The EISA circuit’s second stop of the season brought teams to Whiteface Mountain for the Saint Lawrence Carnival, where heavy snowfall and cold temperatures added an extra layer of difficulty. Despite persistent snow during the race window, conditions held up well, and competition went off smoothly as the top collegiate skiers in the East battled for valuable early-season points.
Dartmouth Squeaks Out Overall Victory
After trailing the University of Vermont following the Nordic events, Dartmouth surged back into contention with a dominant Alpine performance to claim a narrow team victory. The Big Green men swept first place in both the slalom and giant slalom, while the women added consistency with second-place team finishes on both days.
Oscar Zimmer anchored the Dartmouth effort, winning the slalom and finishing fourth in the GS to earn Men’s Skier of the Week honors. He was far from alone in delivering points. First-year Sawyer Reed impressed with second- and eighth-place finishes in the GS races, while Heming Sola placed seventh in slalom and eighth in GS. Benny Brown added another podium for Dartmouth with a third-place finish in Thursday’s GS.
On the women’s side, Zoe Zimmerman returned to top form with a runner-up finish in slalom, while Emma Resnick contributed steady points with sixth- and seventh-place results across the two days.
Newcomers Shine in Giant Slalom
The giant slalom races showcased several breakthrough performances from emerging athletes. Saint Michael’s sophomore Isabella Knutsen captured the women’s GS victory in just her second career carnival start, surging to the top with a blistering second run. Dartmouth’s Carly Elsinger, who led after the first run, slipped back to seventh overall.
On the men’s side, Roman Elvidge of the University of New Hampshire earned his first career carnival victory, holding off Dartmouth’s Reed and Brown to secure UNH’s third win of the season.
Vermont Women Reassert Themselves
After a shaky opening weekend, the University of Vermont women responded with authority. Cydnie Timmerman won the slalom to claim the leader’s bib, while teammates Kendahl Roufa and Sara Stiel placed fourth and sixth, respectively, to seal the team victory for the day.
Stiel, a first-year skier from Canada, added a fourth-place finish in the GS, earning Women’s Skier of the Week honors and signaling Vermont’s growing momentum as the season progresses.
Noyes Takes Over GS Leader’s Bib
Colby senior Althea Noyes continued her strong early-season form with a second-place finish in the GS, improving on her performance from the previous week. With finishes of second and third to open the season, Noyes will wear the giant slalom leader’s bib at next week’s Dartmouth Carnival.
“I entered without any real expectations about results—I just wanted to continue pushing,” Noyes said. Despite the added pressure of the leader’s bib, she emphasized that her focus remains on “continuing to push the pace and have good tactics.”
Middlebury Shows Depth
Middlebury took a significant step forward from the previous week, placing five different skiers inside the top results across the two events. Senior Sophia Tozzi led the Panthers with a third-place GS finish and followed it up with eighth in slalom. Nicholas Unkovskoy finished fifth in the men’s GS, while first-year Julian Arthur added a sixth-place slalom result.
Strong Individual Results Across the Field
Several programs not in the team title mix still produced notable performances. Host Saint Lawrence was led by Alec Nolan, who posted a career-best 14th-place finish in the GS. Williams’ Eliza Sullivan backed up an earlier podium with another top-ten finish, strengthening the Ephs’ NCAA positioning. Bates first-year Regan Clute cracked the top 30 in both events, while Boston College’s Bode Flanagan delivered top-ten finishes on both days.
Looking Ahead
The EISA circuit resumes Friday as teams head to the Dartmouth Skiway for the Dartmouth Carnival, where early-season momentum—and leader’s bibs—will once again be on the line.
About the Author: Caleb Horsch
