It was unanimous. Vermont won the women's freestyle cross country, Vermont won the men's freestyle cross country, and Vermont won the NCAA Ski Championships.
The deftly delivered one-two punches on the final day of the nationals put its only real challenger, the University of Utah, out cold. The first, the women's event, was enough to put the Utes down. The second, the men's race, simply guaranteed the Utes wouldn't get up.In the final standings, Vermont had 671 points, Utah 571, Colorado 532, University of New Mexico 477, and Dartmouth 476.
Going into the freestyle cross country, Utah had a chance. It had only to earn back 20 points to win, which seemed easily attainable.
Utah beat Vermont by two in the giant slalom, and Vermont beat Utah by two in the slalom. In the classical cross country, Vermont earned six more than Utah in the women's race and 13 more in the men's. A strong showing in the freestyle by Utah and any mistakes by Vermont would have been enough . . . but it didn't happen that way.
In the women's 15 kilometer event, Vermont's Laura Wilson, winner of the classical two days earlier, won and teammates Selma Lie and Kerrin Petty were second and eighth. Utah's best was Kim Csizmazia 12th, then Anne Kari Aas in 13th and Kris Ryan in 22nd. Wilson's time was 52 minutes, 16 seconds. Csizmazia's was 56:33.70.
According to Csizmazia, the Utes just weren't ready for what happened.
"They took off fast, which they can do at this altitude. At higher altitudes we usually start slower . . . and that's what we did. Then, too, out west skiers are a little more courteous. We're not used to all this pushing. I got mad out there," she said.
On a course like the one at the Trapp Family touring center that's narrow and ice-hard, "That's the way you've got to ski. You've got to be aggressive," said Ute Coach Pat Miller.
Things went no better for the men. Vermont's Tim Miller won, teammates Paul Hansen Joe Galanes were second and fifth. Utah's best was Kuke Bodensteine, winner of the classical, in fourth. But it went down from there. Mark Gray was 26th and Thomas Lium 31st. Miller's time was 56:00.30. Bodensteine's was 53:23.90.
"It's not what we expected. We've skied better than this," said the Ute coach. "I don't know what the problem was."
Even Bodensteine's good finish came with more problems than necessary. He had a bad start and out of the first turn found there were 30 skiers ahead of him. At the 5 kilometer mark he was up with a pack of six leaders. But then, as he was making a move for the lead, he fell.
It was, he said, hard work catching up, and the fall didn't help his try for a second title.
"The pace was OK, though. I skied pretty well. I tried to make my move, but they (Miller and Hansen) beat me to it. I'm not much of a sprinter, so I just fell in behind," he said.
It was, for Vermont coach Chip LaCasse, a complete victory. Last year's win in Jackson Hole, Wyo., wasn't. It was laced with team errors. Fortunately for him, Utah made one more than his team.
"Actually," he said after the official announcement was made, "I followed Pat's (Miller) lead. He was the first to come up with team skiing. We've been pushing it for three years. It finally jelled."
In past meets, Vermont has lost important points when skiers took chances for individual glory. This year it didn't happen. Skiers skied strong and steady, and with the goal of team points not just individual championships.
Miller said that while he was surprised by Vermont's final performance, he wasn't disappointed by the loss.
"You've got to look at this over the whole season. We won all the events in the Western Division, we're second and we had some brilliant moments," he said.
Those brilliant moments included Anke Friedrich winning both the GS and slalom, Bodensteine's classical win, and the overall strong showing of the women's alpine team, which kept Utah in the title chase.
This makes two in a row for the Catamounts, and they have comfort of knowing that half of this year's team were freshmen.