Ben Steele Nabs Second In Williams Giant Slalom

Captain Ben Steele turned in his best performance of the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association (EISA) season yesterday, finishing a strong second in the Williams Carnival giant slalom race at Brode Mountain, Massachusetts.

Steele, skiing on a packed powder but windblown course, ended the two-run competition a half second behind the University of Vermont's Dave Dodge.

The Crimson finished sixth out of eleven teams in the team standings for giant slalom. Dick Raines (22nd), Gordon Adler (24th), Bob Beusman (28th) and Scott Johnson (41st) also competed for Harvard.

Harvard didn't fare as well in the 15 kilometer Cross Country competition held later yesterday. Jon Rikert's 24th place was the highest place the team could muster as the Crimson finished at the bottom of the field. Rikert came in about seven minutes off the pace set by winner Stan Dunklee of Dartmouth.

Paul Finnegan and Peter Dillon wound up 34th and 40th for the Crimson.

As usual, Middlebury, the University of Vermont and Dartmouth battled for the top standing at the halfway point in the two day carnival. Going into today's jumping and slalom competition, Middlebury holds a slight lead over the other two. Harvard is comfortably entrenched in the tenth position.

Dartmouth, competing without Steve Murphy who won last week's slalom race and placed second in the giant slalom, slipped to fourth in the giant slalom standings. However, the Big Green took first in the Cross Country to remain only two-tenths of a point behind Vermont.

The two-run slalom race, scheduled for this morning, will also be run at Brode Mountain. The slalom and the giant slalom were switched to Brode from the Williams College slopes because Brode has better snow conditions.

This afternoon's jumping competition may be cancelled if the high winds which plagued the area last night continue. Bob Spurrier, news director for the Carnival, said last night the overall team results would not be official if the jumping is called off, although the individual events will be counted in EISA Division One scoring.