TAYLORS FALLS, Minn. – In their first United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association (USCSA) competitions of the season, the St. Olaf College men's and women's alpine skiing teams posted top-two finishes in both the giant slalom and slalom competitions at Wild Mountain this past weekend.

The St. Olaf women edged Northern Michigan University by one one-hundredth of a second in Saturday's giant slalom and finished second in Sunday's slalom, while the men were second on both days. Junior Ethan Ross and senior Kaarl Damberg were in the top 10 on both days for the men, while junior Merumo Ishimaru and sophomore Kate Young did so for the women.

On Saturday, Ishimaru was the runner-up in the women's giant slalom, posting the second-fastest second run (25.22) to move up from fourth with a time of 49.70 over the two runs. First year Winter Johnson recorded two top-five runs to place fifth (49.89), while Young was also in the top 10 in eighth (50.21).

In the men's giant slalom, Ross and Damberg recorded podium finishes, with Ross in second (47.42) and Damberg in third (47.52). Ross logged the fastest second run of the day (24.01), while Damberg was in the top three on both runs. Senior Parker Smith added St. Olaf's third time in 13th place (48.81).

Ishimaru again led the way for the St. Olaf women in Sunday's slalom, logging her second podium finish of the day in third (1:08.97). First year Jessica Stanton was two places behind Ishimaru in fifth (11:34.) and fellow first year Abigail Hahs (ninth, 1:12.27) and Young (10th, 1:12.28) made it four Oles in the top 10.

Damberg, Ross, and senior Gabe Lessard put together top-10 finishes in the men's slalom, led by Damberg's fourth-place finish (1:02.30) that included a pair of top-five runs. Ross moved up from ninth with the fourth-fastest second run (33.12) of the day to place sixth (1:02.65), while Lessard was eighth (1:03.10).

St. Olaf is next in action on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 14-15 at the DJ Tengdin Memorial at Buck Hill.