WASHINGTON - The Georgetown University sailing team traveled to Annapolis, Md., for the Navy Intersectional last weekend, competing against some of the top schools in the country. The Hoyas won the event, besting the field of 20 teams with 146 points, followed by Charleston (157), Stanford (161), New York Maritime (207) and Navy (239) to round out the top five.

The weekend provided the first fleet race regatta for the Georgetown coed team since the Rose Bowl in January, a win, and its only tuneup regatta before the Mid-Atlantic Intercollegiate Sailing Association (MAISA) Conference Championship, held May 2-3 in Norfolk, Va., and hosted by Old Dominion University. Despite a bit of rust at the beginning of the two-day affair, the Hoyas continued to improve gradually through the regatta. Most of Sunday saw a three-team battle with Georgetown, Stanford and the College of Charleston each taking turns in the lead. The Hoyas got hot at the right time to deliver the 11-point victory. Both divisions sailed well and consistently and the Blue & Gray even won the A division without recording a single first-place finish in the 15-race regatta.

Saturday was a gorgeous day for sailing with sunny skies and temperatures that reached the upper 70s. Annapolis played host to a boisterous crowd, celebrating the annual US Naval Academy / St. John's croquet match while the bay was packed with anglers out for the first day of rockfish season. The beautiful day did come with its hindrances as the fickle wind conditions confounded racers and officials throughout the day.

As both teams arrived to the site, there was a decent north / northwest win and a course was set in Annapolis Harbor. Two puffy and shifty races were completed per division before it got too light and the fleet retired for a break. While the fleet was on shore, a light southeasterly wind filled in and the sailors headed out for two more races. Though these races were not as shifty, it was puffy and the powerboat chop added an extra challenge to the student-athletes. Again the wind would die down and the fleet returned to the dock to wait for the wind to pick up again.

Following a short break, the sailors headed toward the mouth of the Severn River by Greenberry Point and after a short wait on the water, a light southeasterly breeze filled in and two more races were completed.

On Sunday the temperatures only peaked in the high 50s and low 60s beneath a hazy sky to provide very different racing conditions. The fleet left the dock at 9:30 a.m., and racing began shortly thereafter. Three races were held in the morning in an 8-12 knot easterly breeze. Following a short break, the wind increased to 13-20 knots and six more races were held in the afternoon, with race 15 starting just before cutoff for the final race.

The Hoyas will compete at the MAISA Women's Championship, hosted by St. Mary's College in St. Mary's City, Md., as well as host the Robert P. Arrigan Memorial Regatta on the friendly waters of the Potomac River this weekend, April 25-26.

Navy Spring Intersection (1st of 20 teams)
A Division (1st, 75 points): Nevin Snow / Mary Kate Mezzetti (6 races); Liz Mullarney (3 races); Nancy Hagood (6 races)
B Division (2nd, 71 points): Alex Post / Bettina Redway (10 races); Albert Kraus (5 races)