April 28, 2008

Washington, D.C. - The Georgetown Lightweights concluded their regular season racing this past Saturday with a win over perennial powerhouse Harvard and came in a close second to the second-ranked U.S. Naval Academy. Entering the race ranked 11th nationally, the Hoyas locked into a powerful rhythm early that put all three crews within striking distance.

The Hoyas finishing time on the Severn River was 6:13.2, only 2.3 seconds behind Navy and 2.4 seconds ahead of the Crimson.

"The Varsity race saw three determined, mature crews grinding down the course," Varsity Lightweight Coach Evans Liolin said. "At the end of the day, we made a big step in the right direction."

"This was an exciting race for us," Varsity four seat and co-captain Billy Quirk (Needham, Mass./Roxbury Latin) said. "Navy put together a solid last 500m today, but our guys came away excited and hungry. We're in the thick of it and gearing up for the Eastern Sprints."

The JV rowed an aggressive race finishing third in their event. While the Frosh Lights also finished third in their race, they demonstrated a tenacity that put them in a fierce dogfight with Harvard, resulting in a photo finish.

"Tight racing is great for our guys," Freshman Coach Alfred Shikany said. "Any close racing experience in your freshmen year is going to help your team in the long run, but to see such tight quality racing all the way is particularly constructive."

"Despite some early season setbacks, the guys have remained focused," Liolin said. "No one is content and there is a strong sense of purpose in practice each day. We are all looking forward to testing ourselves in the post-season." The Georgetown Lightweights' next race is for the EARC Championship at the Eastern Sprints in Worcester, Mass. on May 18th.