LEWISTON — After soccer season ended this year, you could find Oxford Hills’ Caroline Burns in the weight room the next day.

“From the moment soccer season ended, I went to the gym and worked out,” Burns said. “I had a booklet to follow workout sessions for ski-related activities and tried to improve my core strength.”

For Burns, it wasn’t about the results, but the effort put forth in her last ski season of high school.

“I wanted to put my all into this year because I knew it was my last year and I wanted to end on a good note,” Burns said. “I put a lot of work in to training in the preseason. I wasn’t necessarily skiing for results, I just wanted to ski the best that I could. I am happy with how I skied.”

At the KVAC championships, Burns struggled in the giant slalom but won the slalom race in a time of 1:24.22, .47 seconds over second-place Ellie Pelletier of Mt. Blue.

States was more of the same as Burns fell during her first run, finishing in 21st. The next day was slalom, Burns’ last chance to perform. She took advantage of the opportunity, placing third overall in Class A.

“I wanted to put that day behind me knowing that it was probably my worst day of skiing this season,” Burns said. “I went out after my runs and took some free runs and focused on my technique to improve that in order to perform the next day. Slalom came and I wanted to just do two clean, solid runs knowing that I had put in the work and two clean runs would be a good result for me.”

Burns’ time of 1:30.85 was more than five seconds better than fourth place, a sign that the offseason work paid off.

Attending Lafayette College in the fall, Burns will be skiing for the club team.

Caroline Burns

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