May 29, 2007

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown University sailing team concludes the 2006-07 season at the 2007 Intercollegiate Sailing Association (ICSA) National Coed Dinghy Championship on May 30 to June 1 at the U.S. Naval Academy.

The Hoyas, ranked No. 3 in the final SailingWorld college rankings, qualified for the coed national championship for the fourth-straight year, after winning the America Trophy for the first-time ever on April 29. Georgetown finished in second place last season, tying its best finish in program history, having also earned runner-up honors in 2004.

Starting for the Hoyas this week will be junior Chris Behm (Hampton, Va./Hampton Roads Academy) and sophomore Carly Chamberlain (Newport Beach, Calif./Newport Harbor) in the A division and seniors J.B. Turney (Winnetka, Ill./Lake Forest Academy) and Caroline LaMotte (Oxford, Md./The Hotchkiss School) in the B. Behm was a 2006 ICSA Coed All-American, while LaMotte is a two-time ICSA Crew All-American (2005, 2006).

In the same setup as the women's championship, 18 schools will race a total of 36 races, split between two divisions, over the three-day event. A final team score combining the two divisions will determine the national champion.

Georgetown advanced to this week's action by topping the field, including current No. 1 St. Mary's, at the America's Trophy. Turney and LaMotte dominated the B division, winning by 15 points, posting five first-place finishes and placing among the top-five in all but three of the 18 weekend races. In the B division, Behm and Chamberlain were equally impressive, placing second. The pair crossed first on four occasions and was in the top-five on 13 starts.

Last year, the Hoyas finished six points (204 to 198) behind host and champion College of Charleston, falling behind on the final race of the event. National Sailor of the Year Andrew Campbell and LaMotte combined to win the A division, totaling 14 top-five finishes, including three wins over the 18 races. In the B division, Behm and graduating senior Nick Deane ended up second, moving up from fifth on the final day. In their 18 races, the pair was among the top-four in half of their races, including two wins and four second place finishes.

For the third consecutive year, noted sailing commentator Gary Jobson will produce a one-hour program on the three ICSA National Championships for ESPNU, which is set to air July 20, 2007.