Sylvan Ellefson '09 recorded his third carnival race win of his career in the 10K Freestyle race at the UNH Carnival. (Photo by Lincoln Benedict '09)

JACKSON, N.H. -- Bates senior All-American Sylvan Ellefson (Vail, Colo.) took first place in the men's 10K Free Technique race on Saturday at the University of New Hampshire Winter Carnival, the third career carnival race victory for Ellefson and the first this season. He timed in at 25:03.3 to lead the Bates men to third place out of 11 teams in the event.

The combined Bates alpine and Nordic ski teams placed sixth out of 11 teams at the carnival, with 646 points. The Bobcats weren't far behind Middlebury (674.5) and Williams (665) and were able to place well ahead of rival Colby (575).

Senior Sam Evans-Brown (Gilmanton Iron Works, N.H.) placed 15th out of 96 competitors in the race with a time of 25:58.2, and fellow senior Dylan Mogk (Bozeman, Mont.) checked in at 43rd place with a time of 27:12.3.

First-year Sophie Leonard (Mammoth Lakes, Calif.) led the Bates women to sixth place out of 11 teams in the women's 10K Free race, finishing 11th out of 81 competitors with a time of 31:21.5. First-year Beth Taylor (Norwich, Vt.) came next for the Bobcast in 24th (32:09.9), followd by junior Abby Samuelson (Freeport, Maine) in 28th (32:32.1) and first-year Caitlin Curran (Waitsfield, Vt.) in 29th (32:26.0).

Friday Recap

The Bates College Nordic ski team continued to get outstanding performances from its senior men on Friday, the first day of the University of New Hampshire Winter Carnival.

Sylvan Ellefson finished sixth out of 82 competitors in the men's classic sprints, timing in at 3:19.57, with Sam Evans-Brown not far behind in eighth (3:29.47), his third top-10 performance in as many races this season. Senior Connor Cushman (Portland, Maine) came next for Bates, in 35th place (3:36.18). The Bates men placed fourth out of 11 teams in the event.

Sophomore Natalie Ruppertsberger (Plainfield, N.H.) led the Bates women to sixth place in the women's classic sprints, timing in at 4:20.47, good for 14th place out of 83 racers. Caitlin Curran and senior co-captain Nicole Ritchie (East Dummerston, Vt.) came next in 24th and 25th places, respectively, at 4:23.25 and 4;25.00.

UNH Carnival results are available at http://www.eisaskiing.org/BART/Results09/unh2009tm.htm.