No Internet, Never too Many PB&Js, and More from NCAAs!

Hey everybody! Here’s an extremely late, not very serious blog about NCAAs, starting off with this Hot Take: NCAAs is…kind of boring. I mean, I’m sure it’s a lot more stressful if you’re trying to win/be on the podium, but I’d already taken my shot to get there. I was just trying to learn everything I could and do my best. With that in mind, here’s some things I learned from spending a week in Stowe.

Cruising with a stellar view!

·      DO: Bring books! Because your head coach might spring the fact that where you’re staying doesn’t have Wi-Fi on you and your assistant coach once you’re already there. I think I read 8.

·      DO: Follow the local crew. I (and the rest of the Eastern gang) used the lodge, because that’s what we do during a carnival there. The Western and Central kids used the tent the NCAA set up. No, thanks, I enjoy indoor plumbing.

·      DON’T: Chug the whole feed bottle, even if you’re thirsty. You will wanna barf during your next lap. Oops.

·      DON’T: Pay attention to the announcer. I’m used to them being behind, but Bib 3 going out being announced before Bib 1 actually started was a little scary.

·      DON’T: Take advantage of the NCAA paying to feed you. Live off of PB&J sandwiches for the week. (This is…maybe just a me thing, actually.)

·      DO: Take advantage of your parents being willing to buy you an overpriced T-shirt. Gotta have that swag. How else will people know to be in awe of your speed, if not for a commemorative shirt?

·      DO: Keep your races in perspective! One day doesn’t define your season. Unless you have your best race of the season. Then it totally does.

·      DON’T: Complain about Europeans taking over NCAA Alpine racing at the banquet, then find out that 2 of your tablemates are Norwegian. (Thankfully NOT saying this from personal experience!)

·      DO: Catch up on that good ol’ college sleep debt. It’s a lot easier to have a 9:45 bedtime when you’re not at school.

·      DO: Eat a ton of homemade French Fries after the races are over. Thanks to the Kulis family!

·      DON’T: Get the truck stuck in the Kulis’ driveway at 9 pm, so badly that it takes 45 minutes, at least 8 people, and a tractor to get out. “We can definitely do a three-point turn to get out of here.” – Kyle Curry (Spoiler alert: We definitely could not.)

and finally DO: Miss your teammates. Kinda sappy, yeah, but you will. It’s a grind of a season, and you get through it by leaning on each other. It’s pretty strange to be at the biggest race of the season without having them there, ready to race with you.
-Jackie

All smiles (real question is was it before or after finding out ETown booked a condo with no internet?)

You have no idea how happy it makes me to post this blog. This team and Jackie have been working to go back to NCAAs for a long time, and this year she crushed it to represent all of us so well on the biggest college stage! 
-Lucy

Women's 5k Skate Results

Women's 15k Classic Results

Eastern Cup Adventures!

Hey folks!

Like Lucy previously mentioned in the Bates blog, there was some SLUSKI representation in some Eastern Cups at Rikert, Dublin and Holderness!

Em making moves on the outside

The Middlebury Carnival was combined with the Rikert Eastern Cup, so that race was the distance 10k classic. You couldn’t have asked for a better day; sunny, blue skies, hard tracks and fast racing! Emily and I pushed each other throughout the whole race, and we finished just about right next to each other. The last time I was at Rikert it was pretty sloppy and warm, so it was nice to have a good race in stellar conditions. Kyle raced the citizen’s race later in the early afternoon and snagged the top spot! Way to go!

Rikert Results

What a cute Rikert crew :)

The following weekend was a whirlwind of racing. Saturday’s race was called the “Dublin Double” in Dublin, NH (GH’s home course!). The first race was one lap of a 3k course, and Emily and Jordi raced strong and finished 44^th and 50^th respectively. Then following that was a 1.5k sprint where Em and Jordi finished 23^rd and 29^th respectively. I didn’t race that day, so I was able to ski around and cheer. Again, we lucked out with the weather with pure sun and no wind!

Dublin Double Results

Emily striding strong

Obligatory puppy photos :)

Something tells me the puppy was the best part

The next day was the 10k Cheri Walsh classic race at Holderness, NH. The weather turned from wet snow to sleet to rain throughout the morning, so the wax was a bit tricky to test out. But by five minutes before the start we were ready to rumble (in tee shirts!). Steph, who had raced both days in the regional championship races at Bates Carnival that Friday and Saturday, drove down with Kyle the day before to race this EC and absolutely killed it! She finished 2^nd for U20 women, and I was 5^th for U20 woman. And Emily finished first for senior women!

Cheri Walsh Memorial Results

Hardworking Holderness crew

Overall, it was a lot of fun to check out some new ski venues and rip up the trails! Shoutout to Jordi’s amazing parents for hosting us at their house before the Dublin EC and Kyle for all of the waxing and taking care of our skis.

Coach Kyle and the ECup contingent

That’s it on my end, stay tuned for Jackie’s epic NCAA journey in Stowe, Vermont!

-Gabby ‘21