< < back to News Releases

 

Date: March 6, 2003
Contact: Bill Sodoma

 

Lathrop sisters, Saunders finish in top 10 at NCAA meet

HANOVER, N.H. --

Three All-America finishes and a combined fourth overall in team scoring were just two of the highlights of the greatest day ever in Colby College alpine skiing Thursday at the NCAA Division I Championships at Dartmouth Skiway.

First-year women's skiers Abbi Lathrop (Green Mountain Valley/North Conway, N.H.) and Jenny Lathrop (Green Mountain Valley/North Conway, N.H.) earned second team All-America honors along with sophomore men's skier Robert Saunders (Rowland Hall-St. Marks/Park City, Utah) for finishing in places six to 10 in giant slalom racing.

Colby had the fourth best score in the country with 129.5 points by combining the men's and women's alpine totals. Only University of Utah (212), University of Vermont (170) and Middlebury College (139.5) had better days. The Colby men placed fifth in the giant slalom and the women took sixth place.

Abbi Lathrop was 16th after her first run of 1:08.71, but had the fifth-best second run (1:02.66) and improved all the way to eighth at 2:11.37. Jenny Lathrop finished in 10th place with runs of 1:08.33 and 1:03.09.

"Abbi going from 16th to eighth was about a skier who was mad about her first run and just let it all go in the second run," Colby coach Mark Godomsky said. "In this type of competition, it's tough to move up two places if you have a good run. To move up eight places is just incredible."

Saunders was fifth after his first run of 59.98 and then had a time of 1:00.68 on his second trip for a 2:00.66 total. University of Utah's Ben Thornhill was the champion with a two-run total time of 1:59.78. Saunders had the best time of any skier from a NESCAC school.

Warner Nickerson (New Hampton School/Tilton, N.H.) went from 20th place after the first run of 1:01.00 to his 13th-place finish after a strong 1:00.90 on the second run. Nickerson had the 10th-best second run among the competitors.

What makes Nickerson's finish more amazing is that he placed 21st in the giant slalom during the regular season at Dartmouth Skiway against only Eastern competition.

Charlie Reed (Winter Sports School/Park City, Utah) finished in 31st place after having problems on his second run. He had a 1:02.65 on the first run and then a 1:18.67.

The slalom racing will take place Saturday with the women's runs at 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m. and the men at 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m.