NEWRY — University of Maine at Farmington senior Katie Keough defended her women’s snowboarding giant slalom title Tuesday at the United States Collegiate Ski and Snowboard Association National Championships at Sunday River Ski Resort.

Keough turned in a two-run time of 2 minutes, 26.35 seconds to eke out the win over Westminister College’s Claire Gentile (2:26.70). Westminister’s Alexis Sinor (2:27.96) joined the winner and runner-up as the only three of the 31 finishers to complete the runs in under 2:30.

Keough turned in the fastest time in the first run (1:14.12) and followed with 1:12.23 with two snowboarders left to clinch the championship.

This is Keough’s third All-American recognition in the women’s snowboarding giant slalom. She also placed ninth at that event in 2010 to be name to the USCSA All-American Second Team.

NCAA Championships: Colby College Nordic skier Jake Barton (Morrisville, Vt.) will start the NCAA Skiing Championshipstoday and the Mules will have three alpine skiers in action Thursday during the four-day event in Bozeman, Montana.

Barton will compete in the 10-kilometer freestyle race at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday. All four days of the national meet will be Webcast at http://www.ncaa.com/liveschedule.

The alpine skiers compete in the giant slalom Thursday. Natalie Biedermann and Cassady Roberts will ski at 11:30 a.m. The women will have both runs before the men’s competition starts at 3 p.m.

Colby’s Jim Ryan, the first alternate for the Eastern Intercollegiate Ski Association, will replace Brian Morgan, who is unable to ski.

Barton will be back in action Friday in the 20-kilometer classical mass start at 11 a.m. The meet finishes Saturday with the slalom runs for the alpine skiers. The first women’s run is at 11:30 a.m, the men’s first trip is at 12:30 p.m. The women go on their second run at 1:45 p.m., and the men finish up at 3 p.m.

Barton will compete at Bohart Ranch, while the three alpine skiers compete at Bridger Bowl.