Ski Team Elects Captains for 1972; Newcomers Improve Season Outlook

At the end of its week-long pre-Christmas training camp, the ski team voted sophomores Ben Steele (alpine) and Ken Willis (nordic) this year's team captains.

Ben Steele, though banned from varsity competition by a rule which made freshmen ineligible, proved himself a threat last year in the Eastern Alpine circuit, with a third place in the prestigious Louise Orvis Race and a fourth at the Great George Invitational, winning over members of the U.S. Olympic Ski Team.

He started off strongly this year with a 7th and an 11th in the Pat Hardy Slalom and an overall first place in the New England College Cup Slalom.

Although Ken Willis was one of the top junior cross country racers at Putney, Vermont, where he went to high school, he was unable to run more than three races last year. This year he has come on strong, finishing fifth in his class at the Londonville Cross Country meet.

The cross country team is strong and has good depth. Jon Rikert has been consistently racing in the top ten, and finished a fantastic third at Londonville. Freshman Paul Finnegan has run a close third to Rikert and Willis. Natie Danow is also very close and threatens to take over one of the three top positions.

An early ankle injury to star Tom Platz has hampered the jumping team. His recovery, and practice for first year jumper Dick Compton, will hopefully put the jumping squad back on its feet.

Freshmen in the alpine team, none of whom have had much prior racing experience, demonstrated their potential in this year's New England College Cup Slalom. Dick Raines finished 12th in the slalom and Scott Johnson finished in the top 20 in both events. Oggie Ross, Mike Herter and Bryn Evensen also turned in good performances.

"None of the guys on the team have had much experience, but they're all really enthusiastic," commented first year coach Peter H. Carter '69. "They have great potential, and I'll have three years to work on most of them."