilled and excited for festivities to resume next year.
