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The Brandeis ski club braved the slopes last weekend, in an attempt to qualify for the regional competition of the United States Collegiate Ski Association. The top three association teams will go to regionals, and both the Men’s and Women’s clubs are currently fourth in the standings.

“Overall, it was a great weekend for racing,” said co-captain Robert Schwartz ’08. “We have four more weekends of racing, unless we make it to the regionals, which I think we will. I think we’ll be able to overtake [the teams higher in the standings], so it should be good.”

“After a week of warm weather, the skiing conditions were not as ideal as we would have liked, but we had fun nevertheless,” added Wei Sum Li ’10.

Grady Macklin ’10 led the Men’s team by taking first in the Giant Slalom on the first day and placing second the next.

“It was great to get back out on the slopes and back into gates,” said Macklin. “As far as the first race went, I think we really show great promise.”

Schwartz also did well in the Giant Slalom, placing fifth and then seventh, respectively. Li scored points for the Brandeis team as well, and is now fifth overall in the league standings.

In addition to Macklin and Li, Schwartz was impressed by the first-years on the team, who were participating in their initial race.

“A lot of freshman did really well in their first races,” he said. “We have a really young team.”

Schwartz explained that team member Audrey Lamb ’11 only learned to ski during the club’s training session for this season, but still competed at the meet.

“She hadn’t raced before, but she did really well,” he said. “[During training] at the beginning of the slope, she was going really slow, almost stopping between gates, but by the bottom she had it.”

“The freshman…only have room to improve,” added Macklin, “and I think with more racing experience will come better times and a better standing for the team.”

Schwartz is hoping that both teams can qualify for the next stage of competition, building on the success of the past two seasons.

“Last year the men made it to regionals, and two years ago the women made regionals, so hopefully both get in this year,” he said.