When it comes to athletic competition, momentum can play a huge role in success, and one great weekend can snowball into the next weekend and beyond. For the nordic ski team, this phenomenon seems to be true.
After their best-ever finish (8th out of 12 teams) at the Colby Carnival two weekends ago, the Polar Bears did not disappoint this past weekend at the Broomhall Cup. Also the de facto Maine Nordic State Championship, the cup is in its fifth year of existence.
For the first four years, the Polar Bears tallied a third-place finish. However, with a total score of 35 this past weekend, the Polar Bears got over the hump and earned a second-place finish, just five points behind first play Colby (30) and ahead of Bates (44), Maine-Presque Isle (89) and Maine-Orono (118).
"I'm absolutely thrilled with how the team raced [at the Broomhall Cup]," head coach Nathan Alsobrook '97 said. "This was one of our best ever performances as a team. Everyone did a great job of staying relaxed and positive, and the skiers were in a good place mentally."
On the men's side, juniors Wilson Dippo (28:43.4) and Spencer Eusden (28:44.5) placed second and third in the 10K classic, respectively. Sophomore James Crimp and junior Scott Longwell also had solid performances in the 10K classic, finishing seventh and ninth overall, respectively.
On the women's side, first year Kaitlynn Miller and sophomore Hannah Wright led the Polar Bears in the 10K classic.
Miller crossed the finish line in fourth with a solid time of 33:18.2, while Wright finished fifth with a time of 34:04.06.
In addition, Maren Askins '12 completed her best race ever as a Bowdoin skier, finishing 16th overall to come in third for the Polar Bear women.
With the impressive display of nordic skiing at the Broomhall Cup, numerous Bowdoin skiers earned All-State honors. Dippo, Eusden, Miller and Wright earned First Team All-State honors for the Polar Bears, while Crimp and Longwell collected Second Team All-State recognition.
The Polar Bears hope to keep riding the momentum that they've gained as they head back into their Eastern Intercollegiate Skiing Association schedule and compete at the University of Vermont Carnival in Stowe, Vermont this weekend.
Alsobrook remains optimistic and encouraged by his team's results.
"We're really excited to get back to the carnival scene at UVM this weekend," he said. "The team is gaining confidence, and as we continue to cut back the training, we should be in a position to have more good results."