Nordic skiers score big on day one at Middlebury
February 20, 2009

Ruppertsberger

Ellefson

Curran

Evans-Brown

Samuelson

Whiton

Taylor

Poole

McClelland
MIDDLEBURY, Vt. -- The Bates Nordic and alpine ski teams kicked off the Middlebury College Carnival today in Vermont. The Nordic team competed in the men and women’s 10K classic mass start at the Rikert Touring Center in Ripton, Vt. The men and women’s alpine team competed in the slalom races at the Middlebury Snow Bowl in Hancock, Vt.
 
The Bates Nordic teams had a tremendous first day of competition, with five women finishing in the top 25 of the women’s 10K classic mass start and four men finishing in the top 25 of the men’s 10K classic mass start. The women finished second only to Dartmouth of out of 11 competing teams in the event, possibly the Bobcats' best team ever in a carnival event, according to 16th-year head coach Becky Woods '89.

Sophomore Natalie Ruppertsberger (Plainfield, N.H.) recorded her highest finish of the season, placing third out of 61 racers with a time of 31:41.2. First-year Caitlin Curran (Waitsfield, Vt.) and junior Abby Samuelson (Freeport, Maine) finished back-to-back in 13th and 14th place respectively, less than two seconds apart (Curran - 33:14.8, Samuelson - 33:16.7).

First-year Beth Taylor (Norwich, Vt.) and junior Megan McClelland (Keene Valley, N.Y.) finished in the top 25 with Taylor finishing 20th in a time of 33:30.4 and McClelland placing 24th in a time of 34:01.0.

The men’s Nordic team also continued their impressive skiing this season with four team members finishing in the top 25 in the 10K classic mass start. Senior captain Sylvan Ellefson (Vail, Colo.) continued his brilliant season, placing sixth out of 58 racers with a time of 27:05.7. Fellow senior Sam Evans-Brown (Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H.) also continued his successful season finishing thirty-five seconds behind Ellefson in a time of 27:40.5, good enough for thirteenth place.

Senior Tim Whiton (Portland, Maine) and junior Harry Poole (Yarmouth, Maine) finished just two seconds apart for 24th and 25th place respectively (Whiton - 28.48.5 and Poole - 28:50.4). The men’s Nordic team currently sits in fourth place out of 11 teams with 88 points; the team holds a slight lead over Williams (82) and is well ahead of Colby (68).

The combined Bates Nordic and alpine ski teams are in seventh place out of 11 teams at the carnival, with 279 points. The Bobcats are ahead of St. Lawrence (254) and trail Williams (304) after day one of the Middlebury Carnival.

The Nordic team competes tomorrow, Feb. 21 in the women and men's 3 x 5km freestyle relay at 10am and 12pm respectively.

View complete carnival results at http://www.eisaskiing.org/BART/Results09/mc09.htm.