The Bowdoin Alpine Team this winter returned to the slopes again as an official club after an 11-year hiatus. In its first official season, the team qualified for its first USCSA Eastern Collegiate Skiing Championships, held at Mt. Abrams Feb 22-23.

This was a particularly sweet victory for a team that has had a trying past. The alpine ski club in 2001 was nixed as a varsity team for financial reasons, according to Alex Fogarty ’13.

Missing the slopes, a group of students came together in 2009, led by Duncan Masland ’11 and Fogarty, and tried once again to charter an alpine ski club. The College at the time couldn’t support it, so “rather than taking no for an answer,” Fogarty says, “Duncan and I incorporated a company and filed for non-profit status. [Under the name] Polar Skiing, we ran an independent team who competed in the College racing league (USCSA) against Bowdoin’s rival schools.”

The program was successful, and the team didn’t lose sight of its ultimate goal: “to bring ski racing back to Bowdoin,” Fogarty says. This December, after approaching President Barry Mills and receiving his support, the team brought alpine skiing under the Bowdoin name once again.

Next year the team will be lead by Alex Daniels ’14, with the assistance of Christa Villari ’15 and Josh Friedman ’15. Fogarty credits Masland, Hannah Levy ’12 and Katherine O’Brien ’12 with helping strengthe Polar Skiing. “We also owe many thanks to Daniel Schmoll ’13, Joshua Givant ’13 and Johnny Bohorquez ’13, our graduating seniors,” Fogarty adds.

The team’s individual highlights this year:

Women
– Hannah Sherman ’15, 7th, Mt. Abrams slalom, Jan. 26
– Alex Fogarty ’13, 3rd, Lost Valley slalom, Feb. 3
– Adriana Pellegrini ’15, 12th, Lost Valley slalom, Feb. 3
– Christa Villari ’15 , 4th, Titcomb Mountain dual giant slalom, Feb. 17
– Sivana Barron ’15 and Liz Carew ’15 tied for 11th, Mt. Abrams giant slalom, Jan. 27

Men
– Alex Daniels ’14, 3rd, Mt. Abrams slalom, Jan. 26
– Alex Butler ’14, 17th and Alex Cheston ’16 18th, Mt. Abrams slalom, Jan. 26
– Josh Givant ’13, 14th, Mt. Abrams giant slalom, Jan. 27
– Josh Friedman ’15, 11th, Lost Valley slalom, Feb. 3
– Jerrod Dobkin ’15, 11th, Lost Valley, slalom, Feb. 3
– Danny Schmoll ’13, 8th, Lost Valley, slalom, Feb. 3
– Johnny Bohorquez ’13, 12th, Lost Valley, slalom, Feb. 3