Sibling duo Sam and Will Arnesen won the 41st Annual Harvard National Forensics Tournament in public forum debate this afternoon. But, the Arnesens will not be back to celebrate until Wednesday, as their flight was delayed because of the snowstorm that hit the D.C. area Monday night.

The junior twins beat out 345 teams to win the tournament, the largest in public forum debate history, Will Arnesen said. They defeated the Dalton School from New York in Finals on a 4-1 decision. The Arnesens debated the resolution, “On balance, economic globalization benefits worldwide poverty reduction.”

Sam Arnesen said the topic was difficult and messy.

“It was hard to simplify things, because the topic was so broad,” he said.

Last year, the Arnesens lost in double octafinals, and Durham Academy from North Carolina won the tournament.

Sam Arnesen attributes this year’s success to the duo’s improved speaking skills.

“I think both Will and I were more conscious about being nicer speakers and adapting to judges better,” he said.

The debate team prepped intensely for this year’s tournament, junior Nathan Witkin said. The team was researching, doing drills and participating in practice rounds for a few hours a day, weeks before the tournament. Witkin said he believes this thorough preparation contributed to the Arnesens’ win.

“[The win] definitely wasn’t a surprise,” Witkin said.

The trip didn’t go exactly as planned, however. The debaters’ U.S. Air flight into Reagan was delayed due to inclement weather. Instead of flying home tonight, the debaters will fly home Wednesday morning, weather permitting.

Public forum coach Rachel Baron (‘13) pointed out that the brothers faced stiff competition and weather-related round cancellations.

“It was pretty hard competition,” she said. “It was also harder than normal, because the tournament had less preliminary rounds than it usually does.”

Sam Arnesen said that having the break after only four preliminary rounds, instead of the traditional six, was helpful since it eliminated key competitors earlier than normal.

“A lot of the good teams were out early which cleared the field making the bracket a lot easier,” he said.

After the drain of four days of competition, the twins are ready to return to Bethesda.

“I’m sick of being here,” Will Arnesen said. “I want to go home.”

Will Arnesen is an opinion writer for The Black & White.