Hancock, Vt. - The Middlebury Carnival is marked on the calendar by ski racers across the Eastern circuit. Well known for the crowds of students that trek up to the Middlebury Snow Bowl. This year, students who braved the elements were treated to a fantastic day of ski racing.
The snow was very good with a hard and consistent surface that allowed racers to push hard from top to bottom. The first run set was fast with times well under a minute. The Mules put four ladies in the flip-30 (the top 30 skiers from the first run go in reverse order) allowing them to take advantage of a clean course.
The second run set was more challenging, especially near the bottom half but, the Mules were able to charge. Ella Spear notched another top-10, joining her seventh-place finish from the Saint Michaels Carnival. Charlotte Maurer also skied to an impressive 23rd and Cassie Lieblein and Meagan Olsen finished in 27th and 28th to score individual EISA points.
In ski racing, it is largely regarded that to finish among the top athletes you must be in the top 30 after the first run. However, Lydia Riddell challenged that notion by finishing 9th on the second run and moving all the way up to 19th a move of 15 spots from 34th. Her second run was the 9th fastest for the women and an impressive display of resiliency.
On the men's side, Chauncey Morgan was able to do something similar. His first run put him in 28th place but, he was the fastest skier on the second run. In a sport usually decided by hundredths of a second Morgan won the run by nearly a second. This catapulted him all the way into 5th place as he continues his fantastic season.
Also scoring was Patrick Coughlin, returning to the Carnival lineup to finish in 35th and Paul Ferri in 42nd.
Morgan's stellar result placed the men in 6th on the day and the depth on the women's team rewarded them with a 4th place team finish. The Mules again find themselves in the familiar 5th place position. But, harbor a comfortable lead against the 6th place team and an opportunity to jump in front of the 4th place New Hampshire Wildcats tomorrow with another GS race.
MEN'S GS RESULTS (PDF)
WOMEN'S GS RESULTS (PDF)
