The dominance started up top. In the men’s race, all three of the fastest skiers came from Vermont or Dartmouth. In the women’s race, two of the three fastest skiers did. The lone exception was Zane Fields from Colby. The hometown favorite won the men’s competition by more than 15 seconds.

From top to bottom, all competitors had to reckon with the multi-lap course. Especially in New England, college programs are used to that layout. When snow is scarce, race officials can hold long-distance events by having competitors circle the same trail over and over again.

This setup brings opportunities and drawbacks. A shorter course means that competitors can familiarize themselves with the bumps and grooves, identifying any rough spots. A shorter course also risks psychological fatigue.

Koffman mentioned another tradeoff.

“It can be difficult to pass if there’s a big group,” the junior said. “It can also be fun because you end up skiing with a lot of other people.”

Those “other people” are quite familiar to Harvard skiers. The Crimson competes against roughly the same competition every weekend. Consequently, this first weekend serves as a useful bellwether for the rest of the season.

Moreover, the icy difficulties may prepare Harvard for tough conditions later in the spring. Warmer temperatures only increase the likelihood of repeat circumstances—more rain, more ice, and more multi-lap courses. Getting race experience now in that environment may pay dividends in more high-stakes events.

“Every race, our goal is to go out, go as hard as we can, and leave it on the course,” Koffman said. “As a team, we’re definitely capable of sending a couple people to the NCAA championships. That’s always a team goal. That would be super-exciting.”

—Staff writer Sam Danello can be reached at sam.danello@thecrimson.com.