Nordic skier Sam Tarling '13 has skied around the world, but one of his fondest career memories happened at Dartmouth carnival this past weekend. Despite tricky snow conditions and the arrival of a winter storm, Tarling and his teammates Scott Lacy '13 and Silas Talbot '15 won the Nordic three-by-five-kilometer relay, one of the carnival's main events.
"It was an incredibly special moment," Tarling said. "Dartmouth took first and second in that race. I remember before I started to ski in the race, we were in fourth place and I was able to get us up to first on that last leg. It was an amazing moment for me, and skiing down the final stretch with the flag to meet my teammates was the perfect way for me to finish off my last Dartmouth carnival."
Tarling's natural comfort on the mountain began early. He grew up skiing in Maine and Jackson, N.H. with his father, who was also a Nordic ski racer. Tarling spent one year in public high school before attending Burke Mountain Academy, a prestigious ski school in East Burke, Vt.
"Burke was an incredible place," Tarling said. "I was sort of feeling like I couldn't maximize my potential being in public school, and being surrounded by like-minded people and people that work really hard at Burke absolutely helped my skiing career move forward."
Tarling had to adjust his Dartmouth Plan to accommodate his training schedule and maintain a balanced college life. Tarling said he soon realized that he could accommodate his training regimen and take fall terms off to get on the snow early.
Tarling's schedule was further complicated this past winter when he flew to Austria and the Czech Republic to compete in the Under 23 World Championships. Tarling, along with teammates Annie Hart '14, Mary O'Connell '16 and Corey Stock '16, competed in January and returned just before the Vermont Carnival.
"My time at the U23 Championships was such a great experience and came with its own challenges and victories," Tarling said. "Before my 30-kilometer race, I suffered from incredibly bad food poisoning. I had high hopes for that event, so that was frustrating. However, the 15-kilometer race went really well, and overall, going over to Europe and experiencing the different race venues and competing against so many different skiers was an incredibly valuable experience."
While Tarling is clearly a force to be reckoned with in international skiing competition, he is also a dedicated captain to the Nordic team.
Teammates said Tarling's work ethic is unparalleled, and his dedication to training is inspiring.
"He's an amazing captain no matter what he's always at practice," Thomas Rabon '16 said. "If he is in Hanover, he is there. He puts pressure on himself to be a leader on the team, and it certainly pays off. I was fortunate enough to pass him the flag at the relay finish this past weekend, which was an incredible feeling."
Talbot echoed Rabon's sentiment, noting his dedication to the team regardless of his personal success.
"One of his most defining features is that he is a leader by example," Talbot said. "Not only is he the most successful athlete on the team currently, but he is a hard worker and more importantly, a really good and dedicated captain."
During the recent controversy surrounding the Nordic freshmen's tradition of dying their hair, Tarling stepped up to represent the team, dying his hair as well to show solidarity.
"He really takes it upon himself to be a part of the team," Rabon said. "He's an amazing individual skier and is someone who has made the most of his ski career, but he is so involved with Dartmouth skiing. He's always there for us."
After the NCAA Championships at Middlebury College in March, Tarling will look forward to his future in skiing.
"I'll be skiing somewhere, but I'm not entirely sure yet," he said. "There are a bunch of pro teams out there domestically that I would consider joining with. However, I am not going to make any decisions until after the NCAAs, I'm going to enjoy my last moments with the Dartmouth team."
