Alaska’s Marit Rjabov and Northern Michigan’s George Cartwright have been named the Central Collegiate Ski Association’s skiers of the week, the conference office announced Wednesday. It is both student-athletes’ first such award in the 2013 season.
Rjabov turned in a convincing performance to win her second straight CCSA sprint title at the conference championships free technique sprint on Saturday. The Estonia native finished second in both her qualifier and semi-final before cruising to a 40-meter victory in the A final. She also helped Alaska place second in the 3 x 5K relay on Sunday, lifting the Nanooks to second place as a team heading into the final weekend of the CCSA Championships.
Cartwright, meanwhile, cemented his place as one of the conference’s finest sprinters by claiming the CCSA crown in the men’s freestyle sprint. The junior skied a controlled, mature race, conserving his energy in the semi-final and coming from behind to win the A final. Cartwright then helped Northern Michigan to the classic relay title as well, turning in the best lap of his leg as the Wildcats pulled away to a comfortable 25-second victory.
The CCSA skiers return to action in a little over a week, when they meet in Mt. Itasca for the distance free and classic events that will decide the conference champions.