Dartmouth skiers headed north and west to training camps over the holiday break. Based on their performances in pre-season races, the Big Green coaches anticipate an exciting season for Dartmouth Skiing.
The men's alpine team proved itself in Colorado with several top finishes against the best collegiate and junior skiers in the Rocky Mountain area.
Captain David Viele '98 won two giant slalom races, while Andrew Pennock '99 and Jeremy Joseph '00 each placed second in GS and slalom, respectively. Meanwhile, Jamieson Reigle '99 consistently scored in every race this season.
In National FIS races held in the East, Pennock skied to second and third place in slalom races.
Men's alpine coach Peter Dodge sees "more depth than last year" and feels that his veterans have improved and will challenge strong competition from Vermont and Middlebury College.
The competition for the women's alpine team looks tough as well, according to coach Bruce Lingelbach. His skiers fared well against schools from the West at training camp.
Lingelbach, like Dodge, sees more depth this year, and feels that there are four skiers very capable of top-10 and top-5 finishes, with a host of additional skiers looking at the top 15.
Former U.S. Ski Team member Jen Collins '99 returns to Dartmouth after competing at the national level last year. Collins was the NCAA Champion in Giant Slalom in 1995-96.
Lingelbach describes Collins as "on the comeback trail" and "showing no residual effects" from the fractured fibula she suffered over the summer.
In addition, captain Laura Turner '98 and Gusty Swift '01 are making an impact. The team's top skier last year, Katey Maher '99, is expected to put on a strong showing again this year.
Men's cross-country coach Ruff Patterson believes his skiers will quickly step up their performance in order to fill two major gaps.
Senior captain Paul Stone '98 underwent back surgery and will be out for the season.
Meanwhile, Nils Arvold '00 will be the latest Big Green skier to carry the Dartmouth banner overseas, as he trains and competes this season in Europe with the World Junior team.
Norwich, Vt., native Steve Donahue '99, Scott McArt '01, and Eric Maas '98 displayed strength at the Gold Cup U.S. Olympic trials earlier this month at Lake Placid, N.Y. Patrick Cote '98, also among the team's top cross country skiers, is another of Patterson's reasons for confidence about the coming season.
Preseason training at Mt. St. Anne, Quebec, "went very well" for the women's cross-country squad, and Coach Cami Thompson sees improvement from all her top skiers.
Ellen Halstead '98 will be joined by five juniors --two-time All American Barb Jones '99, co-captains Abi Holt '99 and Jessica Smith '99, Chris Shaner '99, and Aricca Dums '99-- on a squad which Thompson says "will be tough to beat."
Smith qualified for the World Junior Championships and will miss the first races of the carnival season as a result.
Additional reason for optimism was the early season snowfall, which Patterson and Thompson say allowed their teams to start local training earlier than normal.
With seasoned veterans, talented newcomers and a great deal of potential, the Big Green gets its first test this weekend, at the St. Lawrence Winter Carnival at Lake Placid. Racing begins Friday, with Alpine races at Whiteface Mountain and cross country races at nearby Mt. Van Hoevenburg.
The following weekends they travel to the Colby Winter Carnival and the University of Vermont Winter Carnival before returning home for their own weekend on February 13 and 14.
The Big Green's ultimate goal takes place at Montana State in March at the NCAA championships.
Dartmouth last won the combined crown in 1976