UVM wins Saint Michael’s College Carnival

Photos: Stephen Cloutier | PhotoGroup.us

UVM won the Saint Michael’s College carnival, which took place at Smuggler’s Notch in Vermont on Friday and Saturday. The athletes battled through cold weather and three racers claimed their first-career carnival wins.

Gwen Wattenmaker from Dartmouth won the GS. It was her first carnival win and third time on the podium. Her result helped the Dartmouth women claim second place in team scoring for the GS, but wasn’t quite enough to overtake Middlebury, which had two athletes on the podium.

“I was really happy with the day,” Wattenmaker said. “The snow conditions were perfect and I’m grateful to the race volunteers for putting on a great race despite the cold weather. Coming through the finish second run I was really stoked to have a good run and hold my position and then moving up and getting my first carnival win was so exciting. I can’t wait for the rest of the season and to see the hard work and fast skiing my team has been doing pay off.”

Lucia Bailey and Alexandra Cossette, both Middlebury athletes, finished in second and third, leading their team to a GS victory. Bailey finished in second place in both the slalom and GS at the Colby Carnival. After three second-place finishes in a row, she finally landed at the top of the podium in the slalom for her first carnival win.

“I tried not to have any expectations going into the day and I just tried to focus on solid skiing,” Bailey said. “The race hill is one of my favorites on the circuit with a steep and technical section. The course was fairly straight first run and turnier second run. Everyone put in a good fight. Happy with my skiing and stoked on walking away with my first carnival win.”

UVM won the slalom after Moa Clementson, Justine Clement and Caroline Jones finished second, third and fourth, respectively.

See the women’s GS results here and slalom results here.

Men’s race

Bastian Matsien started his first carnival series this weekend for UNH and won the GS. The result led UNH to second place in the GS.

“It’s been pretty long and cold days but super fun,” said Matsien. “I love racing in the U.S. and am glad I can race for UNH now. The snow was great. Very aggressive and cold. I haven’t skied this much this season and had some back problems, which made me miss the first carnival. Luckily, this week was better and the racing was great. Can’t wait for Stowe.”

SMC won the GS on their home hill with Benjamin Throm finishing in second, Austin Michael Lilley in fourth and Eirik Ranheim Kveno in fifth.

In the slalom, UVM’s Joachim Jagge Lindstoel led his team to victory, winning his second carnival slalom in a row. His teammate, Mathias Tefre, was just behind him in second place.

See the men’s GS results here and slalom results here.

The UVM Carnival will take place at Stowe on Feb. 4-5.