Alpine Skiers Place First At St. Lawrence Carnival

The Harvard Alpine ski team won both slalom events, but placed third overall in the St. Lawrence University Winter Carnival this weekend in Canton, N.Y. A poor showing in cross-country and jumping pulled the squad down.

Dartmouth won, and St. Lawrence placed second. Middlebury, Williams, Vermont, and New Hampshire finished after Harvard. There were four events in the carnival -- two slalom races, a cross-country race, and a jump.

Steve Blodgett, Petter Carter, and Peter Gagarin placed second, fifth, and twelfth in Saturday's slalom to put Harvard first over Dartmouth, Middlebury, and the University of Vermont.

In Sunday's slalom, Blodgett placed fourth, Gagarin sixth, and Carter seventh to put Harvard first, ahead of St. Lawrence and Dartmouth. Greg Peters finished twelfth in Sunday's slalom.

Each slalom event involved two runs on approximately 30-second courses for which total times were taken. Times on such short, but fast courses were close, and a fall would have lost the race. No Harvard men fell.

The Harvard cross-country team placed sixth out of seven in the race on Saturday. Skiing cross-country for the Crimson were John Mitchell, Ben Barnes, and Jim Sises, who placed 18, 21 and 28.

Dartmouth won the jump Sunday. More detailed results from that event were not available last night.

Harvard's performance in the St. Lawrence competition indicates that the Harvard Alpine team could do very well in New England college meets later this season. But one team member doubted that Harvard would have taken first in the slalom if Dartmouth had sent its A team, instead of its second string.

Earlier this season Harvard A racers Carter, Blodgett, and Gagarin, competing as individuals, placed in the top third of the prestigious Louis Orvis Slalom Derby at Bromley, Vt. But the Alpine win in the St. Lawrence Carnival was the first major team victory for Harvard this season.

The Harvard skiers will compete in the Dartmouth Winter Carnival this weekend, and then go on to the Williams Winter Carnival and EISA Championships Feb. 17-18. The Middlebury Carnival will be Feb. 24-25.