SKIING

Two years ago, Vermont's ski team was regarded as "good but not a bona fide challenger" in the collegiate carnival competitions.

Two years ago. Since then, Coach Chip LaCasse (who grew up in nearby Lebanon) has imported a contingent of Norwegian jumpers and cross-country racers who now make the Catamounts the best team in the East - maybe in the nation by the time the NCAA meet at Middlebury rolls around in early March.

Since 1947, only Denver (which won in 1951 and 1969) has kept the Dartmouth Carnival Cup from either the host Green or Middlebury. Vermont added its name to the list of champions in early February as the UVM jumpers triggered a soaring overhaul of Dartmouth that left the Green eight points behind in the final team standings.

With junior Steve Murphy winning the slalom and taking second place in the giant slalom, Dartmouth built a slim lead through three events in the 63rd carnival that, for a change, was conducted under beautifully clear and chilling skies.

Coach Jim Page's team showed good balance in the Alpine events as Pete Anderson and Ken Stowe ably backed Murphy, and in the cross-country race on the Garipay course, Don Neilson was joined by Doug Peterson and Erik Jebsen in producing a 2-5-6 effort.

The only problem was that UVM finished 1-3-4 in the 15-kilometer race and trailed by only a point as the jumping began. It wasn't nearly enough.

Vermont's premier Norwegian jumper, Petter Kongsli, produced successive jumps of 47 meters at the Vale of Tempe. His score was nearly 23 points better than runnerup Hugh Barber of Middlebury and almost 35 points more than Dartmouth's Don Cutter who was third.

"Kongsli is worth more points in the jumping than any team can realistically recoup in the other events," said Page, who has a good team this winter but one that may have to settle for second place through the carnival circuit.

Prior to the beginning of team competition, Chris Nice, Neilsen, Peterson and Ed Waters gave Dartmouth a strong quartet in the national 15-kilometer cross-country championships in Minnesota. The event was won by Tim Caldwell, a Dartmouth freshman who is competing independently this winter.

A former Dartmouth ski captain, Teyck Weed '71, has stamped himself as one of the nation's leading Nordic combined competitors this winter.

A strong Dartmouth showing in the crosscountry event was provided by Don Nielson (top) who finished second, and DougPeterson, Who captured fifth place.

A strong Dartmouth showing in the crosscountry event was provided by Don Nielson (top) who finished second, and DougPeterson, Who captured fifth place.