Williams Moves To 12th after Day 2 at NCAAs
Alex Dyroff '10 in the 2009 NCAA Slalom
BETHEL, Me. – Eric Mann ’09 netted the top finish of the day, placing 14th in the slalom at Sunday River, to lead the Ephs one spot forward into 12th place. The Ephs still remain sixth among schools from the EISA conference, trailing Vermont, currently the overall leader, New Hampshire (7th), Dartmouth (8th), Middlebury (9th), and Colby (11th).
Mann and teammate Alex Dyroff ’10 found themselves in 21st and 22nd place, respectively, after the first run. Mann raced to an 11th fastest second run to move into 14th place overall (tied with Drew Roberts of Colorado), while Dyroff similarly used his 14th fastest second run to advance to 18th place, putting both skiers inside the top twenty. With only two skiers, out of a possible three, representing the men’s alpine team, Dyroff and Mann combined to place tenth, seven and a half points ahead of the three-man contingent from Dartmouth, and fifth among schools from the East.
Junior Emily Porter was consistent in both runs, placing 29th after the first run, earning the #2 starting spot in the second run, and skiing to a 29th place finish overall. The EISA was well represented in the slalom, with EISA athletes grabbing six of the top ten places.
The University of Vermont (484 points) holds the narrowest of leads over hard-charging Denver University (482) and the University of New Mexico (481). The Pioneers of Denver can count on strong skiing in the final event—Saturday’s mass start freestyle races—particularly from their women’s nordic team who rolled to an impressive victory over the women from Dartmouth in Thursday’s classic race with three athletes in the top 12.
New Mexico rebounded from a disappointing day for their men’s team in Thursday’s GS, where their two best athletes hiked on the second run of GS squandering valuable points for the Lobos, and found success in the slalom, with their women’s team taking gold and silver, catapulting UNM into third place in the standings, with a three point margin separating them from the championship.
Vermont, with only four nordic skiers, out of a possible six, impressed in Thursday’s classic race, with all four skiers receiving All-America honors for their top ten finishes, but it will take a tremendous effort for the short-handed Catamounts to retain their position on the top step of the podium.
Williams will count on points from Dimitri Luthi ’12 in the men’s 20K mass start freestyle race to wrap up the championships. Luthi, who skied to an impressive 11th place finish in the 20K FS at the Bates Carnival in January, held on the same course, has raced well at Rumford this season and will look to end his season on a high note with the grueling 20K race.
Luthi will race at noon on Saturday, following the 10am start of the women’s 15K freestyle race.
Men's 20K Freestyle Start List (Saturday, mass start)
