SKIING

This could be a banner year for the Dartmouth ski team. With good strength throughout, as well as depth, the Indians should be favored to repeat as Eastern Champions. And as an added incentive the NCAA championships will be held in Hanover, March 5-7.

The biggest loss from the 1963 team was, of course, Jim Page, a four-event skier and a strong competitor during the last two years. Stepping in to take Page's place, however, are two men, who are far from inexperienced. The first fourevent man is Dick Durrance, a junior from Aspen, Colo., and the son of one of Dartmouth's all-time greats of the late '3o's. The other skier is Brian Beattie, of Lyndonville, Vt., a sophomore, who despite his class status, has already competed in many national races.

Captain Jim Jacobson of Swan Valley, Idaho, leads the Alpine skiers. A four — event man occasionally, Jacobson is expected to devote most of his talent this year to the downhill and slalom. Another Alpine man to watch is Pat Terenzini, a Rutland, Vt., senior, with two years of varsity competition. And still a third top prospect is Skip Bryan of Stowe, Vt., a sophomore.

Turning to the Nordic event we also find solid strength. In addition to Durrance and Beattie in the combined, the Green will have Sel Hannah of Franconia, N. H., who has just returned from the Olympic tryouts, Peter Akley, another Lyndonville, Vt., product, Dave Beattie (Brian's brother), Frank Barber, and Mike Parker. In the cross country, the Green will have two other fine skiers, Ed Williams and Dean Mosher, and in the jumping, Frank Hannah.

Gary Vaughn, a former four-event skier at Norwich University, is acting head coach this winter in the absence of A 1 Merrill, who is Nordic coach for the U.S. Olympic ski team. Vaughn came to Dartmouth last winter as Alpine coach and is doing a very capable job this winter.

The Dartmouth Winter Carnival on February 7-8 will be the first of the season. The Eastern Championships will be held at Williams, and barring injuries and other unforeseen handicaps, the Indians should be tough to beat.