Bono Paces the Dartmouth Ski Team at the Eastern Ski Championships

2/27/2010 6:24:00 PM | Skiing

By: Dartmouth

RIPTON, Vt. - Competition was postponed by 24 hours by wild mid-week weather, but the delay didn't bother Dartmouth senior Katie Bono, who won her first varsity race pacing the Big Green ski team to a Day One lead at the Eastern Intercollegiate Skiing Association championships at Middlebury on Saturday.

Rain and high winds forced a postponement Friday, but the Big Green women dominated the 5-kilometer classical competition at the Rikert Ski Touring Center, placing all six athletes in the top 10, led by Bono. Her junior teammate and co-captain Ida Sargent finished in second place; Clare Egan of Wellesley was third.

Bono picked an opportune time -- the Eastern championships -- for her first varsity win, especially considering the day's tough waxing conditions. "I definitely didn't expect it... [our skis] were either slipping or dragging, but we gutted it out and got a little lucky." Dartmouth junior Rosie Brennan was just shy of a podium finish in fourth while sophomore Stephanie Crocker placed fifth; Dartmouth sophomores Sophie Caldwell and Erika Flowers finished seventh and tenth respectively.

Vermont's Franz Bernstein won the men's 10-kilometer classical event, tailed by Dimitri Luthi or Williams and Eric Wolcott of St. Lawrence. Dartmouth freshman Sam Tarling had the top finish for the Big Green in tenth place. Sophomore Eric Packer and junior Nils Koons followed closely behind, placing 12th and 13th.

At the Middlebury Snow Bowl, Vermont's David Donaldson claimed another win in the men's slalom race; Middlebury's Bobby Poehling placed second, followed by New Hampshire's Paul Atkinson. Scoring for the Big Green was senior Francis Fortin-Houle (13th) and sophomores Trevor Leafe (14th) along with Luke McLaughry (15th).

Dartmouth junior Kelsey Roddick broke the New Hampshire-dominated podium for second place in the women's slalom event that was won by Veronique Archambault-Leger; Marie-Elaine Lepine took third. Big Green freshman Madeline Packard (7th) and senior Hayley Jones (14th) joined Roddick for more strong finishes from the Big Green.

After the first day, Dartmouth leads in the team standings with 409 points. Host Middlebury is in second place (384 points) and Vermont sits in third with 364 points. With a team win, Dartmouth will complete its second consecutive unbeaten season.

The final day of events at the Middlebury Winter Carnival takes place Sunday with giant slalom races at the Snow Bowl and 15- and 20-kilometer mass-start freestyle events at Rikert.