Sieber captures 5K classic title, women's skiers maintain second
February 19, 2013
Jamie Foland
907-474-6807
Junior Raphaela Sieber (Vöhrenbach, Germany/Business Administration) cruised to the individual title in the women's five-kilometer classic race to help the Alaska women's skiing program keep its second-place standing at the Central Collegiate Ski Association Championship on Saturday at Mt. Itasca.
Sieber dominated the event, crossing the finish line in 15 minutes, 5.1 seconds, which was 13.5 seconds ahead of any other competitor. She is the second Nanook to win an individual title at this year's championship, as she joined senior teammate Marit Rjabov (Voru, Estonia/Psychology), who won the 1.5-kilometer freestyle technique sprint two weeks ago.
“Raphaela skied not only a strong race but a smart race,” head coach Scott Jerome said. “Though she was leading at the top of the one long climb in the middle of the race, she saved enough energy to push through the double pole section on the second half of the course.”
The Nanooks finished with 68 points on the day, placing second only to Northern Michigan, which tallied 75 points. Following Alaska down the list were College of St. Scholastica (53), Michigan Tech (51), St. Olaf (41), Gustavus Adolphus (34), Wisconsin Green Bay (33) and St. Cloud State (17).
Two other skiers in seniors Theresia Schnurr (Buhlertal, Germany/Biochemistry) and Rebecca Konieczny (West Yellowstone, Mont./Biological sciences) moved up into the top 10 individually as well.
Schnurr finished with a time of 15:31.0, good for eighth place, while Konieczny followed her in ninth with a time of 15:33.6.
“The times from second through 10th were very tight,” Jerome said. “We had a couple move up in there but they just did not have enough gas for the final two kilometers. This was a much needed boost for Theresia. She has been struggling but I think she is on the upswing now.”
Alaska's other three student-athletes competing Saturday included senior Crystal Pitney (Fairbanks, Alaska/Business administration), junior Heather Edic (Fairbanks, Alaska/Civil engineering) and sophomore Alyson McPhetres (Chugiak, Alaska/Spanish and Geological engineering).
Pitney was just outside the top 10 in 11th place with her time of 15:34.9 and Edic was 14th in 15:42.8 while McPhetres crossed the line in 15:48.7, for 17th place.
Entering tomorrow's 15-kilometer skate to complete the championship, Northern Michigan leads the field with 220 points. Alaska sits in second place with 197 points, followed by Michigan Tech (174), College of St. Scholastica (152), St. Olaf (123), Green Bay (104), Gustavus Adolphus (99) and St. Cloud State (17).