RIPTON, Vt. – Vermont skiers won both races at the Rikert Nordic Center Friday afternoon taking four podiums highlighted by wins from Anna Bizyukova and Jacob Nystedt on day one of the 98th Middlebury Carnival. Friday's slalom races were canceled due to the high winds. After the first day of Nordic competition UVM sits in first place with 271 team points. The host Panthers are in second place 52 points back.
 
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Day 1 Results
 
Bizyukova claimed the 5k classic Friday in a time of 13:18.6. She finished 11.9 seconds ahead of her teammate Waverly Gebhardt in winning her second race of the season. Bizyukova has made the podium in all seven of her starts this season. Gebhardt earned her third podium of the season. UVM's Phoebe Sweet placed third on the day in a time of 13:51.8. Haley Brewster (7th, 14:06.2) and Libby Tuttle (9th, 14:12.8) also finished in the top-10.
 
On the men's side in the 10k classic UVM had just three skiers but all three placed in the top-five. Nystedt earned his first career EISA win with a time of 24:00.9. He has been at least in the top-six of seven of the eight races this year. Matias Ovrum was UVM's next finisher in fourth place with a time of 24:33.7. Aidan Burt was fifth overall for Vermont 6.9 seconds behind Ovrum.
 
The Middlebury Carnival wraps up tomorrow afternoon from central Vermont. The alpine teams will begin the day with the GS from the Middlebury Snow Bowl at 9 a.m. and the mass start for the women's 15k skate will be at 10 a.m. followed by the men's 20k skate at 11:30 a.m.