The 420 class dinghy, a popular sailboat used in collegiate competition, is named for its length: 4.2 meters. That’s not a lot of space for one person to maneuver, let alone two, but senior Chris Behm and junior Carly Chamberlain seem to do just fine. Just keeping the boat upright and moving is a miracle to the outside observer, but the Georgetown University Sailing Team’s (GUST) top duo does a little better than that.
“In those conditions and in those boats, Chris and Carly are probably the best in college,” Georgetown head coach Mike Callahan said.
The pair lived up to their coach’s praise over the weekend, dominating their division and leading Georgetown’s fourth-ranked co-ed squad to a win over top-ranked St. Mary’s (Md.), and earning its second straight MAISA championship in the process.
Behm and Chamberlain are excellent examples of the team’s motto, “as one.” Behm, the skipper, drives the boat and mans the mainsail. Chamberlain sits forward of Behm, and is responsible for “trimming the jib” and helping Behm find the best breeze. It’s a stressful environment on the open water, and the close quarters make the boats a prime setting for mid-race blow-ups—a problem that Behm and Chamberlain don’t seem to have.
“This is the second year Chris and I have been sailing together, and our chemistry in the boat shows it,” Chamberlain wrote in an e-mail. “He is a great skipper because he trusts me. A lot of times you will hear skippers yelling at their crews during a race, but Chris is good at staying focused on the race instead of yelling about the little things.”
With big things on the horizon for GUST, it bodes well for the team that their senior skipper is capable of ignoring the little things. This weekend’s win gives Georgetown’s co-ed team the top seed in the Western Region of the National Semifinals on April 26 and 27 in Long Beach, California. The team hasn’t made a trip out West this year, but neither Behm nor Chamberlain are concerned.
Chamberlain is one of four Georgetown sailors from California, and Behm looks forward to the new challenge.
“It is nicer to sail in a place you’re used to,” Behm said. “But if you put the time in and concentrate on the wind patterns and stuff right when you get on the water you are going to be fine.”
The team may not be used to conditions on the West Coast, but they will certainly be comfortable in the “Flying Junior” boats that the Inter-Collegiate Sailing Association will use during Nationals—GUST received its own spanking new fleet of FJs last year.
In California, Georgetown will compete against Eastern foes like Yale, Brown and Old Dominion, along with Western powerhouses like Hawaii and semifinal hosts USC. Despite the tough competition, Behm has confidence in his team.
“I definitely think we shouldn’t be counted out,” he said. With a little coaxing, the senior leader went further, “If we sail like we know we can sail and how we are capable of sailing, than I don’t see any reason why we can’t win it all.”
The team’s motto isn’t limited to Behm and Chamberlain’s on-board rapport. The biggest race of the year may be just a couple weeks away, but the two plan on spending this week helping the GUST women prepare for the MAISA Women’s championship and their shot at a semifinal berth. The women’s championship will take place this weekend at St. Mary’s.
