Skiers Dominate Alpine Events, Win ECAC Division II Crown

The ski team passed its toughest test of the season with flying colors as it streaked to first place in the ECAC Division 2 championships at Gunstock. New Hampshire, over the weekend.

Second place was merely a formality in this meet because only the winner could go on to compete in the Division 1 championships this weekend at Middlebury. "The pressure was on. It was winner take all and we came through," Alpine Captain Dick Raines said yesterday.

Eking Out First

The Crimson skiers excelled in the giant slalom on Friday as Raines eked out first place by a third of a second. Eric Jewett took third and Alan Hale seventh to put Harvard in first place with 91 points after one event.

In the afternoon, the cross-country squad had problems with the course and finished third. Ken Houston was first for Harvard in 11th position. Six seconds behind him in 12th was Nordic Captain Peter Dillon. John Hunter took 15th. Hubbard said yesterday that the icy course and narrow trails hampered the team--Dillon got going too fast on an icy downhill portion and "flew off the course and hit a tree," according to Hubbard.

On Saturday the Crimson dominated in the slalom, as it took four out of the top seven places. Jewett again captured third, while Hale and Raines were fifth and sixth. Peter Anton's seventh place showing could not even be counted because of a three-men-per-team placing rule.

Jumping was the surprise of the day for Harvard as Tom Cavin took third. Freshmen David Rand and Rich Pietrafesa turned in 15th and 20th place jumps. Their finishes sealed the victory over Lyndon State, 369 1/2--297 1/2.

The Crimson had been ahead by 19 points going into the jumping event and a poor performance would have lost the match.

Hubbard said that "our Alpine performance earned the points we won by and in the Nordic events we held our own."

Hubbard and Raines are confident about next week's meet in Middlebury where the Crimson goal will be to finish in at least tenth place so it can return to Division 1 next year.