April 9, 2008

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University Sailing Team had a very successful weekend competing in three different regattas. The coed team had their first chance to qualify for the 2008 National Championships this weekend at the MAISA Team Race Championships held at Kings Point, N.Y.

Team Racing is one of the fastest growing types of sailing. Often times referred to as sailing's highest art form, team racing pits three boats from one team versus three from another and the team with the lowest combined point total at the end of the race wins. . Staying within the racing rules of sailing competitors use different offensive and defensive plays to pin, block and slow opponents around the race course. Georgetown has won two national championships in team racing in 2001 and 2006. This year the MAISA Championship pitted the top 8 teams from the conference in a double round robin format. At the end of the double round robin the top four teams based on win less record face off in a single round robin. The top three teams qualify for the National Championship held in Newport, R.I. May 30-June 1.

The Hoyas didn't start the regatta off well and lost their first two races to St. Mary's and Hobart. With the team down 0-2 every race became a "must win". The Hoyas came on strong and won their next five in a row to end the first round robin 5-2 and tied with Hobart for 2nd overall. The second round robin began just like the first with the Hoyas losing to St. Mary's. But, the Hoyas then pulled off six wins in a row to end the second round with an overall record of 11-3 which was good enough to clinch a berth at Nationals. St. Mary's ended the round robins undefeated with a 14-0 record and Navy and Hobart were tied in third with 8-6 records. The final four saw some great racing for the Hoyas including a come from behind win over St. Mary's to end the event. The Hoyas finished with a 13-4 record good enough for 2nd place overall. St. Mary's won with a 15-2 record and Navy was third at 11-6.

The key to the Hoyas success was an outstanding group of crews. Led by All-American Carly Chamberlain the Hoyas had great crews for all wind conditions. The Hoyas had six crews sail in different races. Alex Taylor, Marco Teixidor, Andi Bailey, Liz Rapp and Caila Johnson all saw significant time on the water and all excelled when we needed them. The Hoyas started skippers Chris Behm, Zack Kavanaugh and Charlie Buckingham. Nik Holtan sailed the last race vs. St. Mary's in relief of Buckingham.

The Hoya women ranked #5 in the latest polls headed to Boston last weekend to compete at the President's Trophy on the Charles River. Seniors Blaire Herron and Leigh Fogwell continued to impress coaches and competitors alike with a very strong performance winning A division by nine points over Harvard. In B the Hoyas with Emily Babbitt and Jamie Loeks sailed well enough to earn sixth place in the division. Overall the Hoyas finished in second place in the 18 team event, five points behind #2 ranked Yale.

The Hoyas also hosted a regatta last weekend. The Robert Paul Arrigan Memorial Regatta is named after Bobby Arrigan who sadly passed away after his freshman year at Georgetown. Bobby's parents have been coming to the regatta every year and are great supporters of the Georgetown Sailing program. The year the Hoyas hosted 17 other colleges and after two days of racing the Hoyas ended up 4th overall. The Naval Academy won the regatta followed closely in second by Old Dominion University. Sailing for the Hoyas in A division were Scott Furnary and Ginger Cutler on Saturday and Michael Campbell and Ginger Cutler on Sunday. In B division the Hoyas had Hugh McBride and Leah Volk sailing on Saturday and Dan Oricchio and Leah Volk on Sunday.

This weekend the Hoyas will be competing at the America Trophy held at Hobart and William Smith College in Geneva, NY. The top eight teams from the America Trophy qualify to compete at the ICSA National Fleet Racing Semi-Finals held April 28-29 in either Long Beach, CA (West Region) or Hobart (East Region).