Each and every athlete on the Alpine ski team has simply one thing on the brain before a competition: domination. That is the well-executed motto of coach Paul Wojick.

No matter how much success they experience, they strive to blow their opponents away. Last weekend was the perfect example. At the Regional Championship in Marquette, Michigan, both the men's and women's teams had a clean sweep. They took first place in both slalom and giant slalom competitions by large margins.

The women's team delivered a swift one-two punch to the competition with senior Emily Nelson and junior Sarah Nelson, bringing in a first and second place finish respectively. Junior Auda Hatcher placed sixth in giant slalom and eighth in slalom, greatly benefiting the team.

Leading the way once again for the men was junior Joachim Rasmussen with first place individual finishes in both races. Junior Josh Kinzer was right behind him with second place in each race. Sophomore Ben Belyea and first-year Casey Charlson also brought in great finishes for the team.

This season has been full of strong victories for the talented Ole Alpine Ski

Teams. "This year's team is the best St. Olaf has seen

in a very long time," said Rasmussen. They have consistently finished at the very top of their meets.

The Oles are simply a powerhouse in Division III alpine skiing.

This success carries on somewhat of a tradition at St. Olaf. High school skiers are drawn by the prominent reputation of this school's alpine team. The numbers put up by this year's men and women are certainly outstanding, but not surprising to those who actively watch the Ole ski team.

A glimpse into the future shows that the alpine ski team should be able to have similar success in the following years. None of the top finishers for the men are graduating this year, so they expect to pick up where they leave off this year. The women are in a similar position, losing Emily Nelson, but retaining quite a majority of talented skiers.

One feature that sets this team apart from other teams, according to the athletes, is the degree of friendship and camaraderie. They spend more time together both on and off the slopes. For a sport that is founded on individual performance, this group is just as close as any group of athletes in a team sport could be.

Bogus Basin, near Boise, Idaho, will be the site of this year's NCAA Division III Nationals. All the skiers are gearing up for the big meet, which will be held March 5-10. Coach Wojick wants to make sure all his athletes get enough quality training in before that point. Other than that, it's business as usual for practices and the domination mentality.

Some of St. Olaf's fiercest competition should come from schools like Sierra-Nevada College, Boston College, Whitman College, and Plymouth State College. While the difficulty of the meet should be much higher, all of the athletes are apparently ready. "They seem to be pretty confident that they can ski well," said Wojick.

Being surrounded by other gifted ski teams is not new for the Oles. Earlier this season they participated in a Division I meet in Colorado, facing many talented skiers who were often older and more developed. The Oles fared rather well, but the main benefit was the experience of racing against very challenging teams.

Projecting the outcome of this upcoming meet, members of the Ole Alpine Ski team were modest, but sure of themselves. "Nothing will surprise me," Rasmussen declared. The men's team is aiming for a top-three finish, and the women are going for a ranking in the top-five.

The determination and striving for excellence that this team has can only mean big things this season and the next. Wojick will continue to guide his close-knit band of student-athletes into a legacy few people ever experience.