KNOWLES RECORDS 10th PLACE FINISH IN 20K

CLASSIC TO CONCLUDE SLU CARNIVAL

Jan. 19: The St. Lawrence University Nordic ski teams competed in the Classic events on Saturday afternoon at Mt. Van Hovenberg in Lake Placid, NY to conclude the 2008 St. Lawrence University Carnival. Junior Ben Knowles provided the highlight for the Scarlet and Brown, as he finished in 10th place overall, the highest finish for a St. Lawrence skier this season.

 

Knowles, who returned to the Saints’ roster this season after being forced to miss all of last year, has been the men’s team’s top racer thus far in 2008. The Cumberland, ME native raced in the Men’s 20K Classic in a time of 55:36.2, earning 22.0 points for the Saints and 26.0 points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Completing the scoring for the men’s team on Saturday was sophomore Eric Wolcott and senior Hunter Karnedy, who combined for 25.0 points to lift the Saints to 6th place overall in the event. Wolcott finished in 18th position (56:17.9), with Karnedy twenty spots back in 38th place (57:59.6).

 

Sophomore Bryan Pepper (40th, 50:11.8) and senior Isaac Noyes (49th, 59:11.1) were next for

St. Lawrence, followed by junior Matt McClelland (54th, 1:00:12.6), rookie Steven Vargo (67th, 1:01:27.0), senior Tyler Ludington (76th, 1:03:22.1) and sophomore Jacob Birchard (83rd, 1:06:20.8).

 

On the women’s side, junior Kristen Bednar continued to be the top competitor for St. Lawrence, finishing in 16th place overall in the Women’s 15K Classic. The Essex Junction, VT native raced in a time of 44:21.0, earning 19.0 points for her team and 15.0 points towards the NCAA Championships.

 

Also scoring for the Saints’ women’s team on Saturday were seniors Kalie Dunn and Robin Brooks, who finished in 19th and 24th place, respectively. Dunn raced in a time of 44:51.2, while Brooks followed five spots behind at 45:09.5. The trio combined for 48.0 points, landing St. Lawrence in 6th place in the 15K Classic.

 

Other competitors for the St. Lawrence University women’s Nordic ski team included sophomore Johannah Ludington (41st, 47:05.8), first year students Caitlin Smith (60th, 48:58.9), Sophie Allen (64th, 49:36.1), Elizabeth Hayden (65th, 49:52.1), Hannah James (67th, 50:19.6) and Arla Casselman (71st, 51:43.1) along with junior Marissa Marleau (72nd, 51:54.7).

 

“Though it’s still very early in the year, this was our best performance of the season thus far,” said Saints head coach Ethan Townsend. “We can take a lot of positives from today, and will use the week off to prepare for the UVM Carnival.”

 

Juergen Uhl from the University of Vermont won the Men’s 20K Classic with a time of 52:32.0, though Dartmouth College won the team title with 84.0 points. The Big Green was also victorious on the women’s side with a score of 87.0, while Dartmouth ’s Ida Sargent won the 15K Classic with a time of 40:34.4.

 

The Saints will have the upcoming week off from competition before returning to action the follow weekend, February 1st and 2nd, at the UVM Carnival in Stowe, VT.

 

 

BEDNAR 13th IN 5K FREE ON FIRST DAY OF 2008

ST. LAWRENCE UNIVERSITY CARNIVAL

Jan. 18: The 2008 St. Lawrence University Carnival began on Friday morning, with the Saints playing host to nine other institutions in Lake Placid, NY for the second event of the carnival season. Junior Kristen Bednar notched her seventh career top-15 finish with a 13th place showing, leading the women’s squad to 6th place in the Women’s 5K Free.

 

Bednar’s best finish in the opening carnival at Bates last weekend was a 20th place finish in the same event. However, her time of 14:46.3 gave the Essex Junction, VT native her best finish of the season and 20.0 points for both the carnival and the NCAA Championships.

 

Seniors Kalie Dunn and Robin Brooks completed the Saints’ women’s team scoring with 27th and 30th place finishes, respectively, out of 84 competitors. Dunn raced in a time of 15:18.9 at Mt. Van Hovenberg, while Brooks was three spots behind with a time of 15:22.9.

 

Also competing on the women’s side on Friday in the 5K Free were sophomore Johannah Ludington (50th, 15:58.2), rookies Hannah James (62nd, 16:32.3), Sophie Allen (64th, 16:36.4) and Elizabeth Hayden (70th, 16:49.7), junior Marissa Marleau (72nd, 17:05.7), and first year students Caitlin Smith (75th, 17:19.9) and Arla Casselman (78th, 17:37.9).

 

The Saints’ men’s Nordic ski team struggled on the opening day of their home carnival, finishing in 9th place overall. Junior Ben Knowles led the Scarlet and Brown for the second time this season, racing the Men’s 10K Free in a time of 17:06.8 for 27th position out of 95 skiers.

 

Senior Isaac Noyes was next for St. Lawrence in 36th place with a time of 17:18.8, followed by sophomore Eric Wolcott in 52nd behind a time of 17:34.7. The trio combined for 28.0 points, one behind Bowdoin for eighth place.

 

Hunter Karnedy narrowly missed out on scoring for the Saints, as he finished in a tie for 53rd place right behind Wolcott with a time of 17:36.1. Also competing for the men’s team in the 10K Free was senior Tyler Ludington (73rd, 18:13.8), junior Matt McClelland (76th, 18:16.7), along with sophomores Bryan Pepper (80th, 18:22.6) and Jacob Birchard (93rd, 20:19.6).

 

Both the Women’s 5K Free and the Men’s 10K Free were won by Dartmouth College with totals of 86.0 and 80.0 points, respectively. The Big Green also boasted both individual champions, Rosie Brennan (13:41.6) and Glenn Randall (16:13.5).

 

The 2008 St. Lawrence University Carnival will conclude tomorrow, Saturday, January 19, with the Nordic teams competing in the Classic events, beginning at 9:30am.