Freshman Meredith Parenti took first place this past weekend in the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association Southeastern Conference ski race. She was one of 65 women from Duke, UVA, and UNC, among other universities, competing at the race.
How old were you when you started to ski?
I started skiing at two, and racing at nine. I raced for Holiday Valley, a small hill—it’s not really a mountain—in upstate New York.
Is it a big part of your family?
Yes. My sister and I started skiing when my parents dropped us off at lessons—they got us skiing because they wanted to—and it became something we did every weekend. Racing then just evolved into part of all of our lives. Now my sister races for University of Michigan and I’m racing at Duke. Maybe one day we’ll compete against each other at Nationals!
What do you love about skiing?
That I don’t have to run! But really, it’s a great workout while still being a lot of fun.
Where does the ski team compete?
Our closest race is at Sugar Mountain in North Carolina. Other than that we go to Virginia and West Virginia. We have five race weekends before regionals, and if you qualify you can go to Nationals, which is in Bend, Oregon this year.
What’s your favorite part about being on the ski team?
I love that I get to go away for the weekends and spend time with a really cool group of people. The ski team knows how to have a good time.
What other activities are you involved in on campus?
I’m on the Style Team for The Standard, an online student published lifestyle magazine. The Style Team works on the creative development of all of the photo shoots. I’m also involved in Greek Life.