WILLIAMSTOWN, Mass. -- Sophomore
Arie van Vuuren (Boulder, Colo.) and junior
Hannah West (Bend, Ore.) led the Bates men's and women's alpine ski teams, respectively, in the giant slalom races on the first day of the Williams Carnival at Jiminy Peak.
Van Vuuren (Boulder, Colo.) led the Bobcats for the third time this season in the GS and the fourth time overall, placing 14th out of 70 competitors. His runs of 52.51 and 51.68 for a combined time of 1:44.2, earned 28 carnival points and 18 NCAA Championship qualifying points.
Senior Michael Cooper (Alta, Calif.) was next for Bates in 24th place in 1:45.2 for 21 carnival points and seven NCAA points. Junior Joe Gillis (Branford, Conn.) took 31st (1:46.3) to complete the team scoring with 15 carnival points. Senior Ryan Clermont (Lincoln, N.H.) placed 33rd in 1:46.6.
West posted runs of 55.62 and 54.56 for a combined time of 1:50.2 to finish 21st out of 74 skiers. It's her fourth time leading the way for Bates this season, the third time in the GS. She earned 21 carnival points and 10 NCAA points. First-year Grace Schierwagen (North Hampton, Pa.) took 43rd place in 1:55.3, earning eight carnival points. Sophomore Daphne James (Sausalito, Calif.)Â rounded out the women's scoring with seven points for 44th place (1:55.6). Senior Emma Finfer (Highland Park, Ill.) finished in 45th place (1:55.6).
The men finished seventh out of 15 teams with 64 points, and the women were 10th with 36 points. With the Nordic teams, Bates is in ninth place overall.
The Bobcats will race in the slalom on Saturday morning to complete the Williams Carnival.