Craig Timm (Center City, Minn.) and Sarah Switzer (Madison, Ala.) were recently selected USA Adaptive Water Ski & Wake Sports’ (USA-AWSWS) male and female athletes of the year, respectively.
Following the 25th Barbara Bolding/Jim Grew Fund Adaptive Water Ski National Championships, Sept. 5-8, in Paducah, Ky., nominations for these prestigious awards were made based on skier performance, activity within the adaptive water skiing community, and work to raise awareness of adaptive skiing among other contributions. The nominees are then voted on by the USA-AWSWS board of directors. Timm and Switzer are also now eligible for the respective athlete of the year awards from USA Water Ski & Wake Sports, the parent organization of USA-AWSWS.
Switzer (MP5), a first-time recipient of the award, won national titles in slalom, jump and overall. She also had the highest individual score in women's jump, all women’s categories, and placed fifth in jump, all categories, both men and women. This performance secured her a spot for the second time on the 2019 USA Adaptive Water Ski Team, which will compete in the 14th Disabled Water Ski World Championships, July 22-28, 2019, in Skarnes, Norway. In addition to her impressive performances in adaptive water skiing, Switzer also is a member of the Auburn University water ski team. A freshman, Switzer is the only adaptive skier on the team and posted high scores at National Collegiate Water Ski Association tournaments, including a personal best in slalom (1.00/34/18.25) and jumping over 45 feet (13.8 m).
Timm (A1), a veteran to the sport, was named Male Athlete of the Year for the eighth time. He won national titles in all three events and overall at the 25th Barbara Bolding/Jim Grew Fund Adaptive Water Ski National Championships, titles which he has now won over 20 times. He was also selected to the USA Adaptive Water Ski Team for the 12th time and continues to serve as an active Honorary Director on the USA-AWSWS board of directors. In 2018, Timm was also the first adaptive athlete to ever place at the GOODE Water Ski National Championships (able bodied). He placed fifth overall in Men 4 and finished sixth in jump. In addition to the titles won at the able bodied Nationals, he won overall at the Minnesota State Championships and medaled at the Midwest Regional Water Ski Championships.