The e(UMPI)re strikes back!  A blog by Chandra Wisneski (Senior from Amherst, NH)

The ferry ride over to the island of North Haven was… nice. I am not a big fan of boats, mainly because the only time they make the news is when something goes wrong. But none the less I was looking forward to stepping on to the ferry with my team. That’s right I said it and I meant it, a team. After two years of having a few skiers but hardly enough to qualify as a team, the UMPI ski team is back!      

The UMPI ski team started this season on Saturday the 17^th of October with a good will roller ski race on North Haven, an island off the coast of Rockland with excellent views, friendly people and most importantly “roads like butter” with few cars. The race featured representatives from most collegiate ski teams in Maine, and a lucky few other collegiate skiers who managed a ticket. The race was hosted by the Maine Winter Sports Center and the people of North Haven.

Roller ski races are competitive, yet commonly deemed an unrealistic preview of the upcoming winter. I choose to view it as an awesome introduction of our new team. On the girls side my fellow captain, Hannah Shepard flew around the island in record speed finishing in third place behind steep competition. Seconds behind Shep was a welcome addition to our UMPI team but no stranger to competitive skiing, Justine Cyr. She “Cyr”ed 16 maine skiers, finishing in 4^th place. The newbie to collegiate racing, Kati Christoffel, completed her first 15 k race and coincidentally finished 15^th overall. I, Chandra Wisneski, may have finished 20^th of 21 in the freestyle race, but first in the classical division. I hear this division is a new addition to the annual lobster roll race. A tradition I hope is not tried again.

On the men’s side, Jake Fillebrown UMPI’s only baseball pitcher and skiing expert finished 18^th out of a competitive field. Gordie Scannell also a freshman, finished his first 15 k race in 25^th place. The lone senior on the men’s team, Aaron Schmersal, completed his second lobster roll in 32^nd place. Rollerskis come in many varieties, some are slow and some are not. But anyway you choose to roll there was quite a turn out to get out and ski, and hopefully gain some focus for the upcoming ski season.

Special thanks to Maine Winter Sports Center for hosting such an incredible event and feeding us lobster. I would also like to thank our new coach Alexei Sotskov for helping find a place for our ski team at UMPI. Check back soon, for more updates, much more to come.