Most sane people would say that it’s far too early to be talking about skiing.
But as temperatures here in the North Country descend into the 40s and the 30s (please turn the heat on) a few are thinking earnestly of snow.
Among them are members of SLU’s own alpine ski team, who have been hitting the gym frequently in recent weeks in preparation for another season.
When it comes to skiing, St. Lawrence belongs to the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA), the members of which include Division I schools such as Dartmouth, Harvard, and the University of Vermont, as well as other Division III schools such as Middlebury, Williams, and Colby College. This means that the Saints skiers often face fierce competition.
Last season, the EISA was led on the men’s side by Nef Tanguy of Dartmouth, a member of the Swiss National B Team.
On the women’s side it was led by Paula Moltzan of UVM and Foreste Peterson of Dartmouth, both of whom have skied on the World Cup circuit for the U.S. Ski Team.
Despite fierce competition, the Saints did not back down.
Carter Armstrong ’20 led the pack in slalom by finishing tenth, a mere 2.76 seconds off the leader at the Middlebury Carnival last spring.
He consistently posted top 20 results throughout the season, which helped him qualify for the 2018 NCAA Skiing Championships in Steamboat Springs, Colo.
Jake VanDeursen ’19 proved dominant in giant slalom, posting a 14 place result at Williams where he was only 2.37 seconds off the leader.
The Saints Alpine women also came away with a few top 25 results.
Riley Whitney ’20 placed 24 in Slalom at the Colby College Carnival and 23 at UVM, and Lillian Silverstein ’21 posted a 25 place result in the giant slalom.
According to Assistant Ski Coach Taber Engelken, the 2017-2018 season was one chock full of accomplishments. Over 85 percent of the team achieved personal best results.
But perhaps more for the team’s longevity, over the course of last season Saints Alpine successfully transitioned to a bigger team, expanding their roster and hiring an additional coach. This allows athletes to compete not only in College Carnivals, but also FIS races across Eastern United States and Canada.
Engelken believes that the new resources available to the team will help the Saints recruit faster skiers in the years to come.
For the upcoming season, the team is working on mental fortitude as much as physical strength.
According to Coach Engelken, the Saints have the talent to send a full team (three men, three women) to the NCAA Championships, hosted by UVM in Stowe, Vt.
However, he also stressed the importance of focusing on “the day-to-day process of maximum performance rather than results.”
One thing is for certain, with winter looming on the horizon, the Saints skiers will soon return to the hill for what is sure to be another promising season if the Saints continue to work hard on the hill.