The Georgetown coed sailing team came out of last weekend’s MAISA Team Race championship at Navy feeling both frustrated and relieved.
Although the Hoyas were unable to win the regatta, their third-place finish out of eight teams qualified them for the ICSA Team Race National championship May 28-30 for the seventh year in a row.
“We left feeling like we didn’t sail as well as we could have. But in the end, the whole goal is making nationals, so we are pleased about that,” Head Coach Mike Callahan said.
Georgetown, ranked No. 1 in the country in the latest Sailing World College rankings, finished the regatta with a record of 12 wins and five losses. Hobart/William Smith won the event with a record of 16-1, while St. Mary’s went 13-4 to finish second. Fourth-place Navy went 7-10, finishing well behind Georgetown.
The Hoyas were in second place after Saturday’s first round, as their only loss was to HWS. Georgetown had a chance to win the regatta on Sunday, but lost all four of its races against Hobart/William Smith and St. Mary’s.
“Against the top two teams, we made a couple of key errors. We had a chance to win, but we made bad decisions here and there,” Callahan said.
Georgetown’s team consisted of three skippers with rotating crew, depending on the strength of the wind. Georgetown used heavier sailors when the wind was strong and lighter sailors when the wind died down. Senior skipper Andrew Campbell sailed primarily with freshman Carly Chamberlain but also sailed with junior Caroline LaMotte. Senior skipper Ed DuMoulin’s crew was sophomore Blaire Herron for most races, while junior Langdon itchell replaced her when the conditions were especially windy. Sophomore skipper Chris Behm sailed primarily with senior Nick Deane. Seniors Dan Monico and Kyle Bergeron also rotated into Behm’s boat.
The Hoyas fell behind early in their losses to Hobart/William Smith and St. Mary’s.
“In a couple of key matches we had trouble with our starts, so it was hard to get back into those races. We dug ourselves into a hole we just couldn’t get out of,” Behm said.
Georgetown had had success against both Hobart/William Smith and St. Mary’s prior to the MAISA Team Race Championship. Hobart/William Smith is ranked second in the latest Sailing World College Rankings, while St. Mary’s is ranked sixth.
“We have no doubt that we can beat [Hobart/William Smith]. They just got the better of us this weekend,” Behm said.
According to Callahan, Georgetown needs to make some adjustments to prepare for the ICSA Team Race National championship.
“We were too easy to beat. We have to go back to videotape to look at some issues. Hopefully we can come up with a winning formula for nationals,” Callahan said.
DuMoulin said that the Hoyas are optimistic about their chances at the ICSA Team Race National championship.
“We know where we stand. We have our work cut out for us, but we are confident we can do very well at nationals. It’s just a matter of keeping up in practices and improving,” DuMoulin said.
The Georgetown women’s sailing team also competed last weekend. The Hoyas finished fourth out of seven teams at the Washington College Women’s Open, held in Chestertown, Md.
Freshman skipper Emily Babbit and her crew, junior Theresa Salerno, finished third in the A division. In the B division, senior skipper Clare Starshak and her crew, junior Mary McAuley, sailed to a fourth-place finish. Navy won the regatta.
The Georgetown sailing program will compete in four regattas this weekend. The Admirals Cup will be held at Kings Point, the Women’s Dellenbaugh Intersectional will be held at Brown, and the Moody Trophy will be held at the University of Rhode Island. Georgetown will play host to the Arrigan Memorial Regatta.
